Your dad was way smarter than us ,
I never even seen big Ben except from the back of a van 
No natural history museum even,
We were sucked into the pub culture.
It soon made me realise my mistake leaving my trade,
All we were short was a cross on our back ,pure donkey work and no care or respect shown by our own.
I was only called Paddy once by a Brit foreman,
We’d words and turned out to be friends,
Whrereas our own were a thundering disgrace to fellow Irishmen,
Cutting wages, overtime not paid,doing runners etc etc
We were kinda lucky that our City gang looked after each other as best we could,
Always a place to stay ora sub etc,
But TBH a lot of it was our own doing,
Galtymore was the highlight of our week,and tbe cock,buddy mulligans,old bell our second homes.
If we’d have been intelligent
1 - we’d never have set up home in Cricklewood/ kilburn
2- we’d not have drunk
3- we’d have stayed well away from our own
4- we’d have met an ordinary girl who would have kept us in line.
I had to go back in the mid 80s for a short stint,but I’d a paint 
on y hand instead of a long tail.
Didn’t waste my money as twas sent home ,
Still had a few jars ,but I’d a plan to clear debt and send home a few grand,
This worked out and home I went to Derry.
ATM my youngest goes to London regularly,and he’s seen all I’ve should have,
Education education education is the only way.
Most of the young ppl have the brains and know how to use them.
He’s a history buff like me and loves it.
And culturally on a different level to what I was when his age .
It’s great to see us Irish getting on,
His mates are so diversely different to my time.
No hang ups about sex, religion etc
