Bang Bang a great character of aul Dublin.
Thomas Dudley (bang Bang) was an eccentric elderly gentleman who graced the Dublin streets in the 50s & 60s. Because of his love of cowboy films he could be regularly seen hanging from the back of double decker buses and trams staging mock shoot outs. He carried a large key in his pocket which he used as a gun “Bang Bang”! You would hear him shout as the bus whizzed by.
Dubliner's would regularly take-part in this welcomed distraction of daily life to return the gesture of shouting back “Bang Bang” at him and pretending they also had a gun in their hand. "Bang Bang" died in 1981 his memory lives on in many older Dubliner's who fondly recall the many mock cowboy street fights they took part in.
His death was recorded by the Irish Independent, a notice which Paddy Crosbie also details in his book.
"The following is the text of an Irish Independent item on ‘Bang Bang’ at the time of his death on 12th January 1981:
‘One of Dublin’s best known and most beloved characters Tommy ‘Bang Bang’ Dudley has died in a home for the blind. He was 75.
He was an institution in Dublin during his lifetime. He carried a huge jail key with him around the city, mockingly pointing it at strangers and shouting ‘Bang Bang’.
Despite progressive eye disease, ‘Bang Bang’ maintained his daily beat in the city frequently causing mayhem by jumping onto buses, slapping his rear end as if he was on a horse.
Only recently he told his friends on his sickbed in Clonturk House for the Adult Blind in Drumcondra, Dublin, that he got the idea for his ‘Bang Bang’ characterisations from the many cowboy films that he had attended in his early years. He lived in various parts of the city during his lifetime – in Mill Lane for 41 years and later in Bridgefoot Street flats.
Dubliner's would regularly take-part in this welcomed distraction of daily life to return the gesture of shouting back “Bang Bang” at him and pretending they also had a gun in their hand. "Bang Bang" died in 1981 his memory lives on in many older Dubliner's who fondly recall the many mock cowboy street fights they took part in.
His death was recorded by the Irish Independent, a notice which Paddy Crosbie also details in his book.
"The following is the text of an Irish Independent item on ‘Bang Bang’ at the time of his death on 12th January 1981:
‘One of Dublin’s best known and most beloved characters Tommy ‘Bang Bang’ Dudley has died in a home for the blind. He was 75.
He was an institution in Dublin during his lifetime. He carried a huge jail key with him around the city, mockingly pointing it at strangers and shouting ‘Bang Bang’.
Despite progressive eye disease, ‘Bang Bang’ maintained his daily beat in the city frequently causing mayhem by jumping onto buses, slapping his rear end as if he was on a horse.
Only recently he told his friends on his sickbed in Clonturk House for the Adult Blind in Drumcondra, Dublin, that he got the idea for his ‘Bang Bang’ characterisations from the many cowboy films that he had attended in his early years. He lived in various parts of the city during his lifetime – in Mill Lane for 41 years and later in Bridgefoot Street flats.
Bang- Bang or Lord Dudley.
Bang- Bang or Lord Dudley or Thomas Dudey from Inchicore was born in the Rotunda Hospital in 19th April 1906. He was abandoned by his parents a few weeks after he was born. Thomas Dudley was raised by nuns in an orphanage in Cabra in the North side of Dublin. He lived most of his adult life on Mill Street, in the Coombe area of Dublin. In his later years he lived in the care of the Rosminian Fathers in Clonturk House in Drumcondra. Thomas Dudley died on the 11th January 1981 a few months before his 75th birthday, he was buried in St Josephs Cemetery adjoining Clonturk House the Rosminian Fathers community graveyard.
If you ever stand on Thomas Street and close your eyes you can hear the faint sounds of Bang- Bang as his voice echos from the past, "Bang - Bang your dead" Characters like Bang -Bang will live on in the hearts of Dubliners for ever, it up to us not to let his memory fade.
On 3rd Feb 2011, The Lord Mayor of the day Councillor Gerry Breen presented Dublin City Archivist, Dr. Mary Clark with a key which belonged to Thomas Dudley (affectionately known as 'Bang Bang'). The key Bang Bang once used is now at the Dublin City Library and Archive on Pearse Street, Dublin 2. Drop in to the Library and see Bang- Bangs key when you are next in Pearse Street.
Bang- Bang or Lord Dudley or Thomas Dudey from Inchicore was born in the Rotunda Hospital in 19th April 1906. He was abandoned by his parents a few weeks after he was born. Thomas Dudley was raised by nuns in an orphanage in Cabra in the North side of Dublin. He lived most of his adult life on Mill Street, in the Coombe area of Dublin. In his later years he lived in the care of the Rosminian Fathers in Clonturk House in Drumcondra. Thomas Dudley died on the 11th January 1981 a few months before his 75th birthday, he was buried in St Josephs Cemetery adjoining Clonturk House the Rosminian Fathers community graveyard.
If you ever stand on Thomas Street and close your eyes you can hear the faint sounds of Bang- Bang as his voice echos from the past, "Bang - Bang your dead" Characters like Bang -Bang will live on in the hearts of Dubliners for ever, it up to us not to let his memory fade.
On 3rd Feb 2011, The Lord Mayor of the day Councillor Gerry Breen presented Dublin City Archivist, Dr. Mary Clark with a key which belonged to Thomas Dudley (affectionately known as 'Bang Bang'). The key Bang Bang once used is now at the Dublin City Library and Archive on Pearse Street, Dublin 2. Drop in to the Library and see Bang- Bangs key when you are next in Pearse Street.
BANG BANG from Ciarán Doyle.
Bang Bang from Ciarán Doyle on Vimeo.
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This image of Bang Bang hangs in the bar named after his memory at the Teeling's Distillery in Newmarket.