The people reliving the good old days of our childhood summer traditions
From the ‘merries’ to the ice cream van, meets the people keeping our Irish childhood summer memories and traditions alive.
THE MERRIES
Pipers Funfair of Crosshaven
When 16-year-old Sylvia Wright met Mark Piper at ‘The Merries’ in Crosshaven, little did she know that she would be marrying into one of the most well-known families of the area, and eventually taking on the business with her husband, but she is sure glad she did.
“We love what we do,” she says. “Sure we couldn’t do this job if we didn’t absolutely love it.”
“We see the same families coming to us year in and year out, and that’s one of the great pleasures of this job,” Mark continues.
“In my younger years, I would have travelled with my parents to The Mardyke and to Douglas and for me, the season always kicked off on St Patrick’s Day.”
For Sylvia, watching families grow up over the years is one of the most enjoyable aspects of her job.
“Aside from making me feel old, it is a privilege to watch people come to us as children and then see them bringing their own kids to us — I don’t have the words for it, actually.
"We know generations personally at this stage.”
While the funfair in Crosshaven may appear closed for several months of the year, the work behind it never stops.
With a full-time maintenance person employed to work with Mark painting and repairing the machines, and a number of corporate and seasonal hires (they are part of the Fota Experience at Christmas time), the Pipers are extremely busy throughout the year.
Sylvia and Mark are parents to three girls, Holly (21), Phoebe (18) and Darcy (16), all of whom lend a hand in the family business.
“They seem to have an interest,” quips Sylvia. “Holly does all the marketing for us, and Phoebe stocks and staffs our ice cream van.
"Darcy is coming on board now and she is such a great help, she works so hard at whatever she does.”
Parenting and family time is different for families in a line of work like ‘The Merries’, and for Mark and Sylvia, sacrificing daily family time has been one of the hardest parts of their job.
“A lot of people don’t realise that when you do a job like ours, you might be gone all day and not home until eleven o’clock at night,” he explains.
“As we work all summer long, we try to take a family holiday in the winter time to spend that time together as a family.”
Pride is the cornerstone of the Piper’s family business, from its heritage, to its current proprietors and their children.
“We have great pride in our jobs,” says Sylvia. “There is a lot of responsibility in terms of living up to the name and keeping the business going, but we have worked so hard to bring it to where it is today, and we couldn’t be happier with the way it’s going.“
At the end of the day, for Sylvia and Mark Piper, it’s about giving families ‘The Merries’ experience, and all the fantastical fun that comes with it.
“It’s a great honour to be a part of Pipers Funfair and all that it entails. Money couldn’t pay for the joy we get out of seeing the fun on children’s faces when they come to see us, and that’s why we do what we do.”
THE ICE CREAM VAN
Freddies Ice Cream Van
He grew up in a family who worked in the catering business, but there was one passion for Freddie Williams, and that was ice cream.
In 2009 he took his van to Cork’s suburbs and has spent almost 10 years since then serving the people of Togher, Ballincollig and Bandon.
Together with his son James, who works with him on weekends, Freddie has built a business that he is proud to put his name to.
“It’s all about kids,” he says. “Getting to experience the joy and novelty of giving children ice cream every day is the best thing about my job.
"Some kids these days might get an ice cream every day, but most parents keep it for treats — the excitement is the same no matter what.”
When it comes to types of ice cream, the 99 wins out above all else, according to Williams.
“We have a lot of different toppings and like to keep on top of what’s popular, but people love a 99 — they really do.”
With a customer base made up of local families, Freddie prefers to work in neighbourhoods that he knows well.
“Loyal customers are priceless; they’re the ones that will be with you all year round, and we appreciate that.”
Competition for ice cream sales is rife, he says.
“When I was a boy there was no ice cream sold in shops, but now there is a Slushie machine in every shop and garage.”
There are good days and bad days, just like in every job, but Freddie’s passion overrides any negativity.
“I love my job. I’m out seven days a week unless I am broken down, and if I’m broken down, then I’m under the van fixing it for the following morning.”
He adores the interaction and craic that comes with selling ice cream, reckoning “there is great sport in this work if you know how to work it. There are no millions in ice cream; you either love it or you hate it.”
Ice cream, reckons Williams, equals happiness.
“When you sell someone an ice cream cone and watch them walking away happy then you know you’ve done a good job. Seeing a smile on their face and knowing that this cone is giving them a reason to laugh makes everything worth it.”
Freddie prescribes himself a dose of his own medicine for happiness, enjoying a plain cone every day.
