Knocknacarra/Rahoon History

?Cee?view

Of course you're right there were hoards of women in black shawls in Galway in the the 1980s. I've attached an image of them. These are most likely Inishannagh residents under siege from the Knocknacarra gentry who are kept at bay with tales of cat cruelty...

inisboffin

I think the whole 'posh' thing is highly subjective. To me it has more to do with perceived class (which has no place in a Republic, as someone mentioned!) and less to do with money. The latter indicates that someone is 'trying' to be posh, but it won't necessarily ever get there.

Re Knocknacarra, I think a lot of people did indeed try to 'rise up above their station' by moving. Sometimes this was moving from a beautiful older house (because it was old) to a 'nicer' (usually inferior) new house, because it was new. I often heard of people 'trying to be posh' and moving out to Knocknacarra - I suppose if enough people thought it was, then that opinion would sustain itself as one side of an argument.

Trying to be posh meant to some, covering up oak floor boards with lime green lino, hiding wood features with beauty board, tossing all your antiquated delph an buying as much plastic etc.

Now all this is relative, but for me 'trying to be posh' is a contradiction in terms - think Hyacinth Bucket! Generally

The real 'posh' often lived in draughty old farmhouses. Remember the aesthetic of redoing an old house being chique has only been adopted by the mainstream of late.

If 'percentage' of high income means Posh, then our posh areas are scattered. If it's older money, then likely Taylor's Hill, parts of Salthill, would have the most 'posh' occupants imo.

dolphin city

like the "fur coats and no knickers" brigade.

dolphin city

churchview wrote: »

Of course you're right there were hoards of women in black shawls in Galway in the the 1980s. I've attached an image of them. These are most likely Inishannagh residents under siege from the Knocknacarra gentry who are kept at bay with tales of cat cruelty...

ah, yes, now you're learning. :P

inisboffin

dolphin city wrote: »

like the "fur coats and no knickers" brigade.

Ha ha!

Not quite though, these people were more about looking 'respectable' and solid rather than flashing the fur. There was a whole bunch of folks that thought if something was 'new' it was infinitely better than the alternative.

There is a comparison with Tallaght in Dublin there, although by sheer volume of exodus, Tallaght did *not* get a posh name.

Ironically, parts of Tallaght are lovely and 'more respectable' now.
Parts of Knocknacarra are lovely too, don't get me wrong. Gorgeous views walking down the hill.

?Cee?view

inisboffin wrote: »

Re Knocknacarra, I think a lot of people did indeed try to 'rise up above their station' by moving. Sometimes this was moving from a beautiful older house (because it was old) to a 'nicer' (usually inferior) new house, because it was new. I often heard of people 'trying to be posh' and moving out to Knocknacarra - I suppose if enough people thought it was, then that opinion would sustain itself as one side of an argument.

I used to hear this referred to as "tuppence haypenny snobbery". Those who had tuppence haypenny looking down on those who had only tuppence. It seems quite a few people aspired to move to Knocknacarra often from Council estates around Corrib Park, Inishannagh etc. The irony was that they were leaving better built homes to move to ones that were thrown together.

I can also think of at least three families who've moved from homes in the old inner town to Knocknacarra over the last tenish years. As you say, they were moving to "modern" and all that went with it. Without exception they're still hankering for their old homes.

Quite a few of the old farms who've sold up to developers took a few houses as part payment and live in one now. You'd have to wonder how they now feel about that.

There was a movement out that direction before the housing estates were built. For some reason a lot of academics seemed attracted to the area. Don't think they could be associated with any poshness though.

inisboffin wrote: »

Trying to be posh meant to some, covering up oak floor boards with lime green lino, hiding wood features with beauty board, tossing all your antiquated delph an buying as much plastic etc.

Now all this is relative, but for me 'trying to be posh' is a contradiction in terms - think Hyacinth Bucket! Generally

The real 'posh' often lived in draughty old farmhouses. Remember the aesthetic of redoing an old house being chique has only been adopted by the mainstream of late.

Very true in Galway as I suspect it is everywhere. I remember old houses on Dominick Street being "modernised" by ripping out original cast iron fireplaces which were broken to fit into skips! The University threw out old mahogany bookcases about 20 years ago. Luckily an American spotted them and now they're preserved in his house (past Moycullen on the Oughterard road).

inisboffin wrote: »

If 'percentage' of high income means Posh, then our posh areas are scattered. If it's older money, then likely Taylor's Hill, parts of Salthill, would have the most 'posh' occupants imo.

