Joe Aisles | Newry Journal

I’ll have to tell you the story of how Joe Aisles came by his unusual name.

In my time there was no such thing as Social Services to arrange adoption for unwanted, orphaned or bereaved babies. There was no need for this was an area where the Catholic Church came into its own.

The Church well knew the generosity of the faithful in Newry. Them that had very little never seemed to mind that much about one more mouth to feed! And they considered it their Christian duty to accommodate the good priests in their simple request.

And those unfortunates who found themselves ‘in the family way’ out of wedlock, and likely to suffer ostracization in their community, likewise turned to The Church for a solution to their dilemma.

So it was that a baby was found wrapped in swaddling clothes in St Joseph‘s aisle of the Cathedral. It didn’t take long for the clergy to persuade a Chapel Street family to take the baby in.

There remained only the unresolved dilemma of a name for the new baby.

‘Sure he brought his name with him!’ the father of the house exclaimed.

‘He was found in St Joseph‘s Aisle. He’ll be called Joe Aisles!!’

And so he was! Where Joe went to, or finished up, no one can recall!!

.. Bishop O’Doherty …