John Haugh’s Carlingford 1

You may not be familiar with the man, but you are well-versed in his work! You see, John Haugh of Carlingford is the sculptor of most eminent religious statues about the town, especially the Christmas Crib figures. These are his reminiscences.

‘The Dublin-Greenore-Newry Railway closed on the last day of 1951. In its 78 year service the Greenore Station and Harbour was the entry point for thousands of visitors, especially from England and Scotland.


Also it faithfully carried hundreds of workers from Cooley, Omeath and Carlingford every day, to and from shops and factories in Dundalk and Newry. Its closure then was a great loss that was felt – and continues to be felt to the present day – as it affected the industrial and commercial life of the whole area.

After fifty years absence I’m back in Carlingford, my home town. It’s a bright Spring morning as I walk along the promenade. Many changes catch my eye as I approach King John’s Castle overlooking the harbour. High up on its ancient walls the gulls are busily nesting on every ledge and in every crevice, noisily proclaiming their love calls to Spring.

Memories of the Carlingford of my youth come flooding back as I watch the gulls circling and swooping around the ancient keep, their flight patterns creating an ever-changing pattern against the morning sky.

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