Jul 12 2010
Those were the days alright
This is my little brother Joe Coffey (R.I.P.) on his trolly in our back garden in 36 Killala Road, Cabra West in 1968. I think my Da’ or someone must have made him the trolly for his birthday. This type of trolly was a ‘flyer’ with four pram wheels on it. Other types had the steel ball-bearing wheels on them that you robbed off the railway. Years ago when we had long summers every house in Cabra had at least one trolly and the kids would race each other in them. Sometimes you might manage two or three kids on the one trolly with a big young fella pushing them all. When there was two kids involved they took turns sitting on it and pushing it. Roads that had hills on them were most popular for picking up speed in the trolly as you’d fly down the hill. This style of trolly was quite cheap to make. All you needed was four wheels, a few pieces of straight wood, a piece of old rope, and a large nut and bolt out of your Da’s shed. Trollys were also used for transporting turf , shopping, a bag of coal or a bottle of gas. The above trolly was made in 1968 and is probably the last of its kind to be found in Cabra. A big thank you to my sister Catherine for loaning me the photograph. Have you a ‘Trolly Story’ you’d like to share?