John McCullagh – Page 204

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

Voices & Sound of Drums

June 8, 2020May 20, 2005 by John McCullagh

We finally met Peter Shea, son of the author of this book. With his wife Lynn, Peter – who hails from Adelaide, Australia now, though born in Belfast – is on a 10 day tour of Europe (Yes! Europe, no less) and called with your editor in an attempt to find his father’s grave in St Mary’s – and to get a quick look-round Newry.

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.

Never the twain shall meet

June 8, 2020May 18, 2005 by John McCullagh

Fourteen-year-old Catherine Murphy walked down towards Mount Street thinking about Mr Brown. He might have said that he was all right, but he didn’t look very well. Only the day before, she had heard her mother telling a neighbour that he looked very failed. Most of the young people in the street thought that he was a bit peculiar. He was always dressed in black and sometimes rode a really ancient bike, but her mother always said that he was a gentleman.

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!!

Mullaghbane

June 8, 2020May 13, 2005 by John McCullagh

I was chatting on the phone an hour ago to our friend and contributor Sally Vandervelden – who is off soon to foreign climes, and I’d have been jealous, except that every day I can, and do stroll through South Armagh (my favourite place in all the world), Newry and South Down. We have here not one but TWO Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Though I wander here all the time, I still, every now and then take a sharp intake of breath at the majesty that confronts me. But why believe me? I will quote from the Guide to Designation 1991.