Rural Garda Duties in Ballycroy, Co. Mayo, Ireland 1973

The working life of a Garda in rural Mayo involves social and administrative tasks as well as law enforcement.
Tom Chambers lives in the townland of Ballycroy between Bangor-Erris and Mulranny in County Mayo. He is only policeman in the area, where only fifteen years previously there had been four Gardaí and a sergeant.
I see my job as a community relations officer
Tom Chambers uses a motorbike to go about his work. His duties include attending funerals and signing dole cards. The low crime rate in the area means he is unlikely to be seen chasing criminals.
This episode of ‘Tangents’ was broadcast on 6 December 1973. The reporter is Cathal O’Shannon.
The ‘Tangents’ series covered news and current affairs and was broadcast after the main evening news from 1972 to 1974. This clip includes the opening sequence featuring Cathal O’Shannon travelling to Co. Mayo to cover the story.

[@seanflynn5830]

The funeral shown in this footage is that of my Great Grandfather, Peter Leneghan. Many thanks for sharing.

[@markcantemail8018]

Sean It is Amazing to be able to see his Funeral all these years Later .

[@seanflynn5830]

@@markcantemail8018 my brother slowed down the footage, as the funeral was going through the Church gates, and we found my Grandmother walking past. It was a, great find.

[@seanflynn5830]

@@markcantemail8018 are you related to the Leneghan family too?

[@rockyzrockyx917]

R.I.P. Peter Leneghan.

[@markcantemail8018]

@@seanflynn5830 That is Wonderful , seeing this footage is what gets Me . My Mother last year saw a Photo of Her Grandmother for the first Time . She died before 1920 and the Photo was a Family Gathering with about a Hundred people . I could recognize my Grand mother and Her Sister shown as Teenagers . My Mother was Thrilled to see the Image of Her Grandmother . I am not a Relative . I know some of my Relatives were from the Wexford area . Yes it is a Great Find !

[@goldilocks913]

No stab vests and a bandalero of weapons. What a change- and the wonderful Honda cub made it a joy for me!

[@Patmofar]

The unbreakable and unbeatable Honda Cub, the greatest motorbike ever made. 100,000,000 made and still counting.

[@CC856]

2:52 the man taking his hat off beside the Guard is my Great Grandfather.

[@amongstourowntheinniskeas5152]

I met this gentleman Garda Chambers back around that time c.1973 . Kevin 'Delia' Monaghan and I were on our way to Achill on Kevins motorbike. for a week of fun.We stopped at Clearys in Ballycroy and we got talking to this gent in the bar. He was not in uniform and we got drinking together but he then told me he was the local Garda so i told we 'were in good hands so'.In the mean time who would call in but Tommy Garrett from Glosh Tower and he had the accordian with him. Tommy was on holidays from England with his wife who is a Ballycroy lady. The session and craic began and it was continued in Mulranny that night and Garda Chambers said he 'ed be there and he was. Kevin and my self continued on to Achill the next day but that is another story. Garda Chambers was nice jovial fellow.

[@carlosflanders518]

Great Story!

[@gerardleahy6946]

Your videos are treasures and play a huge role in the preservation of our history and heritage.

[@BodyGuardOfLies1]

My mother is from Mayo but she had already been in England for a decade when this was filmed.

[@niamhne8046]

This is such a lovely channel. It makes me think to what life would have been for my grandparents, their parents and also my dad. Thank you

[@fergal2424]

Imagine how crazy Ireland is to them and their generation now.

[@discoveryman59]

Yeah it was MUCH better than today! Believe me!!

[@HollywoodandHeffron]

Fr Boland. Lovely man. These are great glimpses of past lives.

[@annagilda1]

So amazing to see, my Granny is from Mulranny and although she moved away, we've spent so much time as a family in Ballycroy and Newport. So wonderful to get a snapshot of the time and to hear of some familiar names that I've heard stories of, but never had the opportunity to meet.

[@marykategraham.205]

"""I'm from Belmullet In Co. Mayo on the wild majestic Atlantic Coast Line. Your video CR'S---- is Beautiful - the mountains- Bogs- is steeped in our tragic History but we survived thanks to Our Creator..""" Diá dháoibh agus Béannácht -Léat---...🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@newyorkwanderer3290]

Greetings from New York City.

