Christmas In Cork: The Share Collectors

18th Dec 2002

Christmas in Cork with PeoplesRepublicOfCork.com
Whatever you associate with Christmas in Cork there are many characters that make Christmas on the streets of the City a very different experience to the rest of the year…

Share Collectors
The good work done by Cork charity SHARE is well documented, as is the willingness of every Corkonian to contribute. To the point that anyone in town without a white and black SHARE sticker on their coat is branded something of a scrooge and without doubt bound for eternal damnation.

Nobody can deny the terrible panic that hits you when you're on your way into the city and you hear the first cry of "Support share please!" twenty feet ahead. Most of them will let you alone if they see the SHARE sticker but if you don't you will be hollered at by prepubescent teenage boys in high pitched accents and given frightening looks of "You tight bastard what about the poor old folks " if you don't. Share collectors now have new special radars built in to the boxes to detect non-share-sticker wearing citizens from up to half a mile.

Without a sticker you know you are the next target and there's nothing you can do. Between the immediate fumbling and breaking into a sweat you might find a miserable looking folded over sticker from last week underneath your collar that temporarily lets you off the hook. You have bought yourself some time to search your pockets for anything that will fit into the slot because you know that your sticker isn't going to last more than another hour especially if there's a wind….
As a veteran box shaker of several years and for those of you who never had the experience I can tell you that all the hours spent standing still are quite enduring. Often making the mistake of not wearing the appropriate insulating garb in the freezing weather is a costly one. Quivering and shaking for four hour stints outside Queen's Old Castle, the back of Pennys or at the GPO the only comfort being the unmerciful shivering that automates the rattling of the metal box in the place of genuine effort.

When you arrive on your designated spot the enthusiasm is ripe. Ducking and diving passing crowds, keeping a lamp out for any stickerless punters and righteously shouting the famous phrase in their face.

However it is possible to keep yourself amused in such conditions for long lengths of time. Varying the traditional 'Support Share please' in as cheeky a way as possible was a personal favourite. Shouting competitions with neighbouring collectors always attracted attention and kept the lungs warm even if it didn't boost contributions.
Essential survival equipment: Two school jumpers, woolly hat & gloves, a sneaky hotwater bottle, flask of soup, ESB lagging jacket and walkman with non-Christmas songs.

Also check out Danny's Farmer's Day out and Jay Walking specials

Farmer's Day Out

Jay Walkers

The Dubs Come to Town