This interview archive contains interviews conducted by Jim McCool of IrishinBritain.net, bwt. 1996-2000, with members of the Irish Tenants Association and other Irish residents of Arlington House. All interviews were unstructured, although general areas were covered by initial questioning in all cases.
  All interviewees were assured of confidentiality, and encouraged to be as frank as possible. Transcripts, as far as possible, use the exact words of the interviewees.


 Note: You can now download uncut versions of all these interviews [and more] in the 'e-book' The Bhoys of the Big House, and read them, or print them up off line. Three formats of the book are available: 1. MS Word zip file. 2 MS Word file. 3. Plain text file.

 

Interview 1. Tim Buckley, one of the great characters of Arlington House, passed away on St. Patrick's night, 1998. This is an interview he gave about his migration and life, some short time before his death.

Interview 2. Going Back... Here, an individual explains how the Aisling Return to Ireland Project changed his life.

Interview 3. " They Class Us As Dossers." Jim from Co. Antrim tells of his life at sea in the merchant navy, and his life ashore in Arlington House.

Interview 5. Sonny from Galway, another former sailor tells of his outrageous days at home and abroad, from biker gangs in New Zealand to digging the Victoria Line tunnels.

Interview 6. Danny from Co. Antrim tells of overcoming alcoholism and homelessness and his " return from Shit Street".

Interview 7. " Have You Ever Killed A Man? ". Life and death in the L.A.P.D. [ Los Angeles Police Dept ], with Padraig, and downhill to homelessness in London, afterward...

Interview 8. Hilarious tales from Phil and Peter, the Good Companions...

Interview 9. Peter tells of his working life down the tunnels and in the Copper Mill...

Interview 10. Thomas, the Island-Man, tells of his long-term battle against alcohol.


© Copyright Aisling 2006.