Cricklewood Craic 

I miss the Irish I have lived in Cricklewood all my life 65 years now Friday an Saturday night was like the wild west taxis going up an down to Kilburn back to Cricklewood wonderful times Will never see this again Bless you all the Irish men an woman who gave their blood sweat an tears you built this country the house I live in Fordwych Road was built by the Irish beautiful house made with love Thank you everyone of you Xx

I had the pleasure of being given a job on the M5 motorway in 1975, working with Irish gentlemen.I had just finished 5 years in the RAF,and was keen to work and earn good money. Joe Caldwell,Martin Thorn were in the gang I worked with.Our boss man was Barney Carney.The best days when it was too wet to lay pipes and we spent the day in the tea hut.I made endless pots of tea and they told me the way of the world.They were tough,rough and did not allow stupidity but had gentle hearts.No harm could come my way when I was in their company. Surprisingly they were very well read and knew a lot of poetry and could they sing. I look upon those day as some of the best of my life.

Both my parents left Ireland for London in the early 1950's. Originally living in Dean Rd, Willesden we moved out to Wembley when I was a youngster. Both my parents were work orientated people, really drove the message to myself and my siblings of personal responsibility and work ethic and thank God it stuck with myself and the rest of the family. I joined my dad in construction and really enjoyed the camaraderie of the men he worked with. Some say it was tough, but work isn't hard if you enjoy what you're doing, and I enjoyed every day, still do. Those days in London were never bettered, not sure what made it so, certainly different to the experience of those who went to America, which I am familiar with as I emigrated to the States in '84. I like it here but the laughs we had in Wembley, Cricklewood, Harlesden, Kilburn etc were unmatched. Those were the days, a unique history of a country's diaspora. I still visit London, both my parents have gone now, their ashes sprinkled into the Liffey, although they were happy to live and contribute to England, they didn't wish to be buried there.

A smart,no nonsense little film,my late father was one of these men,not Irish,but one who in the late fifties and sixties in this country,like Tim Finnegan "to rise in the world he carried a hod",cold days,hard work,no holiday pay,no unions,and like these guys all said,sometimes not even an idea where you were working at times.I can relate to all of this.He too is now gone this fifteen years past,but men like these,and him,and those before them,built this country.God rest them every one.

I've worked with the lads , shoulder to shoulder & I never stopped laughing because even though I'm only half Irish I got the Craic .

Fantastic film. Thank you for making this tribute to the men (Like my father) that built Britain.

My dad came over from Sligo in 1960, he never went back ,6 brothers followed , thank you for videos like these that keep their memory alive.

My mother was from Fenit Kerry, and met my father at The Burtons night Club on the corner of Cricklewood Bdy. We lived in Dartmouth Rd. Cricklesood. I loved the bars. The Irish pubs were full of life. My father sang Danny Boy in the Crown Willesden. They loved it.

I spent many a cold wet morning in Chichele Road waiting for a shift in the seventies. Hardly an Irishman to be seen in Cricklewood today. So sad.

I came to London in 1971 went in to the first pub in Fulham got a job from a Fermanagh man i was still working for him for 30 years or more he was a great man now i am in cork on the dole but i had a ball in London great town slán

Total respect to everybody who built the houses shops libraries schools roads n railways etc in the years after WW2.

Question: Could the Irish live without their music? I love it!

Worked on sites in London during the 70's and 80's carried the Hod . Best years of my life . Hard work but great money. The London Irish were the best bunch of lads and girls you could hope to meet! I'm 66 now and retired living in a cosy bungalow in the Mourne Mountains. I often feel for the ones who never made it back to Ireland . The Irish government should do FAR more for the elderly Irish abroad and bring them back!

The last of the Irish in Cricklewood-today it's a changed area same as Kilburn-today it's a 3rd world slum sadly. God bless all wh made this video!

Wonderful stuff being a plastic Paddy from London myself this fills me with a nostalgia for Irish London that has all but gone. Its nice seeing the legendary Banjo player Mick O'connor doing his thing in The Crown. It reminds me how much I miss my dear much missed mother who came from Athlone,and spent much of her life in London returning to Athlone in the 1980's. She and I had many a boozy wonderful evening out and about in London's Irish pubs,and in the Irish centre in Camden. Happy Days.Happy Memories.