There's some "new" money on Taylor's Hill as well where some of the older houses have sold off part of their gardens for redevelopment as "exclusive" estates...though they probably wouldn't like the word estate.

inisboffin

churchview wrote: »

There's some "new" money on Taylor's Hill as well where some of the older houses have sold off part of their gardens for redevelopment as "exclusive" estates...though they probably wouldn't like the word estate.

Oh for sure. The whole thing with exclusivity is that it is desirable, but if a bunch of people attain it, then it loses it's worth!

There's still enough 'stand alone' properties on the hill to make it 'exclusive' as a whole, but if the majority place were to be divided in the manner of which you describe, you know the desirability factor would drop!:D

dolphin city

oh churview you DO after all admit that knocknacarra was seen to be upmarket and posh compared the inner estates - if you said that in the first place instead of blatently denying it, then it wouldn't have had to be pointed out to so cleary. In a lot of your post you are actually admitting to the "divide" subconsciously while in others you are denying it ever existed - I can see why your mind is boggled.

and yes, I do agree with you that the house in Shantalla and Bohermore were probably the best houses built compared to the corrib park houses (who lost all their roof slates after a major storm) and of course the corrib park houses being so much better than the plastic houses going up now. Although the 1970's houses in Knocknacarra were pretty sold also and you can see that when you take a walk out to Knocknacarra and see the estates and houses built there in the 1970's and before.

but all in all delighted to see you are admitting at least in some of your posts the differences in the different areas.

dolphin city

"There was a movement out that direction before the housing estates were built. For some reason a lot of academics seemed attracted to the area. Don't think they could be associated with any poshness though"



sorry am I seeing things now......can you explain the above churchview.... the academics seemed attracted to the area (knocknacarra) BEFORE the housing estates were built - the housing estates that have been built more recently which makes Knocknacarra just as common as other areas. Do you know WHY the academics were attracted to the area? can you hazard a guess?? Could it be because it was considered a more upmarket area and the academics didn't want to be associated with the commoners in the working class estates.

FINALLY i think you have taken the blinkers off.

?Cee?view

dolphin city wrote: »

oh churview you DO after all admit that knocknacarra was seen to be upmarket and posh compared the inner estates - if you said that in the first place instead of blatently denying it, then it wouldn't have had to be pointed out to so cleary. In a lot of your post you are actually admitting to the "divide" subconsciously while in others you are denying it ever existed - I can see why your mind is boggled.

and yes, I do agree with you that the house in Shantalla and Bohermore were probably the best houses built compared to the corrib park houses (who lost all their roof slates after a major storm) and of course the corrib park houses being so much better than the plastic houses going up now. Although the 1970's houses in Knocknacarra were pretty sold also and you can see that when you take a walk out to Knocknacarra and see the estates and houses built there in the 1970's and before.

but all in all delighted to see you are admitting at least in some of your posts the differences in the different areas.

I for one can see that it's pointless trying to "discuss" anything with you so I've stopped. Someone moving from a Council Estate to another area certainly doesn't make the other area posh or upmarket.

Would you ever stop being so selfish? This is not my or your thread. If you want to persist in personalising, PM me (which I will ignore, but it may give you some satisfaction to do so). You're also adopting a similar attitude on another thread which is garnering a similar response.

As to all the rest of you here. My apologies. I shouldn't have risen to DolphinCity's lunacy.

dolphin city

churchview wrote: »

I for one can see that it's pointless trying to "discuss" anything with you so I've stopped. Someone moving from a Council Estate to another area certainly doesn't make the other area posh or upmarket.

Would you ever stop being so selfish? This is not my or your thread. If you want to persist in personalising, PM me (which I will ignore, but it may give you some satisfaction to do so). You're also adopting a similar attitude on another thread which is garnering a similar response.

As to all the rest of you here. My apologies. I shouldn't have risen to DolphinCity's lunacy.

ah a sure sign you have lost the debate. Still, hopefully you have learned something about Galway and how it was a few decades ago. Count yourself lucky - not everyone gets a first hand lesson like you did.

?Cee?view

dolphin city wrote: »

ah a sure sign you have lost the debate. Still, hopefully you have learned something about Galway and how it was a few decades ago. Count yourself lucky - not everyone gets a first hand lesson like you did.

Loveen, will you take some of the pills you referred to a bit back. You're deluded.

PopeBuckfastXVI

I think you're both at right angles and it's all gotten a little too personal.

If you can't just have a civil discussion about a topic, which it seems interests you both, then I don't know what's wrong.

Anyway, this thread has obviously run it's course now.

A word of warning though, if this pseudo 'argument' starts to erupt on another thread bans will follow.

If you feel it's all to much for you to avoid responding to each others posts I suggest you click on the other persons name and choose the 'add to ignore list' option, making your own, and everyone else's time here a little less noisy.

/moderation