[@clario2178]

And from Birmingham

[@tomasofaolain3117]

Greetings from South Carolina

[@clario2178]

@@tomasofaolain3117 nice one Tomas

[@clario2178]

@@newyorkwanderer3290 Hi mate ,used to play Gaelic in Bay Ridge down by Verresona bridge .

[@johnbrett8788]

Great upload and narrated by the late great cathal o Shannon.

[@martinmoran89]

Absolutely love this channel and all your uploads, this one especially as my Mum is from Ballycroy and many summers I spent down here at my Grandparents house.

[@alanodonnell4788]

My mum came from Ballycroy to she has seven brothers and sisters. And one of her sisters my aunt is Rose Conway Walsh the TD.

[@jayd1974]

Nice part of da world 👍I had a grand uncle who was a garda on Achill in da 60’s

[@alanodonnell4788]

Achill is a nice place to be at.

[@gregoryhamblett9071]

Great bit of history. I know he was a gardener! At a glance, of him signing the Dole Cards.. lol

[@johncronin1082]

love the sound of the turf being cut

[@alanodonnell4788]

I live in County Mayo I'm a 23 year old man who is living with his family. And I work at this Shellfish Farm called Sofi Shellfish Ltd. It's a place where oysters are sorted. And it's runned by two joint managers who are a married couple and French to. It's hard working there and I don't get payed that much. But that is my first job in life. And I'm thinking about what I'll do in the future. Like when I get to my 30's I'll be a middle aged by then. I'll resign from my job buy a place of my own to live in. Like in anther part of Ireland or in anther Country. And I can try and get a new job or go to College.

[@wilfredwilde161]

Alan,You'll still be a young guy in your thirties.Small places make you feel old before your time .Its only when you get into your fifties that big changes happen with fitness levels and recovery rates etc. Get away from those two you are working for .You're young ,they know it and are working the fk out of you it sounds .

[@Kevin-rw4yw]

30 is still very young. Find what you love to do. Life goes fast.

[@judymanning2538]

Lovely country 🍀

[@mickosullivan3827]

Country Folk had more fear of the Priest than any other authority.

[@charlesdickens6706]

Is the double-entendre intended ?

[@marylynch951]

They used to

[@marylynch951]

@@terryboot7777 absolutely agree 100 %

[@jamesurquhart1142]

Justifiably so, a number were tyrants and serial sexual and physical abusers.

[@missadda8890]

They sold what everyone wanted desperately eternal salvation.

[@freemindthinkerezrapound5071]

They were rich in more ways than they knew, Growing Your own vegetables cutting your very own turf catching fish, very little of the poisonous processed food that everyone eats today

[@schmittyconstanz]

And thinking not shaped by social media .Books were held in high esteem.

[@DevRSVR]

God be with the days.

[@brigitnunez6735]

Great video thanks for sharing. Love it.

[@braille5575]

Not a mosque in sight

[@burntbacon7995]

True. How's Islam working out in Europe?

[@braille5575]

@@burntbacon7995 Not very well.

[@rerite2]

-- Are there minarets in IRL? I understand that Switzerland outlawed them not too long ago.

[@feidhlimidhmacanaltha3644]

The mosque was in Ballyhaunis sure.

[@davekeating.]

Can't see much on a cloudy day...

[@gulfstream7235]

lots of unemployment but very little crime back then.....

[@Munklers]

Less disparity. Most people were in the same boat, also in that area everyone knew everyone.

[@alanodonnell4788]

My Aunt is Rose Conway Walsh the TD. She was born in Ballycroy and she lives in Bellmullet. I did give her idea's and plan's on how to help Ireland and it's people and idea's for the future. And many of the idea's is about bringing loads of work and employment to Ireland.

[@khiggins7231]

That Guard would had a contract that would have allowed him to retire up to 63 years. He wouldn’t be far off that at the time of filming. If he joined when he was in his early twenties I would have been around the early 1930s.

[@andyarmstrong1493]

Different time, different world.

[@Roscoe.P.Coldchain]

Pre woke

[@marylynch951]

Absolutely

[@78bollox]

I'd take him over any of the handbags on duty in Dublin these days

[@rerite2]

-- "handbags"....LOL, I fell off my chair, Jaysus help me, laughing til I cry.

