Mary Street

Recent pictures and stories of Mary Street and its residents reawakened my own memories of the street.

In fact my very earliest memory is of Gerry and Maura Hand.  They were friends of my parents and they would visit for supper and a game of cards.  When my family moved to Edward Street, the visits continued as did the card games!  I don’t think much money was won or lost but a lot of fun happened along the way. According to my mother, Maura would collect me and take me out and about in my pram.  The last time I saw Rowan he was in his pram!  We have, however been in touch in recent years, via the telephone.

There was a time when Taeve Carroll’s home was my second home.  I loved their little house and always found a very warm welcome there.  I cannot quite remember whether it was Taeve or his brother who played violin.  When my family moved to Dundalk for a short time before eventually moving to England, I continued to travel to Newry for school.  I always waited in Mary Street for the evening bus to Dundalk.  I hardly ever waited at the bus stop.  I was fortunate enough to enjoy the comfort and hospitality of the Carroll household knowing for certain that the arrival of the bus would be either seen or heard from within. 

Stress-free days when all I had to worry about was what kind of cake Mrs. Carroll would offer me with the hot or cold drink!  Mrs. Carroll was a lovely lady and I remember her with deep affection.

Sadly as my visits home to Newry grew less frequent, so too did the visits to Mary Street.  However, along with The Mall, Hill Street, High Street, Monaghan Street, Edward Street, Corry Square, and Caulfield Place, it remains deep within my memory, never to be erased.

This girl was taken from Newry.  But Newry can never be taken from this girl!

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