The man at the end has a lovely tone of voice, there was teal sadness, longing in his voice. God blesd

I was born in 1958 and we lived in Ivy Rd, Cricklewood. We moved to Kent when I was a kid. It is not the Cricklewood these days, that I knew.

I worked with the boys in the 80s in and around London and Essex. Great times plenty of money to be earned and good craic

Brought tears to my eyes!!

Nice video, watched it twice now, I worked at it in the early 80s. 6 men shared a room, what a drinking working racket. Great fun though with the right mind set. Love to go back in time for a week. Bizarre culture really.

Real men them days,my dad came over in 1960,then later on to luton,on the hod all hi life,still kicking now,his horses keep him going,end of an era when they all go,different kind here now!

I worked in the Cricklewood Hotel on the corner of the Broadway and Mora Road and my goodness me there was no finer pub to be, the craic was good and the first pint was free, Brendon was the Guv’nor he was as wide as he was tall and Louise the assistant bar manager she kept the Lads in good order, a 3 course Sunday Dinner for a pound and upstairs there would be Ceili dance or a Feis or kids just practicing the Crick was always full Sunday night was busy Lads looking for work & Lads looking for workers, goodness I miss that place 96-99 many memories of great people & great times

Fantastic piece of film.wonderful scene at the end when the gentleman was talking about the Bosnians looking for work standing at the roadside and he knew that was him 40 years before.no hate just people trying to do a honest days work.

Lovely viedo thanks for posting,

"cricklewood oh cricklewood you stole my youth away for i was young and innocent and you were old and grey." This is a line from a song by Patsy Farrell RIP who played in many a pub in north london with the james connelly folk group Patsy was from co longford

Fascinating. Great clip.

Remember the times hard graft .and happy times

Sounds like great comrades Not like today my experience in Australia the Irishman doesn’t give two hoots for his countryman. These were real good hardy men with great morals put my generation to shame . Gentlemen I salute you

I was in London 1990 -1994 the mud rack Camden Town + Murphy's road work for work the archway tavern Sunday night Lee Lynch just to hear him say. I feel Elvis coming. Fridays getting my check changed Finsbury Park Tavern.

The good old day's

Thnx you for video 👍🏽 really interesting ❤

I worked in London in the 80ts and it was the best time of my life, if I wasn't drinking I would have come million air paddy

i lived kilburn 1980,s mapesbury road liked it....

Real talk ! brapp brappp to them men big up

we used to cook our egg and bacon on the shovel at the site in the summer. wore the shirt through the week and bought a new one on the friday for the week end.

I live it in the early 90's

I was there Summer of 86 if I rembember right. I was 15, 3 months working during the School holidays. I can't remember the street we lived on but it was about 1 mile from the crown. I remember going to a cafe which I think was Pakistani but served Spuds and Bacan, cabbage. One of the Waitresses (pakistani) was named shelia. is this the same place??. I went home and at age 20 went to America.

If you're looking for good Irish pub music from North London in the 50/60/70's, can I suggest "Paddy in the Smoke" Topic Records 1997. It was produced by Reg Hall and has extensive sleeve notes on the pubs such as "The Favourite" and the "Bedford Arms" and the players, Jimmy Power, Martin Byrnes, Reg Hall and Con Curtin. Sadly now, it is history.

2:37 this is the expression of a man who's experienced a lifetime of alienation - he might as well be on Mars

God bless the irish x

Enjoyed this being a Cricklewood boy but not Irish.

