I started to build my Tribute to my friend Desmond McCambridge today. He had different abbreviations of his name but I always knew him as 'Desi'.

DESI'S PARENTS - Eileen Jane (R.I.P 1st July 1970) and Patrick Joseph (R.I.P 11th October 1984):

WHEN WE WERE JUST CHILDREN: I can't put into words the respect I have for Mr and Mrs McCambridge. I remember one time when we were kids (6 or 7) - it was summer and so was bright until quite late. I called to Desi's house at about 10:00 or 10:30 pm. His mother answered the door and when I asked "Is Desi coming out to play?" she asked me if I knew "...what time it is?" (I didn't!) and "Have you no bed to go to?"! It's funny the way little incidents stick in your memory - I think it is because of the person she was. We spent so much time in each other's houses that Mrs McCambridge treated me like I was her son and my mother treated Desi the same way. Last summer I told Desi about a recent dream I had had. It was set in the back room of No.34 and Mrs McCambridge was in the kitchen making me something to eat. Mr McCambridge and I were looking out of the window and talking about the snow falling outside. Then Mrs McCambridge brought me in a lovely plate of hot munchies. Maybe it wasn't just a dream but a replay of a great day chez McCambridge. I also remember Desi's father taking time to talk with me as I sat by his bed. I didn't realise at the time but he knew he hadn't much time left. I was in awe of Mr McCambridge as I was of my own father (also named Patrick Joseph) and I listened intently to his advice. He was a man of character - strong, true and worldly wise.

THE TASK.... When we were about 10 or so Mr McCambridge set Desi and me a challenge. He promised us a shilling (a fortune then!) if we could tell him what BOP stood for on packets of tea. We took it on and had a few strange looks when we went through all the packets of tea in the local shops. We didn't win the shilling! This was before the internet so no cheating!!

I would just like to say that my chosen charity - British Heart Foundation - is for two reasons. Firstly the Chest, Heart and Stroke Assoc. was not an available option when I set this up and secondly, I joined the BHF a couple of years ago to find out more about Desi's condition so that I could talk with him from a more enlightened position. If you have visited here and would like to make a donation you are not limited to BHF. You can still make any donations directly to the Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke Association if you wish. Their site is 'www.nichsa.com'.

15/12/2020. NOTE: I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ADD A COUPLE MORE CHARITIES.

Desi showed me a courage that I found hard to imagine and I have to say that helped me. I couldn't accept how serious his condition was - 'denial' is the popular word. I hope that helped him as well when I called to have a bit of craic with him or when we went out to the shops or for a 'fry up'. We were just two aul eejits out together and usually the staff bore the brunt of our banter. Of course Desi knew fear but hid it well and could still have a laugh with anyone. But that was Desi. Despite his own health problems he was always very concerned about others. Don't get me wrong. Our friendship wasn't perfect and we did have our disagreements but there were no pretences, no punches pulled and nothing was 'beyond the Pale'! Our friendship was too long in the tooth to observe the false, formal niceties of being 'grown up', and that's why it's so precious.

THE HAMMOND.... Desi once bought a second hand Hammond organ - the make favoured by Matthew Fisher of Procol Harum. One of the many elements that go to make Procol Harum distinct amongst others is the particular sound that comes from Matthew Fisher's Hammond organ. Desi's Hammond had a strange fault causing the volume pedal to be ineffective. Desi asked me to look at it as I knew a little bit about electronics. I fixed it and Desi was in his element.

The 'VERY EARLY' mornings.... One of the most famous (infamous) stories is about the time, when we were kids, we used to get up in the middle of the night, during the summer holidays, just for the craic. I could climb up to Desi's bedroom window which he left open. He would leave a row of Dinky cars on the ledge so I could throw them at him if he was asleep. He couldn't reach my bedroom so I used to tie a string to my big toe and drop it down to the garden. If he was up first he would come and pull on the string. Can you imagine being awakened by someone throwing toy cars at you or your foot jumping up and down(!?). There were a couple of others involved in this insanity - you know who you are!! I wasn't going to add this bit but I thought "what the hell!'..... These were the days when milk and buns etc. were delivered to your door very early in the morning. People would leave notes at the door saying what they wanted. If Desi and I were hungry we would add a note to someone's order for extra stuff and when it was delivered we would nip in and collect our 'brekkie', then head off to Musgrave Park for an early morning picnic. For some reason those sneaky snacks always tasted great....I wonder why(?) ;)

THE BIG GIANT HEAD.. We once got hold of a dark polystyrene head meant for keeping wigs in shape. We put it on top of our head then put on an old black duffle coat - the hood keeping the head in place. To add to the effect we would put a lighted cigarette in the head's mouth. We did this at night and the result was a dark seven foot inhuman hooded figure with sloping shoulders. We would stand in our path which was concealed by a hedge and when someone walked down the street we would just step out in front of them. You can imagine what the reactions were. Most people just screamed and disappeared into the distance. I won't deny that it was a bit 'bad' and did get us into trouble a couple of times - but it was fun!!

PADDY'S 'RUNS'... When we were about the age in that first pic my big brother Paddy used to give us 'runs'. He would take us up to the top of the street and hold us by one hand on each side. Then he would run so fast that our little legs couldn't keep up and we would be almost flying. I think Paddy probably regretted the first 'run' as we were always pestering him for more and more. I know all this stuff sounds a bit flat in the retelling but it's impossible to reinfuse the fun and lunacy of those times. I suppose it's a case of "You had to be there!". Desi would have recalled all this in more detail - his tales often broken by bouts of tears of laughter. I hope someday I can feel more comfortable returning to all those magic memories with gratitude and laughs - memories I am very lucky to have and would never swap for anything!

This site is also in memory of the other great characters from the Park, Drive and Crescent who have embarked on the same great adventure:

PJL, MBL, PJ McC, E McC, A McG, R McG, PG, HB, MS, DMcC,  (and all of the other parents who, in their own ways, made 'The 'Moorelands' the great collective it was).

Then there are the friends and family we have lost:

Paddy L, Janie L, Tom ('Velvet') L, Dermie ('IronSide') B, Kevin B, Peter D, Gerry ('GG') G and his wee brother Tony G, Malachy ('Cambo') McC, Damien McG and all of the other Moorelanders who made it great and who have gone but are never forgotten.