# old ro/



## RO Vintage (Feb 13, 2008)

Hw
Any Radio Officers Ex Atlantic College 1963/4 Dublin. Who Mite Remember Me. George Savage If So Cud Meet In Russells Ranelagh
It Is Still Standing. Good Memories.

Tks And Su 73s

George(EEK)


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## znord737 (May 1, 2006)

*Atlantic College Dublin*



RO Vintage said:


> Hw
> Any Radio Officers Ex Atlantic College 1963/4 Dublin. Who Mite Remember Me. George Savage If So Cud Meet In Russells Ranelagh
> It Is Still Standing. Good Memories.
> 
> ...


George was there some 10 years before you ............
Do you know what ever happened to the establishment when GMDSS came in ? 
Pat Delaney where did he end up, Young Fitzgerald, and the Old Man
seem to remember seeing or hearing they had all crossed the Bar .
Great place , and I have fond memories of it, many unique characters attended there, one I remember was a stage Hypnotist who put about nine guys into a trance during a lesson on Magnetism .
Anyway hope that you find some guys who were there in your time.
Best Wishes
Dronz G3NVM


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## beedeesea (Feb 28, 2006)

Kevin Street myself....but have you seen my post fom last September, just as a matter of interest?

http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/showthread.php?t=36875&page=9&highlight=wireless+colleges

Brian


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## znord737 (May 1, 2006)

*Atlantic College*

B.rian,
Thank you for your reply. Yes I had a good read through all the posts that you mentioned , most interesting too.

I also did a stint in Kevin Street , did not do my ticket there though went to the UK and sat the ticket there at London Telegraph Training College in Pennywern Road nearby Earls Court.

Atlantic College was going rapidly down hill when I was there, exam results were apalling and some students were there for three plus years resitting the exam .

I left Atlantic after 18 Months and went to Kevin Street , where I suddenly realised what a great technical establishment it was . Unfortunately my funds ran out before they would let me sit the exam. (Their reputation of the teaching standards of Atlantic College were not what one could call good) . 

Remember O'Rourke, Blennerhasset etc great guys and very diligent 
and a pleasure to have met them both.

I did twelve years sea time and during that time only met up with one guy from Atlantic College and that was in Wellington NZ , he was working for Union Steamship Co and had done for a couple of years on the coast there.

Don't remember meeting any guys from Kevin Street either though there must have been hundreds if not thousands that went through that establishment 

Best Wishes
Dronz


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## RO Vintage (Feb 13, 2008)

Hi Dronz And Thanks For The Qso Old Atlantic College Is No More. Fitzy Passed
Over The Bar Late 90s And Paddy Delaney Did His Best To Run Atlantic But No
Students And The Cash Flow Ran Out. I Met Paddy In The Sanford Inn Abt 10 Yrs Ago Still The Same Paddy,,, He Was Taking The Mates In Limerick College
Some 7 Day Course And A Ro Ticket Now Who Wud Believe That. I Believe Paddy Returned To Tipp.. Hope He Is Still Around.

Atlantic College Is Now In Appartments, I Pass Bi Some Days But Its Full Of Ghosts And Memories. I Came Ashore In The Late 80s And Finished In Atc Shannon. My Mind Was Never The Same Agn. So Ends The Chapter On Atlantic
College. Tks Agn For The Qso And If U Are Ever In Dublin You Will Find Me In
Russels.
Bi And Su
George


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## RO Vintage (Feb 13, 2008)

tks Brian
Will Ck Your Web. Tks And Bi
Rgds George


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## TOM LYNCH (Jun 13, 2015)

george...remember u from Atlantic 1962...was there 1961/62 and due to poverty got out in sept 1962...remember many lads...spent 1962/72 at sea..Mrconi...freelancing with Zim/Marchessini/Niarchos...married in 1973 and took the cowards way out....spent the rest of it as a sales Rep in the Pharna biz....retired eight years now but drowning in a sea of nostalgia for radio days at sea....I can smell the Radio rooms. Didnt spend too much time in Russells during 1962...funds were always low especially for lads from Tipp...made up for it later tho...rem dick Ryan the barman...its gone a bit yuppi now tho. Paddy delaney havnt seen since 1968....rem bernie ivers mick o connor des keaveney joe o doherty peter sinnott...mean anything? Love to meet u in Russells but we wld need about 2 weeks! 73

Tom


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## znord737 (May 1, 2006)

*Old R/O's*



TOM LYNCH said:


> george...remember u from Atlantic 1962...was there 1961/62 and due to poverty got out in sept 1962...remember many lads...spent 1962/72 at sea..Mrconi...freelancing with Zim/Marchessini/Niarchos...married in 1973 and took the cowards way out....spent the rest of it as a sales Rep in the Pharna biz....retired eight years now but drowning in a sea of nostalgia for radio days at sea....I can smell the Radio rooms. Didnt spend too much time in Russells during 1962...funds were always low especially for lads from Tipp...made up for it later tho...rem dick Ryan the barman...its gone a bit yuppi now tho. Paddy delaney havnt seen since 1968....rem bernie ivers mick o connor des keaveney joe o doherty peter sinnott...mean anything? Love to meet u in Russells but we wld need about 2 weeks! 73
> 
> Tom


Tom,
Lovely to hear from you after all these years. My God your memory is in fine fettle to be able to remember all those names !

