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  A Billy or a Dan                     Page 3                                   

Billy or Dan 

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There is nothing surer to evoke Glesga folk than .....are ye a Billy or a Dan.
Witness extracts from my Message board..........
Extract message board 30th Dec 2002. Anne Calman, Canada 
I was reading the posts on BILLY/DAN. I take my hat off to both Charlie and Hugh, they both have there own opinions, as it should be, these days we are so afraid to speak our minds, its not politically correct. 
Extract message board 31st Dec 2002. Charlie McDonald, Scotland 
My apologies to Hugh...I never knew there was an Orange Lodge in Landressy Street...I only remember the Masonic hall. I do recall the Orange Lodge in Mordaunt Street...Lodge 50 I believe... as I was a member of it for about a year. I hated it and was only pushed into it through family pressure my parents were divorced and my mother was a Presbyterian and my father was Catholic...so I guess she was trying to score points in that department. What a shock she got when one Xmas I came back from my granny McDonald's in Fielden St...she was an Irish Catholic....with a beautiful accordion. I believe it was a Hohner if I remember correctly. Yes , I do agree with the Webmaster...religion was an important part of people's lives in Bridgeton whether it was through a belief or just wishing to be part of something that was acceptable to the rest of the people of that one particular social circle. It should be discussed openly provided it is not done in a way that will cause offence to any who reads these boards. I recall many tales of religion in Bridgeton some are funny and some are not so funny but they are memories and they were part of my everyday life.
Extract message board 31st Dec 2002. Hugh Morrow, Scotland 
Charlie, it`s almost uncanny but like yourself (and many others) I am the product of a mixed marriage only mine was the other way round, and up until my father died early this year he never could understand how I could wave him off on the Rangers supporters bus which left from the Kick-Off Bar in Marquis St. while I dawdled up the London Road to cheer on my local team at Celtic Park, He was a lifelong season ticket-holder at Ibrox and I`m a season ticket-holder and shareholder at Celtic F.C. Having gone to school at Dalmarnock and John St.Sec. it was an eventful upbringing I can tell you!!!!! Happy New Year!!! 
Extract message board 31st Dec 2002. Charlie McDonald, Scotland
I knew it Shug not only did ye climb dykes you were also a dyke-dreeper!!! All my life I have stayed within several hundred yards of Celtic Park...but never ever have I had any inclination to support them. Mind you I used to watch the motors and wait to the game started and get a lift over at Celtic Park....not for the fitba'. We would have a game of two of man hunt and I was always 'het' then we'd collect the 'gingies and screwtaps' before heading back down to Arrol Place to get the money for watching the motors. I hated it when a car with priests would come into the street as we would all argue who was going to ask them if we could watch the motor. My Catholic pals wouldn't do it and they would say "just go and ask the Father if you can watch his motor". I used to say "he might be your Father he isnae mine" but I'd end up doing it anyway in my own subtle way "excuse Mister or Jimmy I watched your motor ". Needless to say I'd get a "God Bless you my son and nothing else"...do you think it was something I said Hugh!!!! 
Extract message board 2nd Jan 2003. Tommy Kennedy,  
Is it DAN or CAN? I went briefly to 'Little John St.' School. Had to run the gauntlet of getting past 'The Sacred Heart' School. The bigger boys from there would grab you, ask: Are you a Billy or...I remember it as CAN? 
You got a thumping before you could reply.
Extract message board 3rd Jan 2003. Jim Reid, Canada 
.......my 32 year old daughter, just bought me the first Rangers Jersey I've ever owned. 
The stories on here about "The Blue and The Green".... My granny was an Irish Catholic (McNally) and my faither, as Bitter Orange as you'd ever find. Us boys? We threw darts at his King Billy hanging on the wall (we loved oor Granny mair than him).   Thank you for your web site......
Extract message board 7th Jan 2003. Charlie McDonald, Scotland
I find it rather amazing that myself , Anne , Hugh and Jimmy are all products of a mixed marriage. Now here we have have four people and there are thousands more like us from the Parkhead , Bridgeton and Calton districts whose mother or father are partners in a mixed marriage....my wife is a RC brought up in Royston. And this is the same areas that are hotbeds of Sectarianism according to outsiders and the Scottish Parliament....makes you wonder doesn't it. Perhaps you are right Hugh...'divide and conquer'...all these mad laws that are being introduced in Scotland is only highlighting that there are differences between the Scots people and there seems to be an agenda to make us feel like a satellite state of Northern Ireland....Scotland the Seventh county of Ulster!
Extract from messageboard, 7th Jan.2003, Anne Calman, Canada  
Charlie.although it wis my da that wis the prodie,we were all baptised in the chapel and all went to catholic schools.when my ma would take us to mass on a sunday my da would have the breakfast ready when we came back [porridge/toast]..my ma really believed in her faith and i dont ever remember him saying that she should'nt go to chapel,also my ma had 4 sisters who all married prodie's  35 yrs ago when i went to see the priest to tell him i was getting married and he told me if bill would'nt sign a piece of paper saying our kids would be brought up catholics he wouldn't marry me .so i went to the united church and got married .nearly broke my mothers heart not getting married in the catholic church. i think these days a couple have to take marriage counseling

