A woman who met her future husband every Saturday under Clerys clock says the iconic spot played a part in bringing countless courting couples together.
Ann and Bernard Ball’s romance is one of thousands which began under the timepiece on Dublin’s O’Connell Street which was a favoured meeting place.
In the nostalgic feature documentary Under the Clock, Cabra woman Ann – now 41 years married – tells how her beau “wore the face off her” after a disco.
She said from the age of 14 she would get the bus into town every Saturday to meet friends “under the clock” before going on to The Apartment disco.
Ann recalls: “Muggins came over to me in The Apartment and asked me to dance. He was like nothing on earth and I was probably worse.
“Then of course he gave me the aul kiss in the lane outside and burnt a hole in my jacket while he was doing it. The kiss was gorgeous.
“I’ll tell the truth, he gave me a lovely wear. He wore the face off me, then he asked me would I meet him and I said ‘right’ and he asked me to go to the flicks.”
Ann, who now lives in Glasnevin, said they met under the clock but if she was there first she hid around the corner until he’d arrived to avoid looking too keen.
She said: “I thought his name for Robert for three weeks. His name was Bernard. It does sound a bit like Robert.
“I remember saying to my friend, ‘Imagine if I married him, I’d be Mrs Ball!’ like, would you ever? But I am Mrs Ball – for over 40 years now!”
Under The Clock features testimony from dozens of couples who share stories of love and loss, hope and disappointment which all began underneath the timepiece.
Kathleen and Peter Cullen, who met under the clock when they were just 16 and 17, tell how they had to keep their blossoming romance secret from their disapproving parents.
Peter reveals: “I ran away from home and my father caught up with me and we did a deal – I would come home If I was allowed to go into the city centre on Fridays to meet Kathleen.”
The production team, who also made the smash hit documentary Older Than Ireland, spoke with more than 50 people about the Dublin of their youth.
Ann told the Sunday Mirror: “It was all very innocent, a different way of life back then. There were no mobile phones, you arranged to meet at Clerys clock and that was it.
“I met Bernard when I was young, we got married at 18 and we’re still going strong. We had to learn as we went along, but we’ve had a good innings. We hadn’t a pot to pee in, but we’ve had a lovely life because we were so happy.”
Mum-of-two Ann, who now has four grandchildren, said preserving the ritual of date night over the years helped the couple go the distance. And she lamented the loss of Clerys department store which played such a key role in her life for many decades.
She said: “My heart broke when it closed because of what it meant to me. Going to see Santa at Clerys, queuing outside, going for a knickerbocker glory afterwards.
“I met Bernard under the clock, I stood him up under the clock. For years I met my mother under that clock before we went shopping in town. I have a framed photograph of it in the sitting room and it takes pride of place.”
Director Colm Nicell said he wanted to explore the capital’s dying traditions and what they represented for generations of Dubs, culchies and tourists like.
He said: “We wanted to look into why these traditions have gone by the wayside, what’s taken their place, and whether it is better, worse, or the same.
“Clerys is loved for a reason, but we needed to look at why that tradition died.”
- Under the Clock is on RTE One tomorrow at 9.35pm.