THE ICE CREAM PARLOUR
Sundays of Kinsale
The decision to open Sundays, Kinsale’s first ice cream parlour in 2009, was owner Clare Atkinson’s direct response to the economic downturn.
“I had been working as an auctioneer and I had this amazing premises here on the corner. The first thing that came to mind was ice cream!”
Specialising in artisan ice cream was a relatively new concept almost 10 years ago, and Clare was sure that in order to succeed, she would have to focus on quality.
“From the beginning, we have always promised the best quality ice cream and coffee, and that’s why people come back to us.”
Ice cream is utterly subjective, and nobody can influence what flavours we go for, believes Clare.
“I love salted caramel or coffee ice cream,” she says, “but in order to identity, it’s essential to check their vanilla first.”
Hallmarks of a good ice cream are flecks of real vanilla in the swirl and a rich, creamy aftertaste.
“With ice cream, people are so indecisive and it’s really important to offer them a taste before they decide.
"I believe that if you have a good product, you need to showcase it in its best light, and that goes right down to our coffee — if someone makes a coffee that isn’t quite right, I would prefer them to make it again, than have a customer disappointed by their visit with us.”
Clare wants to give her customers the whole experience.
“Customer service is everything to us,” she explains. “I’d be lost without my girls — they’ve been with me for so long and they are so loyal — they make the atmosphere at Sundays as great as it is.”
Children and childlike wonder is at the heart of Sundays ice cream parlour.
“We chose the name Sundays because it’s a day for families, and a day for treats. The kids are our best customers. I love that parents spoil their kids a little more now — it’s wonderful.
"There is nothing better than seeing kids happy and sitting down with their ice cream.”
With ice cream scoops in hand, the staff at Sundays become the dream makers on days when the store is full with families, waiting patiently in line for their turn at the counter.
“I love the kids who don’t often get a treat like this, and they counter.
“I love the kids who don’t often get a treat like this, and they try to stuff as many toppings as possible onto their ice cream – we try as hard as we can to make it just the way they want it – they deserve it.
“It’s the most satisfying feeling in the world to watch a family leave our shop feeling happy because of their ice cream or their coffee – that’s what keeps me going.”
What’s next for Sundays? They’ve just started selling doggy ice cream cones for 30 cent a pop and they’re going down a storm.
THE ‘BUCKET AND SPADE’ SHOP
Lawler’s Of Morriscastle
Since it opened 50 years ago, the holiday park in Morriscastle, County Wexford has experienced several facelifts, constantly changing to suit the needs of their clientele.
Edward Redmond and his wife Liz Lawler own Lawler’s shop and takeaway right on the beach front, which services hundreds of holidaymakers throughout the summer months, and a thriving local business during the winter.
The key to success when you operate a business in a seasonal town believes Edward, is to diversify, and be excellent at what you do.
Their shop sells everything you could possibly need while on holiday in a mobile home – from a tin of beans to the gas you need to cook it. And buckets and spades, of course.
“We sell everything from ice cream to wetsuits. We might only have one brand of toothbrushes, but we have them,” he laughs.
Kids are behind most of the products that Lawler’s sells.
“We’ve found that where children go, parents will follow, and if you have a product that the parents like too, then you’re onto a winner.”
Their shop sells what Redmond calls ‘pocket money toys’ – tiny plastic items that will coax kids through their doors and lead their parents to the collection of wetsuits they sell in the corner, or towards the hand-chosen collection of wines stocked by Lawler’s.
Pizzas at Lawler’s are famous – Edward even took lessons with a Sicilian chef to learn how to make pizza dough correctly, and it you’ll find him in the kitchen each evening, rolling out his handmade dough and making each pizza with care.
He’s passionate about the food that Lawler’s serve, and has taught each of his three daughters how to make what he calls a mean crepe.
The best thing about his job, says Redmond, is his proximity to work.
“I joke when I say I have a very long commute to work – it’s about 300 metres,” he laughs.
You have to be personable to be in the service business, but Edward says it’s easy, when you meet the kind of people that they do every day.
“I’m lucky enough to be able to say that a lot of our customers have become very good friends over the years. We see the same people year after year and we watch families grow up and add new additions, and that’s all part of the magic of it.”
The experience and the nostalgia that people experience at holiday parks like theirs is what draws them back year after year, according to Edward Redmond.
“Every year, people come around and ask if there are any spaces available in the holiday park, and when you dig a little deeper, you find out that they spent their childhood here, and now they want to give that experience to their children”
