Friday, May 10, 2013

COVET THY NEIGHBOUR'S COAL- NOT HIS WIFE


A humorous Irish advertising card, circa 1950s , sets out how to live on 30 shillings ($3) a week. It was distributed by the Harp Hotel , Cahirciveen, County Kerry , which boasted bad beer, dirty glasses, and other faults and asked why people still frequented the pub. It sets out in detail how to live on such a small amount of money . There is provision for pints, midweek pints and more pints; a small amount is set aside for the wife’s gin and lime; meat, fish and groceries are on credit ; when it comes to rent-you pay it next week ; coal, very necessary to keep the house warm , is covered by borrowing the neighbour’s. When the outlays are added up they come to one shilling and sixpence (15 cents ) more than 30 bob ; to avoid going into debt, the solution is to cut out the wife’s gin and lime . The present website for the Harp Hotel indicates the Melbourne Cup is celebrated in a big way.