Earthquake in Lurgan!

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In the early hours of last Tuesday a major hurricane (Hurricane Shazza) and an earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter Scale hit Lurgan with its epicentre in Kilwilkee Estate. Victims were seen wandering around aimlessly, muttering “fukinell”.

The hurricane decimated the area causing almost £30 worth of damage. Several priceless collections of mementos from Majorca and the Costa Del Sol were damaged beyond repair. Three areas of historic burnt-out cars were disturbed. Many locals were woken well before their Giros arrived.

Dissie FM reported that hundreds of residents were confused and bewildered and were still trying to come to terms with the fact that something interesting had happened in their district. One resident – Tracy Sharon Smith, a 15-year-old mother of 5 said, “It was such a shock, my little Chardonnay-Mercedes came running into my bedroom crying. My youngest two, Tyler-Morgan and Victoria-Storm slept through it all. I was still shaking when I was skinning up and watching Jeremy Kyle the next morning.”

Apparently though, looting, muggings and car crime were unaffected and carried on as normal.

The Red Cross has so far managed to ship 4,000 crates of Benedictine Wine and IrnBrew to the area to help the stricken locals. Rescue workers are still searching through the rubble and have found large quantities of personal belongings, including benefit books, jewellery from Ratners and Bone China from the Pound shop.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

This appeal is to raise money for food and clothing parcels for those unfortunate enough to be caught up in this disaster. Clothing is most sought after – items most needed include:

Fila or Burberry baseball caps
Kappa tracksuit tops (his and hers)
Shell suits (female)
Red stilettos and Kenco Millicano coffee
White sport socks
Rockport boots
Any other items usually sold in Primark or Poundshops.

Food parcels may be harder to come by but are needed all the same. Required foodstuffs include:

Microwave meals
Tins of baked beans
KFC
Ice cream
Cans of Guinness.

22p buys a biro for filling in the compensation forms.
£2 buys chips, crisps and blue fizzy drinks for a family of nine.
£5 buys fags and a lighter to calm the nerves of those affected.

**BREAKING NEWS**

Rescue workers found a girl in the rubble smothered in raspberry alco-pop and were worried she had been badly cut…

“Where are you bleeding from?” they asked.

“Tannaghmore,” said the girl, “wot’s that gotta do wi you?”

Please don’t forward this to anyone living in Lurgan –

– oh, sod it!

they won’t be able to read it, anyway.

1960 Ballinlare Gardens Newry

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Ballinlare Gardens, in 1960, was the home of our readers Mark Byrne, Peter Cunningham and Brian Fitzpatrick (and I hope, other readers) … and they will especially enjoy reminiscing on the following list of their good neighbours of a former time.

Ballinlare Gardens 1960

1 James Turley

3  Patrick Rafferty

5  Peter Kenny

7  Thomas Teggart

9  Ernest Shaw

11 John Kerrin

13 Thompson Brown

15 Sarah McComb

17  Hugh Mathers

19 James Treanor

21 Bartholemew Toal

23 Bridget O’Hare

25 James Campbell

27 William Campbell

29 John Byrne

31 Patrick Campbell

33 John Hillen

35 William Bittles

37 Robert McCormick

39a James Maguire

39b Josephine Loughran

39c Hilda Chapman

39d John Murray

41 Luke Quinn

43 Kevin Byrne

45 Patrick Kavanagh

47 John Mairs

21 William McCracken

4 David Graham

6 Laurence Hands

8 Thomas Mullan

10a James McCavitt

10b Peter Hollywood

10c Patrick McDonald

10d William Gribben

12 Brendan Byrne

14 Patrick Fitzpatrick

16 Michael Cunningham

18 Eugene Clancy

 

 

 

 

The Ateing House

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The Ateing House was the only establishment of old where a farmer could get a ‘good feed’ like he was used to at home!

Of course this was in the days before there were fancy ‘restaurants’ and ‘caf

If truth be told, m’ own granny ran such an establishment in Monaghan Street during and between both Wars! That was the home where my mother gave birth to me AND to my older sisters.

But I do hope it was NOT granny’s Ateing House that featured in the following story!

 
Tam Dunne of Dromantee used to tell the story of the Newry Ateing House! The woman of the house prepared and served dinners on Fair Days (she may have done it every day, but Tam was there only on Fair Days).

The hungry farmer could get a slap-up feed consisting of fried steak and onions, with a mug of strong tea, for a reasonable sum.   Sometimes there were potatoes too, boiled in their jackets, and lashings of buttered bread.

The woman asked Tam if he wanted the steak plain, or ‘gobbled’.

He asked what the difference was, and she replied,

‘The gobbled steak is a penny dearer.’

‘Ah, well, so’, says he, ‘I’ll have it gobbled’.

When it was set on the plate, the woman began to ‘gobble’ or munch on his steak!

He cried out!

‘I’ll have it plain! I’ll have it plain.’
 

 Isn’t ingratitude an awful thing?!

I suppose today’s equivalent is to request your steak ‘tenderised’!