Cha Chanders (b. 1935)

Cha Chanders was born in St John’s Lane in Athy, but after his mother’s death when he was seven, he was reared by his grandparents in St Martin’s Terrace. All his people worked for Minch Norton’s malthouse in the town. He describes in fascinating detail the work undertaken by his grandfather, his father and himself in the malthouse, loading the sixteen-stone bags onto the canal boats. The Guinness trucks which would arrive from Dublin were recalled, as were the working conditions which prevailed. The dust which pervaded the workplace and the lack of protective masks wreaked havoc on the workers’ health and Cha explains that the health of his grandfather and his father was compromised as a result, just as is his own. He has wonderful recollections about the town of Athy in earlier times, the fair days and market days, the craft of basket weaving, and collecting turf in a barrow to be wheeled out of the bog onto the road for loading.