How many of you remember going to The Paragon on a Saturday afternoon?..Big attractions were Flash Gordon, Hopalong Cassidy and the Three Stooges...We could not wait for it each week...A bar of Highland Toffe or a bag of whelks from the lady who stood outside of Toby's the fish-supper and ice cream shop on Cumberland Street...I still remember the words to the song we all sang following the "bouncing ball." And I wisnae born yesterday...Out of the Paragon and into St. Francis for confession..Eveyone went every week in those days.
Margaret
The Paragon
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margaretmcgettigan
- Posts: 105
- Joined: Sun Jan 20, 2013 2:51 pm
Re: The Paragon
Hi Margaret I remember going to the Paragon your b.. was sore with the wooden seats but I cannot remember seeing Flash Gordon there, it was always in the Crownie I saw it.
My dad used to buy his tobacco (Gallaghers Warhorse) it was called because my father chewed it as he was a coalminer, from the tobaconist shop in Cumberland St. at Surrey St, was owned by a man named Mr. Nimmo he used to give us the free pass that he got because he had a poster up in his shop advertising the Paragon a lot of the shops did this can anyone remember?
Mr Nimmo moved accross to the opposite side of Cumberland St. and Surrey st. it was like a wee kiosk I think the building is still there must look when I am going into town.
Amelia x
My dad used to buy his tobacco (Gallaghers Warhorse) it was called because my father chewed it as he was a coalminer, from the tobaconist shop in Cumberland St. at Surrey St, was owned by a man named Mr. Nimmo he used to give us the free pass that he got because he had a poster up in his shop advertising the Paragon a lot of the shops did this can anyone remember?
Mr Nimmo moved accross to the opposite side of Cumberland St. and Surrey st. it was like a wee kiosk I think the building is still there must look when I am going into town.
Amelia x
Re: The Paragon
Hi Margaret and Amelia,
I went to the Paragon just a few times and went to St Francis's too, although the Ritz picture house was nearer to me and St Bonaventure's Church was where I attended Mass as a wean, if I remember correctly all the picture houses had hard wooden seats with a wee metal ash tray on the back of each seat.. Here's a point of interest St Bonaventure's Catholic Church used to be the Buchanan Memorial Free Church but was closed in 1930 and was reconsecrated as a RC Church in 1953. FR Gillmartin was the Parish priest of my era.
I went to the Paragon just a few times and went to St Francis's too, although the Ritz picture house was nearer to me and St Bonaventure's Church was where I attended Mass as a wean, if I remember correctly all the picture houses had hard wooden seats with a wee metal ash tray on the back of each seat.. Here's a point of interest St Bonaventure's Catholic Church used to be the Buchanan Memorial Free Church but was closed in 1930 and was reconsecrated as a RC Church in 1953. FR Gillmartin was the Parish priest of my era.
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margaretmcgettigan
- Posts: 105
- Joined: Sun Jan 20, 2013 2:51 pm
Re: The Paragon
Aye, Amelia, that is right...It had big long bench seats from when it was either a church or a synagogue..it also had a lot of fleas in it...when we would go home my mammy used to check us under our undershirts next to our skin...It was said that you went in with a coat and came out with a waistcoat..ha. ha.
Re: The Paragon
I only vaguely remember the Paragon, but my older sister used to talk about it and go on about the long wooden seats and all the fleas in it. She said they used to yell at the kids to move along so they could cram more kids in and said the poor souls at the ends were nearly pushed off the seat.
FAO - Danny - I remember Father Gilmartin well and all the other priests in St. Bonaventures as they would all visit my Gran's house. Some of the other priests were, Fathers Beattie, Meechan and Cunningham. Father Cunnigham used to be popular with the boys as I think he started a youth club for them. I could be wrong on that though but I do remember he was very popular. Sheila
FAO - Danny - I remember Father Gilmartin well and all the other priests in St. Bonaventures as they would all visit my Gran's house. Some of the other priests were, Fathers Beattie, Meechan and Cunningham. Father Cunnigham used to be popular with the boys as I think he started a youth club for them. I could be wrong on that though but I do remember he was very popular. Sheila