The only one I can remember from your list was Joe O Doherty,mea culpa I cannot put a face to your name , time marches on and the memory recall gets hazy after such a long time.

Do you remember Johnny Jones from Malahide? He got his ticket at Atlantic and I believe that he spent a short time at Sea and then went building Boats somewhere in East Anglia.

Also another guy Paul Gilford ,the son from Mc Ferran and Gilfords the Builders Merchants on the East Wall. From Memory he had great difficulty with the Morse he had been there 3 or more years when I was there.

From the various posts on here it was sad to hear of the demise of Atlantic , Both the young and old fitz crossed the Bar. Young Fitz got married , don't know whether he had a family or not or even if his wife is still alive.

I took my Ticket in Atlantic but did not get through and subsequently went to Kevin Street for a Term but they would not let me sit the exam. Their reputation of Atlantic and its teaching was a not at all good and anyone who went there from Atlantic was looked down on.

Went to England after a term in Kevin Street and took the 2nd Class PMG there 3 months later. 

Went Free Lance straight away Niarchos - World Justice ELOW , then
Swedish .JE Manne Co Goteborg, then Marconi for two years, British India for a year then RSA for several years with SA Companies.

As you say great time, great career , and a sailing with a fine bunch of people. Alas many are no more , the career is gone - that's progress or is it I ask myself. Another disaster of Titanic magnitude waiting to happen............... reduced manning.............all to save costs.

It is my personal opinion that the R/O came out very badly with the implementation of GMDSS. There was no retraining grant, if you wanted to continue that career you had to retrain at your own expense , very sad outcome indeed.

Eventually came ashore , returned to the UK and ended up working for Pye Telecomms at their Hq in Cambridge. Another great Company sadly went down the Tubes , After that worked for two Australian Telecomms Company's , great time and retired from there some 14 years ago now enjoying the sun and the odd G & T in South Eastern Europe.

Have a College Reunion in October (Belvedere) so will be returning for that and by the looks of things I may be the only participant ! seems my old class mates are going down and crossing the bar in quick succession. I hope we can get together and catch up then.

Expect I will be at least a week in Dublin and will stay with cousin in Bray. Do you have an email address? 

Its 0930 here, the sun is shining , a swim calls , until we meet we can have a great catch up 

Best Wishes and great to hear from you

George aka Dronz


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## TOM LYNCH (Jun 13, 2015)

R651400 said:


> Zim/Marchessini/Niarchos in that order?
> From my memory of freelance pay scales it would have been the other way round!


Yes...You got it right in one! Niarchos was rubbish inevery way and didnt stay very long. ZIM and Marchessinis were excellent to work for..only wish they were looking for a Sparks now!...73

Tom


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## TOM LYNCH (Jun 13, 2015)

Yes....met Mr. Pockett....a real Gent as you say..Edwardian would describe him. He bought me a drink in a pub near the office! I sailed on the EURYTAN/SXOI..skipper was Gerasimos Marcchessini nephew of the shipowner...old tramp but but the best two years I spent at sea.

like yourself MR Pockett tried to get me back to sea in the mid seventies...offered me one of the cargo/passenger ships and a great salary. I had to resist the temptation even tho it was a time when I couldnt pick a winner in a one horse race! Cest la vie.

Often worked GND....did u see it through there? 73

Tom






R651400 said:


> Did you ever meet Mr Pockett who ran Marchessini's London office?
> I never did but he sounded a real gentleman who contacted me when I was at GND to say my old ship Eurylochus/SWBF was up for grabs if I wanted to return to sea.
> Was very tempted but glad in many ways I stayed where I was.


