Reminiscence Archives | Page 59 of 72

Rathfriland long ago

June 8, 2020June 1, 2005 by John McCullagh

When we lived there almost eighty years ago, the town of Rathfriland was small, gathered together on top of a gusty steep hill at the very foot of which the farms began.

Who are these men?

June 8, 2020May 31, 2005 by John McCullagh

The photo reproduced below was submitted by former Newry resident Mr Gerald Duffy.

The individuals are identified on the reverse by the scrawled names:

Back: Joe Donnelly, Eddie Lamb and Joe Cardwell

Seated: Joe Byrne (Imperial Hotel), Frank Connor (Bridge St) and ?Peter Bremner(Australia)?

There seems to be some confusion as to whether Left Back or Left Front is Mr Cardwell!!

Please illuminate!!

Jimmy Gill, above the law!

June 8, 2020May 23, 2005 by John McCullagh

It was Peter Hughes mentioning his boyhood friend Marty Gill that brought two other names to mind. In my class of ’66 there was a John Gill. I do not know what became of him. But it was the story of Jimmy Gill (known as Jemmy) that I wanted to tell.

Jimmy was in his prime one hundred years ago. And a fine fellow he was – a steeplejack, and there was still then much call for his services as the town of the time – as you can see from the photograph – was still dotted with mill chimneys.

Catherine St of Peter Hughes

June 8, 2020May 23, 2005 by John McCullagh

I was born and bred in Upper Catherine St. Lived there from Mar 1967 – Dec 1980 (we moved house the day John Lennon was shot!). My memory is a bit hazy but our side of the street (circa 1975) went as follows (I think).

Catherine Street 1975 Residents

June 8, 2020May 22, 2005 by John McCullagh

1975 Catherine Street Residents

Reunion Reflections

June 8, 2020May 18, 2005 by John McCullagh

On Thursday night last, along with my sister Vera who nowadays lives in Belfast and my brother Harry (a Born Again Newryman) I was privileged to attend the Chapel St/Boat St Reunion in the Canal Court Hotel.

To the Abbey Primary

June 8, 2020May 18, 2005 by John McCullagh

Little did I know what was in front of us, that day long ago when Gene McKevitt and I ran out of Senior Infants in St Clare’s Convent School to follow Willie Carr up to the Abbey Primary. Brother Hennessy placed me in one class and Willie and Gene in another. From that day on we were never to sit again together in the one class.

Monaghan Row Residents 1975

June 8, 2020May 17, 2005 by John McCullagh

A few Monaghan Row residents have remained in the same homes this thirty years or more – notably my dear friend Brea (Green) Kennedy who offered me this list of names from 1975. I think I must have typed in the house numbers wrong though! Unless her and Pajo were actually living next door to one another, rather than in the same house!!

Putting one past Pat Jennings!

June 8, 2020May 9, 2005 by John McCullagh

A once-in-a-lifetime memory from Peter Hughes, who works as a librarian in Summerhill, Co Down . . .

‘I was born on 26th March 1967. I grew up in the town of Newry in Northern Ireland during the height of the ‘troubles’. It was just like any other working class town anywhere in Britain (apart from the noise and large military presence) and like other kids in these areas, we played football every day after school in our street. There were a lot fewer cars to contend with in those days so we normally had most of the street to ourselves.