The Hayden Haul Of Happy Snaps

Ciarán & Niall Hayden at St Brigid’s circa 1971

ejiggers agus bejapers, there isn’t anything GG likes more than sitting down for an afternoon with a deep-rooted Greystonian and hearing stories about days gone by in this little town.

It’s even better when those stories turn pretty darn blue every now and then.

“You really won’t be able to publish this one,” was the beginning of many a story from 77-year-old Ann Hayden this afternoon, down in Bellevue Park. “It’s just too funny not to tell you though…”

Ann’s Communion 1946

Jaysus, Max didn’t know where to look. Luckily, there were plenty of stories that were fit for a family newspaper such as the Greystones Guide to print, and, best of all, these stories came with pictures.

Lots and lots of pictures.

Below is just the first batch of our Hayden Haul, Ann’s bould son Ciarán being so kind as to not only identify all the culprits here, but also to give us a little family tree. Just so we know where this family that forms a major part of the Greystones jigsaw actually fits in to so many other family’s histories around here…

Over to Ciarán…

Jim Hayden was born in 1932 on the Main St. Kilcoole to Nan and Paddy Hayden from Upper Green. They moved to Charlesland shortly after. Jim had 5 brothers, Noel, Tom, Cecil, Paddy and Leonard, and 3 sisters, Rose, Kathleen and Beth. Jim went to Pretty Bush school and became a butcher and panel beater. He served his time as a butcher in Farrelly’s Delgany in the 1940’s.
He ran his own panel beating business for many years on Church Lane.

Paddy & Nan Hayden at the gate of Charlesland 1965

Noel and Rose are the only ones left, and Noel still lives in the family cottage in Charlesland. Jim and Paddy were both excellent footballers and represented Wicklow in both hurling and football.

Nan Hayden died in 1988 at home in Charlesland aged 87; her husband, Paddy Snr, died in 1967. Both are buried in Kilquade.

Jim & Ann Blacklion reception 4AUG57

My mother is a Carroll from Blacklion and her grandmother was a Lawless from Coolagad. My mother had 2 brothers, Bobby and Vincent, and one sister, Betty, who lives in one of the old family dwellings at 86 Blacklion. My great grandmother married a Murphy, also from Coolagad, and my grandmother Mary was of this marriage.

Jim & Ann 1988

My mother married Jim in 1957 and had 4 children – Niall, Ciaran, Orla, and Donal. Jim passed away in 1998, aged 67, just after they had moved to Bellevue Park.

We were born into the Fire Brigade – Jim joined in ’64, and Niall joined in ’86. I joined in ’96. Jim was Station Officer from ’71 to retirement in ’89. The fire station was in Gunning’s just across from our house on La Touche Close. Niall loved it, going out on calls with his dad, aged 3, no less.

The fire brigade was everything growing up – a family devotion. Niall and I joined rowing in 1981. Niall was small so he was a natural cox, while I stuck with the bow oar. 

So there it is – rowing and the fire brigade…

And it wasn’t just the Haydens – it was also the Redmonds, the Spurlings, the Byrnes and the Greenes…

Jim & Ann wedding including Noel, Cecil, Nan, Paddy Snr and Tom Hayden, the Bridesmaid Ann’s sister Betty

Inside the Holy Rosary – Jim & Ann’s wedding 4AUG57

Back when men were messers – Unknown, Don McDonald, Eamon Brosnan, Neville Elliot & Noel Hayden 1960s. Source: Ciaran Hayden

Jimmy White comes to town with Derek Archer and Ciaran Hayden

Greystones Swimming Club’s prize giving in La Touche Hotel circa 1975 included are Niall and Ciaran Hayden, Aine Carson, Paul Hayden, Marie Gildea, Michael Nolan and Rowena Burke. Source Ciaran Hayden

Dec Lynch on the hunt for Jet skis 2004

The La Touche Close kids at Orla’s birthday party late 1970s

The Byrnes & The Haydens with their German cox in Wurzburg 2007

The firemen hit St Paddy’s Day Parade 2003 – Robin Archer, Gerry Walsh, Ken Gray & Ray Salmon

Niall takes the crew out 1992

Greystones Golfers in Arklow 1982 including Jim and Niall Hayden, Tommy Doyle, Jim Caulfield and Pat Broughan

Willie Byrne testing the new Shamrock 3 in 2006

Jim Hayden and Bob Carroll No 11 St Bridget’s Park late 50s

Johnnie Burke and family at La Touche Villa 1964

David Oldham and Ciarán Hayden working in the Portelet Hotel Jersey 1988

Jim bids farewell to the fire brigade 1989

This article first appeared in May 2017. You can check out the full gallery of Hayden Haul shots right here.