I worked as a bartender, at the Red Lion Pub on Kilburn Highroad, from 1980-1981. Around the time of Prince Phillips marriage to Lady Diana, many pub owners around London, hung flags and banners outside and inside their pubs, wishing the Royal couple the best. Except of course, the Irish pubs and dancehalls on Kilburn Highroad. The week of the Royal marriage, the landlady of the Red Lion, a Palestinian woman (married to a Limerick man) thought it a good idea to join in the festivities and hand flags and banners inside and outside the Red Lion. I remember telling the Landlady at the time, that I didn't think that this was the best of ideas. She replied with an expletive and that was the end of any reasoning with her. We were right next door the Bell Pub, which was a huge hangout for people from the North of Ireland. I won't mention what sectarian affiliation that these Northern Irish were associated with, but you can fill in the blanks. I used to have to go to the Bell and ask for change sometimes for the Red Lion. I always made my visits brief. Needless to say, it didn't end well. No sooner had the landlady installed the flags and banners, were we paid a visit from about a dozen fellows, all dressed in black. They told the landlady, that if the flags and banners were not taken down that the pub would be burnt to the ground. The staff, including myself lived above the Red Lion pub, so it was a nerve, racking time. Next day, the flags and banners came down and life returned to normal. With all due respect to the landlady, she was a very nice woman and a gracious boss. She just misread the room on that particular occasion. I enjoyed working for her and her family!

Did my time in Cricklewood late 80s .

TOUGH AS NAILS IRISH ...FIGHTERS

Respect . Hardship was their stock in trade .

Si me self a tipperary man all me life I was out in London for a fue years I was driveing trucks I even ended up with 3 of me owen I had a greatbtime when left a good fue pound in barretts pub and outbinbthe crown it 2as a greatbspotvforva

irish in london backstab each other .....moved to new york irish out there a completley different breed

Alway work in London ....

I wouldn't fit in with these fellers. Don't like people much. My mother's side is Mulroney. I have been working the graveyard shift alone for almost 40 years now. Most of that time, on my days off, I would drink alone. The last 14 years, I've been drinking with a lovely lady. Ha, a little progress, no?

Bosnians and Turks are welcome into Irish citizenship but Irish Americans ain't? Sounds like Ireland has American standards.

4:25 - Forgot about the Beaten Docket

Anyone know what song is at 5.30 onwards

Why don't you show the very many who worked hard, made money, didn't succumb to alcohol? Most of the men I worked with on cable work in Birmingham 30 years had good endings.

The craic was good in cricklewood eating streaky bacon, if you think your getting a bit your very much mistaken...

the centre of the known universe

I lived on Iverson Road

Is that Tom O'Sullivan sitting alone?

Ireland is also 90 % foreigners by 2040…...

Bearded man spent some time in longford

The days of a fare days pay for a fair days work ?? Mind you ? Judging by the amount of imagrints begging on the streets before returning to there gated residence ! The days of cash in hand !!!! Are here to stay ?? !!

its my main man frank ... what about yee 💪

What's the Craic ..? 😆😂😂

Down the glen came McAlpine's men........

These days are coming back lads. Tories OUT!

Mc Alpine's fusileers

Nothing like enjoying all that "White Privilege".

glasses flying barmaids crying

Name of the song at 5:56 please anyone , I have fond memories of that being sung at St George’s working man’s club in Walthamstow in the 90s 😓🥲?

I was born in London to Irish parents and I remember my Dad (Kerryman) being a steward in the Union late 70s early 80s..and fought hard for the lads on sites and he usually won.! He passed in April 21 an by christ he was a mighty man, hands the size of shovels.. really enjoyed the video, it brought back memories of my Dad.

My family were from the Windrush genaration, the Irish were always good to us then, we lived on Elm grove, the irish family over the road used to look after my brother and myself when our parents were at work, we used to play music and our irish friends would come and watch my brothers and me play music in our front room, one of the brothers of the irish family died which was very sad, now most of my family have gone, the cemetary that they are buried in the folks that are buried there their family knows the family that used to look after my brothers and me, small world. Love the Irish.

Well I am proud to say I am Irish and I still live in the Cricklewood area

I lived in London in the 80s having come down from Liverpool and sometimes would gather outside the Crown pub to be carted off to a building site in who knows where . Met some great Irish lads and would often bevvy around cricklewood and Kilburn at Biddy mulligans . As well as a carpenter , I am also a poet and musician .

