Barny’s Boys
In your editor’s youth, there was only one soccer team always in contention for every trophy. That, of course was Rockview Rangers, which played its home games on the ‘Ropewalk’ behind High Street.
The Old Chapel
Almost all historians Post-Reformation (mid-16th century) belonged to the established church and if they made allusion at all to the Catholic faith, it was normally in the most derogatory and insulting terms, calling the believers Papists.
Patrick Creely gets Carnehaugh
We also learn from Bradshaw’s Directory (1820) that the patent granted in 1613 by James I to Arthur Bagenal made an exception of certain Newry lands formerly granted by Sir Nicholas and Sir Henry Bagenal (Arthur’s grandfather and father) to one Patrick Creely. One line of thought is that Creely was the last Cistertian monk of Newry!
Gross Isle, Canada
It is comforting to your editor to know that he is not labouring alone to remember the destitute and dispossessed Irish of the nineteenth century who were driven from their homes across a cruel sea.
The following article extracted from a recent edition of a Canadian newpaper indicates that O’Neill Avenue man, Patrick White continues to highlight this and other Irish issues in North America.
Bradshaw 1820: new roads
Bradshaw’s Newry Directory (1820) continues ………
‘.. The road through the town northwards formerly lay through Ballybot, Mill Street, Market Street and High Street and united with the Banbridge Road at Stream Street.
McGladdery’s Trial
Pearl Gamble’s murder had caused outrage, not just in Newry but throughout these islands. When McGladdery appeared at Newry Courthouse in April the building was besieged by a huge crowd, most of whom were unable to gain access to the proceedings.
Cold Winter
In October the travellers on a halting Site asked their new Clan Leader if the coming winter was going to be cold or mild.
Quit Nyamming
Fr Colum Wright this morning in his sermon, with a congregation ranging in age from four to eighty plus years, recounted how he had just returned from visiting Santa in Daisy Hill Hospital. Really? No, really? Was he ill?
It was all the children ‘nyamming’ that put him there, he said, and it wasn’t at all certain that he’d recover soon enough to do his essential rounds this year.
The Christmas Knowall
Have you met him yet? … The Christmas Knowall.
The festive Sir Oracle who haunts all places of public resort. You can’t have missed him for he is unmistakable with his arched eyebrows and his condescending smile.