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## TOM LYNCH (Jun 13, 2015)

R651400 said:


> L.E. was Pockett's initials I think. He wanted me to travel from Scotland to London for an interview but I refused as there were plenty freelance slots at this time and always Niarchos to fall back on.
> Surprised to hear Marchessini carried passenger
> 
> Marchessini had about four cargo/passengers ships Eurygenes/Euryalus..cant rem the others. They carried 8/10 passengerss and ran from London usa east coast to the Far East. Lovely ships with SAIT Radio Stations...they were the ones to be on. Dont know wahat happened the company in the end...containerisation I suppose..tried to look the up but nothing ther].....memories/ 73


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## TOM LYNCH (Jun 13, 2015)

znord737 said:


> Tom,
> Lovely to hear from you after all these years. My God your memory is in fine fettle to be able to remember all those names !
> 
> The only one I can remember from your list was Joe O Doherty,mea culpa I cannot put a face to your name , time marches on and the memory recall gets hazy after such a long time.
> ...


GEORGE...Many thanks for your reply...sent you a long missive butit vanished somehow. Cant recall the lads you mentioned and Joe o doherty died some years ago...spent most of his life as Radar Tech at
Heathrow....few of us left!

Atllantic was a bit of a hoot really...Fitz nice man that he was didnt give a damn about anything but his fees..we could stay as long as we liked! Paddy Delaney really cared and was helpful...hope hes still alive.
When I was doing the practical exam the gear had been giving a lot of trouble and the aforementioned Joe O Doherty was sent down to help the examiner get it sorted which he did. Joe was a observant type and he spotted all the faults that the great man put in. I had lunch with Joe and was first on at two o clock. I flew it and was complimented on my knowledge of the gear...he even mentioned it to Fitzy! May the sod rest lightly on Joe...the devil looks after his own!

You seem to have had a good life and I envy you the sunshine in SE Europe,....The merchant Navy aint what it was....have few friends working for Maersk...Box Boats in and out..they say
good money and lousy life.

I live in South Tipperary...Kilsheelan a village near Clonmel and my email address is [email protected].
I may or may not be around in the Autumn...Go missing abroad if the WX is bad and Im booked for a months Babysitting in th Isle Of Man
for a dayughter of mine in late SEPT butwe will see.
Good to hear from you George and its great toknow that theres someone out there! For now tho all the best and....73

Tom


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## bbyrne98 (Jun 27, 2007)

RO Vintage said:


> Hw
> Any Radio Officers Ex Atlantic College 1963/4 Dublin. Who Mite Remember Me. George Savage If So Cud Meet In Russells Ranelagh
> It Is Still Standing. Good Memories.
> 
> ...


Hi George, you've clearly stirred some memories of Atlantic College, Dublin, not just your own but others and these are somewhat at odds with my experience some 10 to 12 years _*after*_ yours. Perhaps I'm wrong but the various messages are a little disparaging of that school and the memorable Peter Fitzgerald and Paddy Delaney, both of whom deserve a proper and fitting tribute. I owe it to them to redress that imbalance (as I see it) and to point out that, in 1975, some 53 students started out on their studies in what was a vibrant, stimulating and - occasionally, no frequently, hilarious environment (not least when pilfering Peter's biscuits) ... it didn't do me any harm and I'm sure there are others out there who testify to their development and subsequent successful careers based on their youthful days in No.1 Leeson Park. There's a book in Atlantic College, I'm sure of it. p.s. anyone know who wired up 220vac to the Practical Room door handles? .. allegedly..


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## RO Vintage (Feb 13, 2008)

Hi Tom
Sorry Abt Delay Was Over In Malta A Old Flame FM 1966 Still Beautiful. Well It Looks Like We Are The Last Of The Few, No Russels And No Atlantic The Names
You Mentioned Seem To Have Faded From Memory, But If They Are Still Above
Ground They Mite Show Them Selfs With A Lot Of Memories.Do U Remember Pat McLaughlan. Alan Sparrow Artie Bradish And Willy Joe Keating Hard Men Even Before They Went To Sea. Will Keep My Eye On This Page If U Want To Qso Me Any Time. Take Care,
Rgds Su And 73s
George


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## RO Vintage (Feb 13, 2008)

Hw BB
Tks For Yr Msg Nice To Hear From You Although u Are 12 Yrs After In Atlantic
Things Wud Have Not Changed That Much. Now How Strange That That U Mentioned The 220v On The Practical Door Handel. We Did The Same Stunt In
My Time I Know The Name But Cant Say Who Is Was Or Shud I??? No Will Leave Well Alone. It Was Ment For Paddy Del, But Poor Pat Mclaughlan Got It
First Time.
Tks For The Qso Take Care Su And Bye 73

George.