[@marylynch951]

Lol

[@wilfredwilde161]

All they do is get decent people in trouble

[@celticdodge5282]

This is true, here in Dublin you will see them drive by open drug dealing, assualts etc and do nothing. While they harrass average Joe soaps on their way back from work for going a couple of Kms over the speed limit.

[@sherp2u1]

He might have felt bored and lonely at times, but that man probably didn't know how lucky he was...The only Garda around for 40 miles, who is going to bother you...? LOL"

[@charleswalsh9895]

My grandfather came from Mayo, Castlebar

[@herculesv1.247]

Hands like baseball mitts on that guard @ 2.07

[@choctaw6838]

Like shovels

[@nervesinapattern7261]

Big aul JCB digger hands on him

[@disprogreavette8545]

2:07 for anyone reading this and wants the link.

[@choctaw6838]

King Kong hands

[@alanodonnell4788]

I that Baseball is a sport that happens in the United States and Japan.

[@Team-fabulous]

I'm sure old Garda Tom has long since shuffled of this moral coil...

[@whitetim1835]

a day in the bog good exercise

[@choctaw6838]

A legend!!

[@pagantree]

I'd love to see more Shrimping

[@richardgiles2484]

When life was simple but hard and much safer times when you leave your doors unlocked and walk home in the dark 👍

[@gaughantony]

From a Mayo family and my aunt is from Ballycroy

[@dianastevenson131]

Such a wonderful world before computers dehumanised us. How much nicer it was.

[@cbrider726]

The typical Honda 50 . Now that little bike if worth 20x what it cost new . Great stream. 👍👍👍This is back in the day that the local was the law .lol Pitty we cant go back to those days . it would be much safer for us all. 👍👍👍Now in Rural Ireland everynight is a worry .Not like back then . No one locked there doors or cars . Bring back our local cops and put a stop to our crime wave.

[@df289]

Never to be lived or seen again

[@michaelf4506]

Never say never

[@alanodonnell4788]

That was nearly 50 years ago and a lot has changed since then. The 70's was the age of disco and dancing. The Vietnam War coming to an end and The Muppet Show.

[@charliekavanagh1217]

My little Honda 50 she's rapid and she's nifty

[@jayd1974]

Great song by Seamus Moore🇮🇪👍

[@georgel74]

Rapid reaction cop.. The normal copper is on a pushbike.. 👮😁

[@gulfstream7235]

lol

[@UFOUAPMagnet]

He IS the SWAT Team lol

[@georgel74]

😁😁

[@jixuscrixus1967]

FART: fast action response team.

[@UFOUAPMagnet]

@@jixuscrixus1967 And he is an old FART, at that

[@robg71]

He was the police officer who found Mr Bensons Whistle.

[@malcolmmoffat2108]

Not anymore same as England those days are gone.⚰️

[@jimfreyne]

And what is so esoteric about not buying food from tesco.

[@ClaudioBenassi]

This is the man from the future.

[@ciatangallaghe2485]

Nice Honda 50

[@rahan9886]

Four stroke?

[@ciatangallaghe2485]

I don't have a clue

[@timber8403]

A nifty fifty ...

[@Captain_Lockheed]

@@rahan9886 yes, it's a four stroke. Very collectable here in the uk. Take a look on ebay, they fetch silly money.

[@johnniethepom2905]

@@rahan9886 The Honda C50 , C70 and C90 were 4 stroke engines . Yamaha made a similar style ' step thru ' but they were a two stroke .

[@patrickball2493]

Signing dole cards ! . I remember the guards doing that , No longer do it though. Stopped in the late 90s .

[@haeuptlingaberja4927]

We're all hunting the great red shrimp in our own ways.

[@noelmaher4633]

Tom, will you come up to HQ, were doing Jerursalema...Get the F="".....

[@eyeconphotographyandproduction]

♥️💚♥️💚

[@123malichi]

Convoys and McAndrews here of Rathmorgan and Ederglen .....Bangor Erris Co Mayo

[@brianfitzpatrick9949]

Brian Lacken is actually a native of mayo

[@bristolfashion4421]

they operate the machine they never think beyond the next change then they see that there is no more we are all at the end we fizzle and twitch and jerk then the 'roach and the rat do pick our dried and dessicated corpses clean - blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth, innit...

