As I was going through some family albums recently, I came across this photograph, which reminded me of my childhood in Clonmel.
It was a magical place in my young eyes, particularly because we had such freedom. Being the 1950s, there were not many cars around and the children mostly cycled everywhere. The tennis club was where we all gathered, and not just for playing tennis – it was more a sort of youth club.
This photo shows a group of us dressing up as The Belles of St Trinian's for a fancy-dress party. I am in the front holding a tattered teddy bear and with a large white ribbon on my head.
The club was where we had “the hops”. These were exciting and yet terrifying. The boys would line up on one side of the room, the girls on the other.
When the music started, the boys would rush across the room and if you were not immediately asked up to dance, you returned to the dressing room to powder your nose, but really to hide your shame at being thought a wallflower.
This was where you went through the pain of adolescence. This was where you had your first romance. I remember it well.
The tennis was important, although I was not particularly good at it. Then there was the annual tournament that took place every summer, sponsored by the Irish Lawn Tennis Association.
It involved hiring umpire seats, getting new “whites” and maybe a new frock for the hop. This was a very exciting week and the parents were all present for the prize-giving.
I was not going to receive any award so I sneaked off to the cinema with one of my boyfriends. My father came to the club for the prize-giving and asked where I was.
Consternation broke out, and finally my very best friend, under pressure, had to admit to my dad where I was. I was grounded and banned from the club for a week. That particular tennis club is gone now, but I still have the memories.
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