Michael G Crawford was among a number of people who claimed to have witnessed at first hand the famous ghost-ship of Carlingford Lough, the Lord Blaney. From the early 40s onwards there was a great craze for ‘pitch and toss’. We played it in the ball alley nearby and the fellas pitched and tossed there till dark. During my all too brief visit to Newry in 2005 I had an even briefer visit to Edward Street. Given the very limited information we have already on Mary (Curran) Martin, how might we find out more? McGladdery had thrown the lifeless body in a bunch of thorns at a place known as Weir’s Rocks and flung some of her clothes on top. Later on, during the war, I joined the Home Guard. In the Home Guard they gave me a rifle and bullets as part of my outfit. I had to work too! One of my early jobs was to ‘walk’ cattle. It’s just a photo of a middle-aged lady long ago standing at the junction of Bull’s Hill and Aileen Terrace, isn’t it? It was the year of The Somme and many of Kilkeel’s sons fought and died there. It also was the year of the Carlingford Lough Disaster when the One of the interesting general histories of Newry past is that of Thomas Bradshaw, contained in Bradshaw’s General Directory of Newry (and other towns) of 1820. We quote sparingly from it …. I remember during the early part of the war – the Second World War – that most things, including fuel, were rationed. McGladdery had evil intent even before he left the dance hall. He knew where Pearl lived and the exact location of her home. He gambled that any lift she received would drop her .. We, on Newry Journal, are very grateful to John Macan who has contributed many of his original poems to this site. John’s work is copyright – as indeed is all original work on this site! John has published in the past – and continues into the present – so we are especially grateful for his generosity towards Newry Journal! This is another in our occasional series intended to help those in search of their forebears – this time in Kilkeel, County Down. There will be two more of Kilkeel 1916 to follow … The usual starting and finishing points for these gladiatorial buggy contests were the Egyptian Arch (actually a point 500 yards to the town side of it – where the entrance to Derrybeg Park is today) and the corrugated fence of McClelland’s chicken coop, at the foot of the Pighall Loanan.Ghost Ship, Lord Blayney
New Bucket, Gone!
Edward Street Revisited
Mary Martin in 1901 Census
McGladdery cleans his trail….
Please leave!
Mary (Curran) Martin
Kilkeel People 1916 : 2
Bradshaw’s Directory 1
Burn the furniture!
Newry Strangler
Before veil of grace descends
Kilkeel Residents 1916
Nailer’s Prize Buggy