[@CosmicTurbo949]

Where is the presenter from? I've never heard an accent like that.

[@DevRSVR]

Trans Atlantic/North county Dublin I feel. Quite manufactured.

[@davekeating.]

@@DevRSVR There was nothing manufactured about Cathal O’Shannon…

[@ctmac9404]

no truer words spoken. I disliked him for his service in the British army, but there was nothing fake about Cathal O Shannon.

[@James_BAlert]

I see nobody so far is claiming that's their grandfather or father getting their welfare papers stamped in the Garda barracks.....just wondering why one of the fellows in that particular queue didn't ask the RTE camera man to have their backs to the camera and not be on the box later that night? Maybe they did! Yes there was crime in his beat, it was behind closed doors a lot of it, with others there was 'local' justice, again with other crime the Gardai decided to dispense out the justice!🤔

[@UFOUAPMagnet]

Everyone else directed here from Hardy Bucks?

[@patfraser3869]

Nobody

[@jayd1974]

I actually know one of daHardy Bucks very funny

[@johnmcentegart007]

The University of Texas was here.

[@lindahughes4409]

Signing on day

[@margaretnesbeth593]

Is that big house just for 2 Guardi, is it still there, it's the same with priest house, one rural priest one big house.

[@jimfreyne]

The west British accent of the the narrators makes one wonder if our independence may only have been an illusion. God bless the country folk.

[@johngilmore6688]

He can't help the accent of an educated man. He's Irish, not English.

[@tonemc6047]

We are beyond the pale and thank God.

[@johngilmore6688]

@@FolkloreIreland Few people might understand a broad Dublin or Clare accent. lol

[@gilactico]

@@johngilmore6688 and a fine TV presenter he was. Rip Cathal ó Shannann.

[@dechannigan2980]

Lovely clear Irish accent

[@hugostiglitz6914]

His job was more like a mayor than a policeman!

[@charlesdickens6706]

.....I heard word conception used instead of concept. I think concept and perception got confused after a stay at the local . For sure Ireland is also famous for it's perception on conception . . . .The rubber on the car's foot pedals is a touch worn .It's however all in keeping with the intended zeitgeist. Anyway I glue sandpaper on my pedals for extra safety .

[@michaelf4506]

Never heard it called a pedal before haha

[@paulkielty3800]

Honda 90 the chariot of the gods.

[@falihsaukhan5365]

0:47 remind me of super cub anime lol

[@madcarew5168]

Father Jack's escaped again!!

[@jimmcfarlane5611]

Is this Heartbeat?

[@residentevil8893]

Idk how they police without guns not evan a pistol

[@jamesbradshaw3389]

The Garda in Rural areas or in other words Speed kIngs, Pothole water splashers, Showoffs, Know it alls, Man about town, Sheep stealers, Cattle rustlers, Potin drinkers, Protection gangs, Money launders, Band and post office robbers, Nosey parkers, Bossy boots, Men not in charge, Traffic diverts, well dressed men in suites, Beer drinkers, Smokers and many others. Or have I got all this wrong

[@coliekeane1463]

No

[@u.s.militia7682]

I guess color film hadn’t quite made it over there yet.

[@Del-yv1qy]

Plenty of lay abouts around then as well.

[@johnniethepom2905]

That's not very fair . Mostly the farms had been split up in small parcels of land and generally afforded a meagre existence . With large families being the norm , lot of the young people emigrated at the first opportunity . My Grandfather walked to Dublin and caught the ferry to Holyhead . Then he walked to Surrey looking for work ( where he met my Grandmother ) . This was mid 1920's . He worked all his life . The last four generations of our tribe has emigrated somewhere for a better life . Lazy we are not !

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

AGAB

[@ifyouvote.5005]

Don't be fooled these people are british and proud.

[@odonnchada9994]

Lol 😆 ☘🇮🇪

[@patrickball2493]

Everyone in ROI associate being British as being English and hence being from England only not Wales as they are Welsh , not Scotland as they are Scottish , not Northern Ireland as they are Irish .

[@Mack-bc3sp]

By christ that honda brings back happy memories