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YOU KNOW YOU’VE LIVED IN DUNOON WHEN...
you’re one of the 700 or so people who’s joined the new group of the same name on social networking website Facebook.
Set up just two weeks ago by local woman Deborah Smart, the group has become extremely popular very quickly - with Dunoon folk from near and far sharing their favourite memories and stories of life in the town, and what characterizes it.
Moaning about Dunoon is undoubtedly a town pastime but, in a refreshing change, reading the posts on the Facebook group are a good reminder of exactly what is great about living here - and the number of funny and positive stories shared testify to that.
Some of the ‘you know you live in, or have lived in Dunoon, when...’ stories include:
* when you still call Castle House Museum ‘the library’.
* when you don’t need to tell the taxi driver where ‘home’ is.
* when you still give your phone number as four digits without the 70.
* when you regularly talk about going to ‘the other side’.
* when your night out consisted of driving the Argyll Street circuit 50 times or so.
* when you know that Argyll College used to be a bus shelter.
Other memories include the competition held by local shops, where an ‘odd’ item was concealed in the window display, and the locations of former businesses in Dunoon - the Carousel restaurant, Cowal Supply and the dairy on Edward Street, to name a few.
Familiar faces are also discussed - in the fondest possible terms. The exploits of the late Davie Towie feature in many a Dunoonite’s memory. And, perhaps surprisingly, equally fondly recalled are a number of DGS teachers!
Local legends and ghost stories are also mentioned - the Blue Hand of Kirn and the White Lady of Dunoon cemetery being top of the list.
How we spent our days and nights out in years gone by are also recounted - who remembers hanging about at ‘the wall’, playing on the barrels or the ladybirds, or having a day out at Reggie’s with a square ice cream cone?
The part that the US Navy families played in Dunoon life is also acknowledged, with many thirty-somethings recalling roller-skating at the base as teenagers, and the exotic fare on offer in the snack bar upstairs.
No discussion of Dunoon would be complete without a few Cowal Games stories and there are plenty of those - with a dedicated discussion thread to deal with these.
The Facebook group has been keeping a lot of people busy - and amused - since its creation, and founder Deborah is delighted by its success.
“The Saturday before I started it was my husband's 50th birthday party in the Burgh Hall,” she told the Standard.
“We'd invited friends we hadn't seen for years and that, coupled with Burgh Hall memories, meant there was a lot of nostalgia that weekend.
“On the Tuesday it was pouring with rain and I was bored at home and thinking this is typical Dunoon weather - you can't leave home without a brolly!
“That's when the concept of "You know you live, or have lived in Dunoon, when..." came to me.”
She continued: “I am delighted with the success of the group, and I'm glad that people are enjoying it too. The wide age range of members is great too, primary school children up to pensioners.
“Many people have thanked me for the trip down memory lane and the opportunity to catch up with people they've lost touch with.! I'm enjoying reading the comments - some of them are hilarious!”
The group is a friendly and lighthearted one, and Deborah is keen that it continues, requesting simply that all posts respect others and refrain from abusive or offensive comments. So far, this spirit remains, with the site offering a happy and humourous trip down Dunoon’s memory lane.
If you’re on Facebook, search for “You know you live, or have lived in Dunoon, when...” under groups to join in.
Dunoon has built up quite a presence on Facebook with a number of groups dedicated to the town. These include ‘Navy Brats Dunoon Scotland,’ ‘US Navy,’ and groups for most local schools. There are also a number of groups supporting local causes, such as ‘Friends of Cowal Choral Club’ and ‘Burgh Hall Dunoon’.
Groups set up to campaign on local issues have also enjoyed a fairly high profile on the social networking site. ‘Dunoon Schools Stay Small’ was set up after the news broke that Argyll and Bute Council may consider a merger of some local schools. And the ‘Save Castle Toward’ campaign has attracted over 5,000 members from all over the world.
Elsewhere on the world wide web, ex-pats and locals alike are frequent visitors to the locally-run www.dunoon.tv - its popularity enhanced by a webcam of Argyll Street and a well-subscribed guestbook.
Dunoon even has its own Wikipedia entry, and there are a host of other websites about aspects of local life.
And don’t forget - your local newspaper also has a new presence on the web where you can listen to Dunoon Community Radio online, have your say in the forum about burning local issues, and get all the breaking news as it happens. Visit www.dunoon-observer.com.

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