One rarely sees a Shawlie these days. A Shawlie was one of those little old women, wrapped in a big black shawl who would be found on Dublin streets, churches, markets and pubs right up to the 1960s. She was a kind hearted, motherly and sometimes nosey character who defended old decency and kept an eye out for the chislers ( the kids ). She would lash out at anyone in authority if she thought was giving them a hard time. The last of her tongue would have saved many a chisler from a thrashing. And the fringe of her shawl would have wiped away many a tear too .. As the chislers grew to adulthood and frequented the Irish pubs, the Shawlie was well looked after and would sit there with a row of drinks lined up purchased by those who felt the least they could do was buy the old dear a drink out of gratitude. God bless her soul, I think I might go and find myself a black shawl to don when the shutdown is over !!!
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