Some people like to keep the reality of their advancing years under wraps. Not so, however, Longford Association chairperson, John Rabbitt.
John willingly revealed all to a packed room on a recent Saturday night in the Plaza Hotel, Tallaght, Dublin and proudly and openly celebrated his 70th birthday.
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A crowd of well over 100 neighbours and friends including members of the Longford Association and business clients heard John give a potted history of his life to date, told in a light-hearted manner. His words were punctuated throughout with the word “lucky”, believing as he does that luck followed him wherever he went.
As a young lad he helped on the 30-acre family farm in Abbeylara and decided early he wanted to get away from that as soon as he was of an age.
John humorously reminded us of the day of the thresher and the many neighbours (meitheal) needed for that day and the attendant craic; rearing the hay with rakes and forks and using the twister to fashion hay ropes to tie down the cocks of hay.
And his tale of wheeling turf on the bog drew much laughter: he described how the turf had to be caught by the ends so it wouldn’t break in the middle and he said if you were a little slow in catching the turf and, depending on who the slean’s man was, you could expect one hurtling towards your face, plastering you in wet, soggy turf!
He eventually left that life behind and went on to study electronics, after which he was offered a job in Chubb Alarms, a good company in its day. He was later attracted to the building industry in Dublin in the early 70’s where the money was good and, believing in trying things out, he told us of the day he surreptitiously started up a JCB on the site, got it moving, and quickly upturned it! He expected the worst, but as always his luck held! The night life in Dublin then, as dramatised by John, was exciting – there were parties, ballad sessions, dancing and lots of youthful drinking!
Around this time John said he hit another lucky vein when he discovered athletics, a sport he was good at and enjoyed, and met his wife-to-be Breege, a Monaghan lady, who was also an athlete! He represented Ireland six times running, at home and abroad, and ran competitively with Eamonn Coghlan.
A busy life got busier still in 1977 when John and Breege got married, bought their first house and John joined the Irish Army, where the late Dermot Early was his boss, whom John described as a gentleman. As an athlete John was facilitated by the army and was able to spend much of his time in the army gym – another lucky dip! He also learned his trade there as a panel beater and spray painter and outside his army hours he started dealing in cars, which he found to be lucrative.
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And that string to John’s bow featured up-to-date copies of the front page of The Sunday World, typically colourful, which were strewn around the tables. It contained an article supposedly written by crime correspondent, Nicola Tallant, with a banner headline “Rabbitt Does A Runner.” The page was peppered with ‘trigger’ expressions, typical of the Sunday World, like “dodgy”, “on the run”, “CAB”, “rogue”, “party animal” and “gang” to mention only some. The photographs included John in his army uniform; in his running gear; with fellow runner, Eamon Coughlan; John in party fancy dress and one with Breege and their extended family captioned ‘Dads Army’. Guests were drawn in, giving a second look, but of course it was an imaginative send-up by John’s daughter, Emer, news editor of real Sunday World!
John wound up by viewing messages on a large screen from his son and daughter-in-law and grandchildren in Australia and, gallant as always, presented Breege with a beautiful bouquet and thanked her for the unstinting support throughout their lives together, which incidentally included bringing up a family of seven. With guests well satisfied with beautiful food, it was on to dancing to Longford band, Night Fever.
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Ultimately, after 22 years of army life John retired, but in name only. His life became ever busier, driving a taxi, notching up his car dealing activity and is now very successful in the property business.
His colleagues in the Longford Dublin Association congratulate John as he begins his eighth decade and wish him and Breege continued good health and energy to enjoy the fruits of their labour.
