Sean Murtagh of Ballinlare Gardens recalled his neighbours of days gone past, and spoke warmly of those still in the cul-de-sac. 

Eric Bittles is just a few months deceased, as is his mother who latterly went to a Home: so also is Sean Hillen who lived here for a very long time. He spent his latter years living with a daughter in another part of the district.

People have varied and many reasons to recall visits to the seaside. 

When your editor was very young – some fifty years ago – we’d occasionally get a visit – even an extended visit, to our Uncle Frank’s in Kilkeel.

My late friend Donal Monaghan, who sadly departed this life last week used to reminisce with us on what life was like in the Bridge Street area in the 1940s-1950s where he grew up.  Though our photo below is of the age before, Bridge Street changed little until much later.

Let us start with the big fact that will stir the emotions of a few.  

Ballinlare Gardens (plus a little bit, a very tiny bit of Killeavey Road) was  ( is ) in the grand county of Armagh.

For very good reasons, your editor associates the shore and the public baths of Warrenpoint with his childhood friend Vincent McAllister, with whom he often ‘hitched’ a lift there in the bygone days of yore!