Characters

There were celebrities galore in The Meadow of old. Seamus McGuigan -who has returned to care for his mum in Derrybeg Drive – supplied (some of) the following information on residents of Derrybeg Drive, Iveagh Crescent and Killeavey Road of the long ago.  (Error information and complaints to Editor alone, please!)

Read moreDerrybeg Drive of old

The late Jim Murphy of Dernaroy, a noted Gaelic footballer in his time and one time Newry and Mourne Councillor, was a pavhee most of his life. 

Read morePahvees of Dromintee

John Mitchel (1815-1875) was a Young Irelander leader and perhaps the most esteemed republican to come from Newry. He was in fact born in Maghera, son of the Rev John Mitchel and Mary (Haslett) but the family settled in Newry from 1823 when the minister received an appointment here.

 

From 1842 Mitchel came under the influence of the Young Irelanders who were impatient with Daniel O’Connell’s conservatism. He was especially influenced by Thomas Davis of The Nation newspaper, who induced him to write a Life of Hugh O’Neill. After Davis‘s early death in 1845, Mitchel became main journalist of The Nation and the articles became much more radical and outspoken. In Dublin he lived first in Leeson Street, then at Charlemont Bridge. In 1846, with other friends he seceded from O’Connell’s Repeal Association to form the Irish Confederation. By 1848 Mitchel’s position was so radical that he had left The Nation to found the United Irishman. Encouraged by events in Paris the more radical Young Irelanders were contemplating a revolution.

In the American Civil War he sympathised with the South, lost two sons in the fighting and was for a short while imprisoned by the victorious Northern forces. He went to Paris where he observed his much-loved daughter Henrietta (Henty) – who had become a Catholic – die while still at school. 

Everyone remembers the shop at the corner  of childhood– the mullioned window within which all manner of sweets clamoured for our penniless attention: sherbet dips, flying saucers, liquorice pipes, lucky mines and white chocolate mice.

Read moreHenry Curran, Shopkeeper King

Ah, sure you remember them!! 

Indeed occasionally you’ll get Gerry or one of the other Morgans playing the odd gig yet.

Deirdre was of course Madge Murphy from Dromalane.  She married Johnny Bagenal and lives now on High Street.  Indeed you might see her any day, for she works in Elmore’s Store on the top of the hill. 

I’m not certain I’m right but I think there are four Morgan brothers here:  Gerry, Ray, Cyril and Tom, along with Kevin Hayes.  So who’s the last guy?

One clue: the guest artist with her arm around ‘Deirdre’ is of course the famous Mary Dean. 

Read moreDeirdre & the Defenders

Kathleen O’Hanlon 1914 – 2005 – Her Funeral Oration
 

My mum was born Catherine Josephine Hoey on 9^th June 1914 in Adavoyle. To put her long life in context, that was the year WW1 broke out. She was one of twin daughters to Hugh Hoey and Mary Catherine Dowdall. 
 

Read moreKathleenO’Hanlon: obituary

  My Uncle Raymond was a jack-of-all-trades. He could be called upon by his brothers and sisters to paint, paper, clear drains, in fact anything that needed to be done about the house he was their man. For years we believed him when he said that he was teaching the pups to swim whenever our bitch Toby gave birth to a litter.

Read moreUncle Raymond Carroll

The final in the present series of Manley family snaps.  Our picture shows (L-R) Eddie Hughes, Stephen and Kitty Manley (Bernadette’s parents) Alice McKeown (aunt) Josephine Manley (sister) Kathleen Manley (sister) Bridie McKeown Hughes (cousin) Marie Manley (sister) and finally, with the dog, Mickey Rooney (uncle).

Isn’t that the McKeown home on Catherine Street, facing St Joseph’s School entrance?

Read more1959 McKeowns/Manleys

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

Please illuminate!! 

Read moreWho are these men?