Real hard working men salt of the earth , these men made the UK what it is today hard lonely lives rough working conditions never really knowing where there next meal or money was coming from , you did Ireland proud

My mum and dad met in the Galtymore in the 80s. Nora salmon from county Mayo and Matthias Mcgrath from county Clare. God rest both their souls I miss u mum and dad 💕

I’m a scouser who moved to Willesden Green in 1985 . I loved Cricklewood some legends round there, Irish folk made it a cracking place to be .. Sad to see now. RIP Eddie S

Great little documentary, well done. I have nothing but admiration and gratitude to this generation of Irishmen and women of my parents generation who had to leave their beloved homeland. I myself remember the Galtymore and the craic.

Cockney Irish here .. proud be God bless ☘ 🇮🇪. ☘..proud my roots ireland Tipperary Thurles .. ancestors

I remember the Galtymore on Cricklewood Broadway - it's long gone now... It was the ultimate Irish music venue - All the big names used to come like Larry Cunningham and Joe Dolan.

No holiday pay, no unions, no overtime rates. Some things in construction haven't changed!!

..my home town Cricklewood, met my husband in the Galty! Thank you for this, a beautiful history! ☘🙏🏽

Bring back the Irish ! Still doing the graft &. Worked with the very best of old school in and around Manchester & all over uk ? still love the work ! & the crack ! It's a shame to see it so quite now ! Long live the Irish ! Mayo are us ! 🍀🍀🍀🍻🍻👍🏼

I lived in Harlesden in the eighties and often got a start on Cricklewood Broadway. Dozens of men standing around early in the morning waiting to get a days work labouring. Hard working men and some great characters. Many would go straight to the Crown pub for a bit of craic after their shift and end up in there for the night. It's an incredible story about some incredible people and their story deserves to be told.

Excellent. "Its full of foreigners now". That made me smile.

My parents came from Ireland in the 1950s looking for work, in London, myself and my brother and sisters were born in London mum was from limerick and dad was from Clare sadly both have passed away now, my dad always went to the galtymore he loved dancing .......my husband came to the UK in the early 1970s also looking for work he came from county Mayo London had changed sadly not for the better, I do t live in London now but have great memories of living in Muswell Hill, and going to school at coney hatch lane. In the 1960s.......my husband still works very hard as a ground worker .

im born in paddington and we moved to south london when i was 10 took dad 5 years to aclimatise every friday & saturday hed head back to harrow rd kilburn crickewood from listowel always in work ended up a tunnel tiger good days for family miss him john barry

thank you, it was a privilege spending time with these men and hearing their stories.

Lived in Kilburn during the late 60s -70s. Stayed in some rough digs or in a flat with 3 or more other guys. Drank in places like the Crown, the Cock, the Bell, the Rifle and Volunteer, the Prince of Wales, and a pub on Kilburn high road more popularly known as the Kingdom. Recall nights in the National Kilburn, the Galtymore Cricklewood, and the Buffalo Camden town. Those were the days my friend, we'd thought they'd never end we'd sing and drink forever and a day.

Sometimes when i'm down on the Tube I think of the Iirsh grafters back in the day who made it all possible

Such a great film. It's perfect. You honoured those people. Well done.

My people, God BLESS them.

Went to London for a week's holidays in March 86...... I'm still here.

The Irish gang masters took advantage of their own

Respect brothers 🇺🇸🇮🇪🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🍺🍺

who you knew. not what you knew. That was the Craic. Those Men worked mighty hard back in the Day.

Ireland's four extra counties. Co. Cricklewood, Kilburn, Willesden. Camden. The three venues. Galymoore, Spotted Dog, Biddy Mulligans. Worked as schoolboy potman on a Saturday at Galtymoore during late 70's

lived in cricklewood in the 80s,loved the galtmore and the national in kilburn

GOD Bless England for The Irish and Visa Versa.

I want all Irish people to come home ...from America from England from Australia. ..come back

I remember in 1988 i moved to london, went to crickelwood and into the crown. i had one drink and left, I swore I would never ever EVER return to crickelwood area again.... lol ... i moved back there in 2001 till 2008. it was the greatest time of my life, although i managed to get an alcohol and drug addiction problem.... lol ... sober now thank God ..

My dad was Irish, born Ladbroke Grove, the Kilburn End. My friends never knew what my Dad was saying.😁 County Cricklewood