The 2008 downturn in the economy seems a long time ago.  By 2014 Bray Council was re-located to Wicklow.  The beautiful summers of 2013 and 2014 saw the country coming out of its worst economic down-turn, thanks mainly to inept government intervention, greedy developers and bad planning laws.  The banks were the biggest culprits, responsible for ridiculous lending and corruption.  A few years later, the Flood Improvement Scheme had finally been completed after many delays.  The people of Little Bray felt secure from the angry waters that had invaded their homes for so long.

A new generation sprang up, the baby-boomers of the new Millennium.  They were to carry the baton of a jaded town on into the future. Our town had started to rise from the ashes.

The seafront was still a great attraction.  A playground at the far end of the promenade drew children like a magnet.  On a summer’s day, smiling faces and happy chatter could be heard over the traffic and the rushes of the waves.  Hanging baskets of petunias, their bell-shaped heads cascading downwards, were a splendid sight on the buildings opposite the seafront.  Flower gardens were dotted along the grass area, and surrounding the bandstand. The sea front was still a sight to behold, with Bray Head standing guard over its inhabitants and tourists alike.

As the years went on, Main Street became one-way traffic only, with a ring road facilitating traffic going to Greystones and beyond.  New parking areas had been provided.  Shop owners, workers and customers no longer had to interrupt their day feeding meters. A cap had been put on rents for traders, to help deal with decreasing revenue.  Where possible, parents had been asked to park away from schools and walk the short distance with their children to alleviate traffic congestion mornings and afternoons. The Lollipop ladies continued to guide their charges safely across main roads. More cars were powered by electricity than ever before.

The minimum wage had been increased.  Back to work government funded schemes changed in a way to encourage, the young especially, to partake without exploitation.  With the growing population, teacher ratios decreased and permanent positions didn’t take so long.  Young men were encouraged to take up teaching.  There was a greater emphasis on staying on longer at school, apprenticeships were offered, and second level grants were introduced again for those who wanted to attend college. Swimming lessons became part of the school curriculum.  Successive Governments had finally woken up to the needs of its people, particularly in health and education.  Free medical care for children under five years of age had finally been ironed out, and there were tax incentives for working parents with pre-school children.

It was a pleasure to walk up Main Street.  Only a few charity shops and Pound Shops remained.  There was a shopping centre where it had originally been planned in the main street, and occupied the space behind Dubray Book Shop, with a large parking area attached.  Some of the High Street Shops had invested in Bray, particularly in the Shopping Centre. Dunne’s Stores had re-located to where City Two once was, and had a thriving adult and children’s department.  Heiton’s had opened a ‘homeware’ store and there were a few boutiques here and there, offering something different from the regular stores.  Some of the chemist shops were still thriving although some had closed their doors, with owners reaching retirement age.  Hairdressers and beauty parlours kept a busy clientele.  Shop owners had the responsibility to keep their shop-fronts in good decorative order and had to conform to a more traditional style.  Coffee shops continued to thrive.

Corporation workers were out at 6am, sweeping and keeping the main street spotless. More litter bins were placed at intervals along the paths, and fines for litter were strongly enforced. Cycle lanes encouraged people to leave the cars at home, and there were designated areas for securing bicycles. The new generation, already parents themselves, instilled a respect and pride in their town.  Unlike the old days, when there was litter flying around, especially from fast food outlets on a Friday or Saturday night.

The Luas finally came to Bray and a cinema returned to the town.  The Bowling Alley and the Bowling Green were still there.  Sport was a big part of Bray life and continued on after people like Katie Taylor and others put Bray on the map.

It would lift my spirits to stand on the bridge at Little Bray, and see the swans, ducks and heron when they were around.  I once saw a black swan on the Dargle River, near the bridge, with its bright red beak.  The swans still laid their eggs on the river bank beside the People’s Park.  A neighbour of mine, with a friend, planted daffodil bulbs the length of the park, beside the railings, many years back.  Their legacy can be enjoyed every spring-time since.   A huge effort had been made to maintain the parks and front gardens displayed a profusion of flowers in the summer.  The hanging baskets in the main street continued to be a delight to the senses.

Fashion came and went in its predictable cycles.  Shirt lengths went up and down.  There were always those who wanted to stand out from the crowd with their own sometimes outlandish flair.  Who said we were born equal? There were still the have’s and have-nots. There were still the ‘blamers’ and the ones out for themselves. Some things change, some remain the same. Like back then, we were still a very mixed-race society and we hadn’t achieved world peace yet.  Compared to the anger and apathy felt by many in my time, fifty years ago, we had more hope for ourselves and our town.

I didn’t shake the President’s hand nor did I spend years doddering in a nursing home, but I did begin to see Bray coming full circle, and proud again.

Josephine Nolan