Missioner fails to Show

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I was talking about the Missioners a while back. 

This was the time that parishioners could renew their spiritual lives and people turned up in droves. A ‘fire and brimstone’ priest, usually from one of the Orders, like the Jesuits would be brought in to exhort people to turn away from the temptations of the flesh and dedicate their lives to God.

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Child Smuggling in Wartime

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As I recall, the war years in Newry did not prove to be too disruptive as far as I was concerned.

 

I remember of course, the dreaded ‘rationing’!

 

 Who of my generation doesn’t? 

 

Each family was supplied with a book of coupons that were used to obtain food, sweets (candies), chocolate, etc. and clothing.  Even if one had sufficient coupons for a particular item it did not guarantee availability.

 

As regards clothing, a lot of ‘making do and mending’ was necessary.  Fashion did not change for the duration of the war and so there was not the need to have a new outfit each season.  My mother was handy with a sewing machine and knitting needles and so I didn’t feel deprived in that area.  We were of course deprived of a lot of food-stuffs but can honestly say we were never hungry.  All of the ‘fattening’ foods were very heavily rationed and so the nation as a whole was extremely fit and healthy and slim!

 

And of course there was always the odd bit of smuggling done from the then “Free State”.  Dundalk was the nearest town in the Free State, only thirteen miles down the road.  Doubly convenient for my smuggling as I often travelled to Dundalk to visit my maternal Grandparents.  Oh! yes!  I hold my hands up……I was guilty of trafficking in illegal goods!  Not by choice you understand.  More by manipulation! 

 

My Grandparents would send me home to Newry laden with butter, sugar, meat etc and tobacco for my Dad’s pipe.  These items were concealed about my person.  I always returned from a visit to Dundalk at least half a stone heavier!  Butter, I recall, was wrapped in what was known as ‘tar paper’.  It had a waxy surface with a sandwich of tar.  This paper prevented the butter from melting as it nestled around my middle. 

 

About half way along the Dundalk to Newry road there was a British Customs Post.  Vehicles were obliged to stop and driver and passengers were required to produce their Identity Cards and submit to being searched.  Identity Cards contained personal information; i.e name, address, place of birth, etc. and had to be carried at all times.  Sometimes a less than thorough search would take place and following the card check the driver would be waved on to continue his journey.  Usually a child on board was passed over and not subjected to a search. 

 

On one occasion however I thought my number was definitely up!  My Grandmother had bought me a pair of beautiful black, fur-lined boots.  I was instructed to wear them home and act as though I’d had them for ages!  Difficult, as they were so obviously new!  A lot depended on which Customs Officer was on duty and on that particular night it was bad news!  The female officer, who had definitely missed her vocation…..had she been German she’d have been a top-ranking S.S. Officer……was on duty! 

 

The reputation of this woman was known far and wide and she had the ability to reduce the toughest of men to nervous wrecks!  It was an extremely cold and wet winter night and she ordered everyone off the ‘bus.  We followed orders and lined up inside a very basic wooden hut with concrete floor.  She took great pleasure in hand searching each passenger, especially those who appeared frail and/or vulnerable.  I stood alone and quivering in my new boots and she pounced! Then followed the usual interrogation; where had I been, for what purpose, how long had I been there and where was I going to and was I returning to Dundalk and if so, when?  She then surveyed me from head to feet……and yes, she did notice my boots!  I was ordered to remove my boots.   She deliberately put my boots to one side while she continued her search of other passengers.  Tactics.  She was no more than a bully and thought she would reduce me to tears and perhaps admit that my boots had been purchased in the Free State.  I honestly thought she was going to confiscate the boots and send me home bare-foot!  While she allowed the other passengers back on the ‘bus, she gave me further interrogation and a lengthy lecture and reluctantly returned my boots.  I was all of nine years old and although my stomach churned and my lip quivered, it was not until I was safely home that I allowed the tears to flow.  My parents were horrified when I related the incident and would happily have reported that officer but it would only have served to draw further attention to me and my family on future trips to Dundalk.

 

I continued to travel, mostly alone, to Dundalk to be with my adored Granny and Grandfather.  I grew up betwixt and between Newry and Dundalk.

 

Indeed a fortunate child.       

                                                 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Newry Baths of Old

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Australian John Macan (author of Macans of Clanbrassil) holidayed here last year with his wife Annette and while touring the town, and South Armagh with your editor, took this snapshot of the Rainbow building on Canal Street.

It is included here because recent speculation locates the nineteenth century Newry Baths on this site.  Can anybody confirm (or disallow) this?  If so please add a note to the Discussions.

This building is currently being gutted.  Does anybody know what might rise from its ashes?

Boat Street Rooneys, Carrs etc.

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John Rooney spoke of the spirit and of the craic that there was in the Boat Street where he grew up. 
 
‘Everyone helped one another in time of trouble or bereavement.  They also shared the joys of good times like weddings, Christenings, First Communions and Confirmation, Christmas and Easter.  All doors would lie open.  If someone overslept so that they would be late for work at the mill or factory, or on the docks of Albert Basin, then they were knocked up.  If a child came home complaining they had been given a thump by a teacher or another adult, then they would get another clout from their parents, for surely they deserved the first one!’

