First a few words from our adjudicator – who is a highly respected local grammar school teacher who prefers to maintain anonymity - a preference which we respect…..

“It has been an honour and a privilege to act as adjudicator for the Reminiscence Writing Competition for the Newry Journal.  I congratulate all the winners!

This is a special type of writing – the story or the anecdote being much more important than the writing style. It has not been easy to judge. Every person’s story is equally valid. Some stories are admittedly of more universal interest than others. Some of us live fairly humdrum lives; others have had far more exciting times.

I especially enjoyed stories of hardship overcome. Equally important are those anecdotes which illustrate a life style shared by many people in the long ago. I enjoyed reading all of them.

Mindful that the object was to keep a free-flowing supply of reminiscences of Old Newry for the Newry Journal, I have tried to give special weight to those offerings that ran to more than one story – as suggested by the organisers.

I understand that Mr McCullagh will publish all the entries on Journal over the coming weeks. I do hope that my personal judgment coincides with yours. Where it does not, I appeal for understanding. It was a difficult call to make.

I was asked to find a FIRST : a SECOND: and a THIRD: and then to award a special prize for another entry. The prizes, courtesy of Mr Tom Kelly, to whom we are all very grateful are £150, £50 and £25 – and £25.

Two entries were of the multiple story type and were of special interest because they were largely autobiographical. Both recounted their stories orally and are likely to spark a new variation on Newry Journal – the spoken story or anecdote!

The one which was adjudged the overall WINNER was remarkable in the dramatic life experiences recounted AND in the insight provided into Labour in Newry history, but also, in one anecdote, in opening a window of understanding of the personality of Newry’s most infamous murderer, Robert McGladdery, who killed Pearl Gamble, a local shop assistant and became the last man to hang for his crime in these islands.

The second of these two was awarded the competition’s special prize – again for an oral account of a life lived to the full – of a man who made a significant contribution to Community development in Newry.

The overall SECOND prize was awarded for a story with which most people in the older age bracket will readily identify, a fascinating account of the old train trip to Warrenpoint, along the old mud-flats.

THIRD prize went to a regular reader who shared with us a tale of his own grandmother’s arranged marriage and a thwarted love affair.

All these stories will appear on Newry Journal in the coming weeks – as indeed will the bulk of the other entries.’
 

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As Editor of the Newry Journal, I would like to thank our adjudicator. I would especially like to thank our generous patron, local businessman Tom Kelly who offered these prizes, just to help continue the free flow of Newry Reminiscences on the Newry Journal.

And now for the part you have been waiting for, the RESULTS
 

The winners – and the story titles – are as follows :

 

FIRST PRIZE (£150) : Dickie Rodgers of Church Street - multi-entry

 

SECOND PRIZE (£50) : Martin Payne of Rathfriland Road – Train journey

 

THIRD PRIZE (£25) :   Anthony Carroll, Newry - My grandmother’s story

 

FOURTH PRIZE (£25):   Lou Morgan, Main Avenue - multi-entry

 

The first of these new stories will be uploaded within the next few days, and the others thereafter at a few days interval.

You the reader will be alerted as to which Journal stories were entries in the competition.