The Dark Years
By the age of sixteen Matt was a
confirmed alcoholic and all his money went to buy drink.
He moved from the bonded warehouse to work in a
construction company called Pembertons. It was at this
time that he along with his father and brothers Phil and
Joe were drinking regularly in O'Meara's on the North
Strand. Matt's only interest in life was drink and the
more he could get the better. When his wages ran out he
would go down to Rosie Plunkett's the washer woman to
turn the mangle, in payment he'd get a pig's head which
he would sell for 6d and go back to the pub for more
drink, sometimes he would pawn his coat or boots for
money to buy drink and walk barefootRosie Plunkett in
the streets while people laughed at him but Matt didn't
care as long as he had the money for drink. He would
even walk to Baldoyle or Clontarf to Carolan's on the
Howth Road to hold horses outside the pubs for money for
drink.
It was the custom at that time for workmen to be paid
usually on Saturdays in public houses, either in cash or
by cheque or a written order to be cashed by the
publican, it being understood that men obliged in this
way would spend most of their earnings on the premises.
A niece of Matt Talbot recalled hearing her grandmother,
Matt's mother, relate how Matt would come home on
Saturdays, hand his mother a shilling, all that remained
of his week's wages, and say, 'Here, mother. Is that any
good to you?' Mrs Talbot a very patient woman would
reply, 'God forgive you, Matt! Is that the way to treat
your mother?'
Matt himself recalls how his addiction to alcohol
reached its lowest point when he and his brothers stole
a fiddle from a blind street player and sold it for the
price of a drink.
It was now 1882 and by this time Matt had reached the
darkest period of his life, he had ceased going to the
sacraments, but continued to attend Mass on Sundays. On
the few occasions in later