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## RO Vintage (Feb 13, 2008)

Hw Tom
Tks For Quick Reply And Glad To Know All Is Well With You. Sorry Abt The High
Upper Key, The Lower Key Is Bust So U Wont Have Any Qsd Thank God U Say.
Ok. Tom My Email Is [email protected] Drop Me A Line When Time
Permits. Tom Had You The House On The South Circular Road Dublin Did u Off Load It. Harry Loane Is In Dover But Very Little Contact With Him. The Rest Well Who Knows Where? Will Va Now And Turn In. Yes Tom We Wud Need A Few Wks For A Chat.
So GN And Take Care, One More Name Alan Roche Is In Cork.
Tks Agn Bi And Su 73
George.


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## TOM LYNCH (Jun 13, 2015)

RO Vintage said:


> Hi Tom
> Sorry Abt Delay Was Over In Malta A Old Flame FM 1966 Still Beautiful. Well It Looks Like We Are The Last Of The Few, No Russels And No Atlantic The Names
> You Mentioned Seem To Have Faded From Memory, But If They Are Still Above
> Ground They Mite Show Them Selfs With A Lot Of Memories.Do U Remember Pat McLaughlan. Alan Sparrow Artie Bradish And Willy Joe Keating Hard Men Even Before They Went To Sea. Will Keep My Eye On This Page If U Want To Qso Me Any Time. Take Care,
> ...


George good to hear from you...good to know the old flames are still burning!....Alan Sparrow I knew..he came from Clonmel..think he joined LM Ericsson the telecoms outfit...was in Holland for some years but havnt heard of him for years. Willie Joe I rem but didnt know well...I picked up his trail in Zimlines..and met guys who knew him but again no idea where he ended up. He came form a farm in Tipp and mebbe went back to the land! Characters...where are fellows like these now? Enjoy urself George and we will keep a .qso going via this site.......73/88

Tom


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## RO Vintage (Feb 13, 2008)

Hw Tom
Tks And Hope All Is Well With You, Seems Like I Have Lost Contact With All The 
Lads. Greg Cassidy Lives Abt 5 Mins From Me In Rathfarnham, So We Drop Into
The Yello House Its Daylight When We Meet But Dark When We Qto How Strange Tom, Wilie Joe Keating sailed With Zim Line But Walked Off Some Where Up The Gulf. Last Qth He Was Building A Wall For The Dublin Council. So
Now Tom Were A Dying Breed, I Ended My Days With Blue Star Flaged Out, Gud Run Between NZ And West Coast US. I Am Heading Back To Malta Early Next Month..... But Will Qso U Before That. Tks Agn And Its Gud To Hear Fm u
Last Name Alan Roche Was My Best Man He Ended Up In Cork Airport ATC..... Ups No Bot Of Rum There. Went Adrift In Kobe For 3 Days With Him. Dangerious Man, But A Gud Friend.
See U Tom And Hope You Keep In Contact, Not Easy.
Bi 73s
George.


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## TOM LYNCH (Jun 13, 2015)

RO Vintage said:


> Hw Tom
> Tks And Hope All Is Well With You, Seems Like I Have Lost Contact With All The
> Lads. Greg Cassidy Lives Abt 5 Mins From Me In Rathfarnham, So We Drop Into
> The Yello House Its Daylight When We Meet But Dark When We Qto How Strange Tom, Wilie Joe Keating sailed With Zim Line But Walked Off Some Where Up The Gulf. Last Qth He Was Building A Wall For The Dublin Council. So
> ...


George,
thanks..Greg I remember but again didnt know well..was at a christening in the Yellow hse last year an stayed too long. Alan
Roche never met at all . That was a heck of a last qth for willyjo
hope he moved on! Kobe was great for a session.especially three day ones!..Knew it well meself..it was HQ for ZIM operations in the Far East..Used to start with a few pints in Clancys and it was downhill after that..usually wound up in the Key Bar and the Bets were off!
The earthquake probably flattened to whole Motomachi area...if it wasnt for bars in Kobe ..Osaka..yokohama..Yokkaichi..Shimizu Tokyo
Sasebo..Moji..Chiba..Nagoya..etc...Id be rich. All a far cry from Tony
Gleesons in Kilsheelan! All the best for now George and 73.

Tom


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## F Daly (Jan 16, 2021)

My Dad, Brendan Daly, went to Atlantic College and then on to Marconi I believe. Must have been late 50s but maybe early 60s. Wondering does anyone here remember him.


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## znord737 (May 1, 2006)

F Daly said:


> My Dad, Brendan Daly, went to Atlantic College and then on to Marconi I believe. Must have been late 50s but maybe early 60s. Wondering does anyone here remember him.


I was there in the 55/s but do not remember your Dad, there is a lot of water gone under the bridge since then and my brain box recall is not as good as thats 66 years ago. I will place a query in the Radio Officers Association Journal and see if anyone remembers him. If you can send me a private message with your email address I can on pass that as well so they can get back to you direct Best Wishes Znord737


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