One man’s 1982 quest to find a working phone in Clondalkin

RTE Archives often offer up a glimpse into the past, but this programme from April 21 in 1982 is a real classic.

Anyone who grew up before the age of telephones in every home, and in every pocket, will know the struggle of trying to find a telephone box that had a working handset, as seen in this 36-year-old RTE programme.

Clondalkin’s Ciaran Kavanagh’s journey for RTE’s Ireland’s Eye programme starts at Neilstown estate as he tries to find a working phone.

As part of the Ireland’s Eye programme, Kavanagh wanted to show how difficult it was to find a working phone when you had an important call to make.

The first phone stop is “useless” and only gives a faint buzzing sound.

Kavanagh later visits phone boxes in Cappaghmore and in Clondalkin village in his attempt to find a working phone.

The next stop on Kavanagh’s journey proves to be less than helpful as there’s no phone present and no wires hooked up to the phonebox.

Cappaghmore’s phone ends up being dead much to Kavanagh’s disappointment. Frustration begins to show as he complains about walking a little over a mile and that his feet are tired, yet has still not had the chance to make a phone call. 

Number four in his “communications pilgrim” doesn’t prove much help either as there appears to be no phone.

Unfortunately, the fifth phonebooth that Kavanagh visits also ends up being “useless” and is “completely dead”. 

Topping off a rough day for Clondalkin’s Kavanagh, the sixth and final phonebooth also appears to be having technical issues, while a fellow frustrated Clondalkin man patiently waits in the hope that the phone will start working. 

Despite the grin, Kavanagh can’t help but let the frustration sink in, describing the whole ordeal as “pathetic”.

To watch the video click HERE