Original residents of Slieve Gullion Road
One local resident tried to recall the names of those lucky few who were first allocated these, the first completed homes in Rooney’s Meadow. He is prepared to admit possible errors; time has a way of bringing its own confusion. Doubtless we will have corrections posted on Guestbook!
You remember, of course, the McShanes, Eileen and Kevin being the two elder children, at number one. Kevin was manager of Stewarts, and of Savages for a time. I don’t think they were the first. There was a lady there earlier called Mrs Fox.
Kassy Dennison lives now at number two. This was the O’Neills. You’ll still see Dorothy and Nailer about town.
Terry Turley lives now in what was his parents’ home. His mother was a piano teacher. His sister Marie married Tony Rocks of Belfast and settled in the USA. There was another sister Dorothy.
Mr Ward, a painter and sign writer, lived at number four. Mary was Ward Sister in
Number five is still the home of Bernadette (Treanor). Her father was church warden of St Bridget’s Chapel, a real gentleman, a trait inherited by all of his children. Pat was the eldest son. Sean still lives across the road in Iveagh Crescent. Eamon lives now on Chancellors Road. Rosaleen was married to the late Hugh McHugh and lives on the Downshire Road.
Next door was Martha O’Hare and her large family. Kathleen and Deborah, you remember. Deborah is married to Paddy Magennis of Concern. Peter played music in Clubs.
Paul Pattinson lived in 8 with his parents Rita and Arthur. In 1960 this family moved to Oxford in England. Brian Treanor thereafter lived in that house, the last before the Flats. They weren’t built then. When they were occupied, they had the Cooneys (two boys, Harry and Maurice played with Taxi; they were very talented, musically), Tony Evans above, and O’Connells (one boy became a priest) and two elderly ladies in the second downstairs flat. One of these used buy firelighters in bulk! Someone must have told her there would be a scarcity. Apparently they were stacked one time up to the ceiling. Talk about a fire risk!
After the loanan it was originally Pat and Patsy Cole (brother of Frank the builder) and his children Liam, Anthony and Martine. They emigrated to Canada. This house became the Weirs, later the Meaghers.
Mrs Clarke lived in what is Jimmy Magees today. She was a fantastic lady. Later she lived in the aluminium bungalows in Clanrye Avenue.
George Yeats (who has a business in Corn Market) lived in 15, with his parents and his brother Alec and sisters Bridget and Mary.
Vincent McAllister – who drove the Steam Laundry van – lived next; his children included Vincent, Eric and Maura and Barbara. The eldest son Ronnie married Bridie McConville of three doors up; they lived in
Joe and Anne Patterson (relatives of our Mayor) lived next to them. It had been their parents’ home first. Later the Glavins lived there; also, at another time, Tom (Gunner) Quinn.
Sonny and Eileen McCullagh lived next. They had a large family, many of whom still live about Newry.
Hugh John McConville, bread delivery man for McCanns (as was, until recently, his eldest son Sean) was in 22. Frankie, Noel and Barney were the other boys, and Bridie their only sister.
Peter Laverty, who had a grocers on Monaghan Street, lived in 24. Gerry and Maura McGuigan have lived there since, and everybody knows their children!
Desie Jennings’ home today was first Davie Marleys (later Jim McGrath, with children Paddy, Jim and Elizabeth, and Brian who lives now in Ardfreelin).
Magowans had the house next door, before Mrs Murphy.
Two spinster ladies, Bridget and Vera McCoy lived next door. Then there was Anthony Russell, another gentleman. He taught in the Tech. He had a daughter Angela and sons Michael and Anthony.
The last block began with Austin Mullans. Mrs Mullan sadly passed away just weeks ago. Their son Austin still lives there.
A large family, the Jones’s, lived for some years next door. When they left, it was allocated to John O’Hare, engine driver with the GNR (his photo is included here somewhere). His daughter is married to a Council official named McGivern and lives in Drumcashellone.
The Cleggs lived in the penultimate house. June and
The last house was the Warrs. There were sons Charlie and Jackie. Their grandmother, Mrs Warr, who lived with them, was the first funeral out of the Meadow.
‘I remember,’ this resident concluded, ‘the children of the street afterwards playing ‘corpses’ complete with rosary and sheet for shroud, after their first experience of death.’