They were ACE workers!

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We were listing past employees of The Action for Community Employment (A.C.E.) Scheme in Newry. I’m sure you know several of these here (D-F) and indeed, I recognise at least one serving Councillor of today! 

Dickie talks of McGladdery

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Dickie Rodgers was adjudged overall winner of our recent Reminiscence Competition for a series of short stories and anecdotes. He also recounted powerful incidents from his own life. 

My Dad, John Kane

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When I was a young girl, I loved to go over to meet my dad, John Kane, a steam engine driver with the Great Northern Railway, as he was coming out of the railway station at Edward Street.  He would pick me up in his arms and carry me to our home in Maginness Street.  

Ace Workers of old (1)

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The Action for Community Employment (A.C.E.) Scheme was, in its time, a useful programme to integrate the unemployed back into the workforce and provide necessary community facilities at the same time. 

Train trip to the ‘Point

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Travel to exotic far-flung parts of the earth nowadays is taken very much for granted.   But to the children of Newry in the nineteen fifties and sixties, life was a lot simpler.

Ballard homestead

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I came across your website by accident, and there was a picture of a derelict farmstead above Slieve Gullion.

Thomas D’Arcy McGee

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Thomas D’Arcy McGee, the son of James McGee (coastguard) and Dorcas Catherine Morgan was born in Carlingford, County Louth 13 April 1825. A journalist and poet as well as a politician, McGee was a gifted speaker and (in later life) a strong supporter of confederation in his adopted country of Canada.  His changing views regarding Irish republicanism may have resulted in his assassination in 1868.

Lazy lumps!

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This is the first published of the recently submitted short stories.  We do not intend to print these in any particular order, though we will signify the prize-winners!  We are most grateful for each and every story submitted!  Martin Payne gained second prize with another tale we will print shortly.  This is more an amusing little anecdote!
 

Sarah Curran by Thomas Moore

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We have been requested to reproduce here in full, the ballad written by the famous Thomas Moore (Moore’s Melodies) about Sarah Curran, Robert Emmet’s love.

Sarah Curran/ Robert Emmet

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We have written of the patriots mentioned in the Yeats poem, with the exception of Robert Emmet. Since it’s about ‘romantic Ireland‘ we write here of Emmet’s romance with Sarah Curran!

Lord Edward Fitzgerald

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The Yeats poem (opt. cit.) has forever enshrined in verse the name of Lord Edward Fitzgerald.  This Irish conspirator (1763-1798) fifth son of James, first duke of Leinster, by his wife Emilia Mary, daughter of Charles Lennox, second duke of Richmond, was born at Carton House, near Dublin, on the 15th of October 1763.