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1975 Kilmorey St People (2)

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12     Esther McCamley
         Patrick McCamley
 
14     Mary Mulholland
 
16     Walter Murphy
         Margaret Murphy
 
18    Catherine Murtagh
         Patrick Murtagh
         Margretta Murtagh
22     Joseph Ward
         Pauline Mathers
24     John Murtagh
         Mary Murtagh
48     Ciaran McAteer
         Enda McAteer
         Matthew McAteer
         Mary McAteer
         Emma O’Hanlon
         Catherine O’Hanlon
50     Owen Cunningham
         Alice Hogan
         John Hogan
52     Thomas McKeown
         Margaret McKeown
54     Teresa Fitzpatrick
56     Agnes McCourt
58     Austin Hollywood
         Eileen Hollywood
         John Hollywood
60     Mary Boyle
         Edward Boyle
         Christina Boyle
         Margaret Boyle
62     Francis Campbell
         Mary Campbell
64     Geraldine Campbell
         John Campbell
         Sarah Campbell
68     Mary Lynch
70     Ann Kerrins
         Phyllis Kerrins
74     Gerard Collins
         James Collins
         John Collins (Jnr)
         Pauline Collins
         Carmel Collins
13     Winifred Rocks
         Thomas Rocks
15     Thomas Byrne
17     Catherine Bryson
         Robert Bryson
         Vera Bryson
19     Mary McParland
         Peter McParland
25     Clare Manning
         Patrick manning
27     James Murphy
         Pauline Murphy
29     Mary Marron
31     Michael Hollywood
         Celine Hollywood
33     Josephine Murray
         Thomas Murray
35     Elizabeth Wasson
39     Thomas Price
41     Mary McShane
         Patrick Russell
         Rosena Russell
43     Patricia Donohoe
         Anna Donohoe
         Ann Donohoe
53     Francis Sweeney
57     Thomas Fearon
         Bridget Fearon
63     Annie Magennis
         Margaret McGivern
65     Joseph Donnelly
         Mary Donnelly
71     Mary Byrne
8       Vincent Gorman
         Pauline Gorman
10     Francis McClelland
         Bridget McClelland
 
 

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1975 Kilmorey St People (1)

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 1       Margaret Larkin
           George Larkin
         Patrick Larkin
 1A     Francis Trainor
         Mary Trainor
3       Patrick Gorman
         Mary Gorman
5       Alice Ruddy
         Terence Ruddy
7       Bernard Larkin
         Mary Larkin
9       Mary Kelly
         Susan Kelly
11     Richard Rodgers
13     Angela Downey
15     Robert Fegan
         Irene Fegan
17     Michael Rice
51     Peter McCourt
         Mary McCourt
         Ann McCourt
52     Mary Hughes
         Thomas hughes
53     Mary McLoughlin
         Patricia McLoughlin
         Michael McLoughlin
         Henry McLoughlin
55     Margaret Turley
57     Thomas O’Hare
         Annie O’Hare
59     Mary McClure
61     Agnes keenan
         Elizabeth Keenan
         Josephine Keenan
63     Owen McLoughlin
         Mary McLoughlin
65     Eamon McCaul
         Edward McCaul
         Annie McCaul
          Gerard McCaul
67     Anne Doyle
         Francis Doyle
69     Patrick Loughran
         Ursula Loughran
71     Rose Burns
73     Maureen leather
75     Bernard Golding
77     John Hughes
         Robert Hughes
         Kathleen Hughes
85     Thomas McEvoy
87     Patrick McAteer
         Mary McAteer
         Bernadette McAteer
         Patrick McAteer (Jnr)
2       John O’Neill
4       Charles Hickland
         Mary Hickland
6       Robert Martin
         Patrick Martin
8       Gerard Toner
         Patricia Toner
10     Hugh Finnegan
12     Gabriel O’Hare
         Anne O’Hare
14     Mary Gallagher
         Susan Gallagher
         James Gallagher
16     Mary Warrinnier
         Camilla Warrinnier
18     Noel Collins
         James Collins
20     Gerald McLoughlin
         Thomas McLoughlin
22     Bridget Rocks
         Anthony Rocks
24     Mary Smith
26     Lucia White
         Martin White
28     James Hughes
         Dorothy Hughes
32     Mary Hagan
         Denis hagan
         James Hagan
34     Elizabeth Sheridan
36     Dominic Donnelly
         Maureen Donnelly
38     Mary Keenan
46     Desmond Murphy
         Mary Murphy
48     Margaret hart
         Eileen O’Reilly
         Thomas O’Reilly
50     Rose Smith
54     Catherine Hillen
56     James McGovern
         Mary McGovern
58     Patrick Rooney
         Jean Rooney
         Jeanette Rooney
60     Susan McAteer
         Michael McAteer
62     Mary Manly
         Francis J Manly
         Patrick Manly
         William Manly
64     Emily Woods
         Patrick Woods
         Patrick Woods (Jnr)
         Bridget Woods
66     Robert Lundy
         Mary Lundy
         Robert Lundy (Jnr) 
 
 
 

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