Noel Hughes, Moore Street 2017. (Image: Las Fallon)
Like many people we were saddened to hear of the passing of Noel ‘Chalky’ Hughes this week.
A veteran of the ‘Operation Harvest’ Border Campaign of the 1950s, Noel was a committed republican and a very proud Dubliner. For many years he conducted walking tours of Glasnevin Cemetery, and also provided tours of the Dublin 7 area which was his home through many decades. We were lucky enough to set out on one of these tours with Noel, from the familiar setting of The Cobblestone, taking in the Smithfield Market,Church Street and more besides. Chalky was centrally involved to many commemorations in the capital over decades, where he was a familiar sight with the ‘Dublin Brigade – Oglaidh na hÉireann’ flag.
Noel contributed two videos to the Storymap oral history project, recalling his youth in the Coleraine Street/Smithfield area:
Click on the book for more.
Click on the book for more.
Donal
Ciarán
Sam
Come Here To Me! 
Noel Hughes was a great Irishman and raconteur. He gave me a cd with his recorded tour of Glasnevin and the stories of all the great irish heroes buried there. Last time I saw him he was as strong as ever. It is hard to believe that he has gone.
That’s sad news. He had an incredible memory. I sat with him in Coleraine street a few times. Despite the fact my relatives had long left the area he could recall exactly where they lived and their names. It turned out his grandfather taught my grandfather his job working for Lightfoot’s in the Fruit and Veg market. I showed him a photo taken around
RIP. Noel Hughes.
He was a caretaker in the College of Marketing & Design in Parnell Sq in the early 1980s. I wasn’t aware of his republicanism till the 2nd hunger strike. He was very anti British. He had some connection by marriage to Daithi O Connell as he showed us DOCs group wedding photo with himself in it. He had a great sense of humour and was a real character. RIP