Meadow: Helen’s Terrace

This great open meadow area – and especially the part in the vicinity of the new Retaining Basin (The Resi) was a vast play area for all the children of the West End of Newry.

Peter (Rusty) Mallon, one of a large family from the nearby John Martin Gardens – and a friend of the McCullagh family – can recall those days.

‘I remember those early residents of Helen’s Terrace.

Each house had an allotment in front of it where the residents could supplement their diet by growing some vegetables. In those frugal and thrifty days, almost everyone did.

There were the Clarkes in the first house. Then Joe McGuigan of the shoe shop.

Next there was the Raffertys. Emmett and Francis were sons. Francie later married Marie McElherron.

The Faddens were next, followed by Annie McClelland. Annie and her husband had the corrugated-iron enclosure below the steps, where they one time cultivated some few vegetables and kept fowl. It protected the sluice-beds that controlled the flood waters into the nearby Resi.

I remember Mr McClelland owned a pellet gun. He would tie rashers of fried bacon to tree branches and let them hang ten or twelve inches above the rocks of the stream. The idea was to attract rats.

When they appeared he used them for target practice. This was interesting and exciting for us small lads of the time.  A gun of any form was dangerous and therefore appealing. He didn’t mind us watching.

The final two houses belonged to the Bodells and the Mooreheads. Later that last house belonged to Larry Carragher, uncle of Larry, Frank, Paddy and the rest.’

Here is the list of electors from Helen’s Terrace of a few years earlier! Ownership of a number of houses altered in the meantime.

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