Demolishing a small history

A piece of history went tumbling down this weekend when part of the previous Hideout premises was demolished to make way for a three-storey commercial development.



The section will be remembered by many as the entrance to the Hideout bar and restaurant from 60s through the 90s, until my late brother Des sold the business.



When Louis Broder rebuilt The Hideout in recent years, he reinstated the original entrance to the pub, leaving the now-demolished section unused.

This writer remembers it much further back. When I was growing up, the section comprised two cottages, and when the owners passed on my father turned them into 'The Cottage' shop.

I used to earn pocket money on Sundays working in the shop, selling ice-creams and all sorts of other stuff, as well as reading all the books and magazines before they got to be sold.

I also remember regularly going with Dad to the Dublin Fruit Market in the car, in the early mornings during summer holidays from school, where he'd buy fruit and vegetables for the shop twice a week. Typically, he was on first-name terms with every one of the merchants in the market.

Even with a stop off in one of the 'early' pubs around the market area, he'd still have us back down home before nine o'clock, the car laden with spuds, oranges, cabbages and a whole lot more.

The world moves on, but memories are forever.

Brian Byrne.