Extract from messageboard, 9th Feb.2003, Jimmy Reid, Canada  
'Ah'm a paid up' 3 jerseys (Noa the Orange wan!) Teddy Bear supporter, bit' fae the amount o' " Instructions" ah' took fae the priest? ah' probably knew mair aboot Catholicism (and Circumcission,Jewish?) than maist o' ma China's. 
Me an' Wife# 1, were aye'wis fa'in oot an' ah'd grab ma' Hank Williams records, ma' Guitar and aff ah'd go, somewhere tae the south.
#1 wid ask me, naw!! Plead!!! wi' me tae come back hame (honest!) Well! auld Peggy (the Priestess) (who's hoose #1 wis now livin' in) wid make me promise tae go furr "Instructions" if ah' wantit tae live 'under her roof' (ah' don't think ma' faither-in-law had ever been inside a chapel since the Pope wis an alter boy) 
Well! wit wid yoo do if ye hud nae place tae stay??? "I WIS GONNIE BE A CAFFLICK" an' ma' auld Ma-in-law wis ferr chuffed, anurra convert furr His Holiness in (Haw' Joe!! where is it the Pope lives again???)  Seriously though I've never been too worried about "wit fit ye' kicked wi'" as long as it wisnae aimed in ma' direction, LoL. Bit' if yer gaun tae 'The Pineapple" rammorra??? gie's a bell an' ah'll see if ah've goat a clean shirt, awright hen??? Nighty! Night! fae Canada where it's bloody cauld, -40C."

Extract from messageboard, 30th Mar.2003, Caroline Connor
I was born in Springburn to a Catholic father and protestant mother, neither very active in their religions. So, I was lucky to have relatives and friends on both sides of the fence. This worked really well for me as I got to go to all the church do's (i.e. got to hear different versions of the bible stories, got to colour in at the protestant ones and sing songs to a guitar, of all things.) The catholic one was a bit more staid. Got fed at both if there was any biscuits going with orange juice. 
Later when older, I got to get into both kinds of houses and parties. You see some eedjits would look at you and say "Are ye a Billy or a Dan - NO Billys' in this hoose or NO Dans in this hoose. I've seen some quite romantic couples hearts get broken because they were mixed religion. At the end of the day believe in what You believe in and don't force it on to anyone else, let them make up their own minds when they are old enough, but it doesn't stop you believing in your own god privately.
Extract from messageboard, 30th Mar.2003, 
Whilst I realise that there is a thin dividing line between Glaswegian self deprecation in respect of Catholic and Protestants, and subtle sectarianism, I am sure no one will be offended if I mention the songs we sung as children aimed at those who 'kicked wae the other fit'. -I remember walking in a group of about six ten year olds, with arms round each others shoulders singing loudly:- -"HAIL HAIL THE POPES IN JAIL, WHAT THE HELL DO WE CARE ETC" -There is worse but the boss of our houshold has imposed a three lined whip. -However, remember when it was ok to use such expressions in song as "I'd rather have a d--k- than a Tim (I know I know, terrible) but dont things change? Remember we used tae watch the Black and White minstrels wae nae questions asked?. I'm sure times have definitely changed fur the better.
Extract from messageboard, 10th Apr.2003, by Therese
"I know the feeling!...albeit I was a very young girl at the time...but my brother in law...who didn't sing....eventually deemed that he would this evening....."ho hey Tom whit ye gonna sing?" "I'm gonna sing "Cry"....of course, the silly irish catholics assumed it was a by Johnnie Ray....as spoke of so fondly, previously on this site..but alas....NO!!!
Tom gives it with great vigour....."The Cry Was No Surrender" who said cafflicks don't have a sense of humour!?????    
He never even turned either!...lol...

Blue 'n Green
Summ urr Blue an' summ urr Green!
summ eff the Pope an' summ The Queen!
Bit dae ah' care? dae a gie a a 'jot?'
Do ah' care? ah' do not!!

If ah' wis in 'the clink' th'night?
wid either wan bring me a bite?

If ah' wis trapped in a 'mental jail'
wid wan or th'ither make me 'hale'?
When chips urr doon' an' comfort due,
'yoo'll noa find peace in Green or Blue

Ah've walked a lonely road in life,
hurt ma wains, destroyed ma wives
ah've' needitt somewhere safe tae be
an' cried oot furr ma mammy's knee
an thoatt ah'd reached ma final hour
tae ah' gave masell tae ma Higher Power!

Oh' whit a blessin' ah' hae funn
an' it wisnae in a Fitba Grunn'
An' noa ahint an auld flute 'baun'
bit when ah' reached furr "Ma Daddy's Haun"

So, sittin' here at ma wee desk
ah' wish yese Peace, ah' wish yese Rest
an' pray th'day, yurr worries? few!
Ah'll share ma "Higher Power' wae yoo!
                                                                 Jimmuck


Poem King Billy written 1963

Billy or Dan 

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Contributions welcome.......e-mail me or use the messageboard.
I have been sent 'Billy' photographs any 'Dan' photos out there?

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