Sir, – Frank McNally in his Irishman's Diary of September 4th and his commentator PN Corish are probably too young to remember correctly the Dublin paper boys' cries.
In my youth, the date of which I will not disclose, the cry started with “Hairdle a Mayell”. It then broadened to include an upstart to become “Hairdle a Mayell Evenan Pressss”.
With the passage of time it became “Hairdle a Mayell a Press”. After the unlamented death of the “Mayell” it was shortened to “Hairdle a Press” later “Hairapress”, not “Herpes”. This is how false legends are born. For shame! – Yours, etc,
CHRISTOPHER WOOD,
Upper Glenageary Road,
Dún Laoghaire,
Co Dublin.
Sir,– In the early 1960s a paperboy called a veritable litany outside St Augustine’s church on Sunday mornings: “Press, Independent, People, Express, Review, Times — paypur!” – Yours, etc,
JOHN O’MAHONY,
Cabinteely,
Dublin 18.
Sir, – Not a street cry but a Saturday night pub call – “Press, Indo, Tribune, Wordild!” – Yours, etc,
J GERARD OSBORNE,
Grattan Lodge,
Hole in the Wall Road,
Dublin 13
Sir, – As someone who grew up living above my father’s barber shop in Dublin’s Mary Street, we were all very familiar with the cries from the family of newspaper sellers who for three generations sold evening newspapers outside our front door. Now, unfortunately, the cries of the independent newspaper sellers have been replaced with the cry of the illegal cigarette and tobacco sellers – “Bacco!” – Yours, etc,
GARY F PERRY,
Goatstown Road,
Dublin 14.