Wexford bingo marks half a century – ‘Over the years, it's given me back more than I’ve ever put into it’

Independent.ie - 01:00
The world was a very different place back in 1975. The Vietnam war was just coming to a bloody conclusion. Margaret Thatcher became the first woman to lead the British Conservative Party.

In Ireland it was the year of the Miami Showband Massacre. Eamon De Valera passed away. George Best lined out for a league of Ireland game for Cork Celtic against Drogheda and the likes of The Bay City Rollers were taking over the charts.

It was also the year that the Clonard bingo was established. Five decades later, Frankie Thomas, one of the original committee members, turns the key in the lock at the community centre and gets things ready to call the numbers once again – this time marking the major milestone.

“It’s just been lovely to be involved in it over the years,” he smiles. “I would say that I’ve gotten back more from it than I ever put in.”

It was back in 1972 the idea of the bingo first came up. With funds required to build a church in Clonard, it was decided that running a bingo could be a great way of bringing in funds.

Frankie and a few others were dispatched to observe the successful bingo at the Dun Mhuire...
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