Our Papa aka (Big Jim)
I was only a child when the smell of paint and oil would make me excited and smile. For great adventures would be waiting for me with Papa. He would tell me to get the way out of that. ‘ Meaning I was no in serious danger of either hurting myself or breaking something sitting fragile.
“I have something to show you“ Papa would say and I never forget the excitement at seeing newly hatched chicks from the incubator Papa had nurtured. As he took them out and said: “be gentle they are just babies ”.
Not only had Papa otherwise known as Big Jim from all around, had a yarn or two to tell from being a young man and working in the mills as an apprentice painter. Or how he used to go to the dances when he was only 16 and met Nanny Mary.
‘There was no alcohol in our days we could barely afford a train ticket and if you could not get on the train we would walk’’. From Finaghy the whole way to Great Victoria Street I would ask and the reply “ Further up into the Old Park to meet your Nanny’ was his reply.
But Papa never stopped working from 5.30am to 8 pm his day always busy with responsibilities. Even on Christmas day, he would have to be home in the dead of winter to feed the goats.
But I will never ever see again in my life the true skill of a proper tradesman like Papa.
Have you ever seen anyone hang wallpaper on a crooked wall and make it look straight pattern and all?
Or stain wood as a science for longevity and aesthetic?
There was no odd job Papa would not be able to do from fixing engines to building a conservatory his skills were vast and intelligence great.
But Papa’s most charming trait was to have a laugh always telling you a story or as we say in Belfast winding you up. The tales would have you believe the Queen was coming to his house to visit.
As a child, he would love to wind us up. “Where is your big box of groceries? “, he would ask us when we went to stay for the night. Why? we would ask His reply while laughing “ well what are you going to eat? If you have no groceries?".
Papa loved to have a laugh “Are your two arms the same length?” Meaning why are you not carrying anything!
During the troubles, Papa was ahead of the game saying the problem with these people today is they have too much time to think. In our day we had no time we just worked to put food on the table and a roof over our head. He was right!
As the years ploughed on Papa now retired amused himself with great shopping bargains always a saver loving a bargain he would look at all sorts of deals. From Makro or Lidl. Nanny would say what are you buying that for? His reply was why not.
From the first electric bicycle I had ever seen to computers, so he could check the price of holidays and get another bargain for him and Nanny to go dancing in Spain.
But always the home bird he never was one for traveling anywhere unless it was in Northern Ireland. Where we had many loved childhood holidays in the caravan in Ballycastle.
But with his love for Nanny he had finally given in of course after the holiday, he was glad to get back to his own bed.
The end of a generation he lived a good life lifting all of us up by working hard.
One last thought of great advice was when you would say 'Papa you're really intelligent' he would answer “I know nothing, sure I keep learning something new every day. You never stop learning to the day you die”.
Papa we would like to say thank you for all your laughs, everything you taught us, everything that you gave us and most of all Thank you for being our Papa.
Love Paul & Philip
Wednesday 11 April 2018
Paul & Philip McConkey Jim Porters Grandchildren