st anthonys parish east belfast

[bjay]

Marty,

I recall Joe Dobbin from St. Mary's youth club....he was a joiner and a very decent fella. He built the DJ box for the club  disco.

[olelad]

Hi olelad,the night went very well  the old church was almost packed,members and ministers from local Protestant churches came along,and quite a few went up at Commuion to receive a blessing ,would have liked Father Stephen to say more on how the church was attacked,and the Catholic population dispersed through East Belfast,but maybe not the proper time ,Joe Hendron was there lived in the east and went to St Anthony's ,never knew that.had to use side entrance and noticed the police had a car,parked were the old Parochial  hall sat.spoke to jim dobbin and had good chat with Jackie Fitzpatrick,Jackie retired from  la salle recently .

nice one marty. sorry i had to miss out on the night. hopefully there will be a next time. interesting you mentioned the lack of the history from the parish priest. ive said it b4 after us lot meet him that he has NO  interest in the past  history at all.

[marty1953]

Was it  Father Stephen?

[olelad]

yes m8

[bjay]

Jackie Fitzpatrick was in the same year in Gusties, '67 intake.
Makes you feel really old when your contemporaries are retiring.
If only I could afford to.  

[olelad]

Jackie Fitzpatrick was in the same year in Gusties, '67 intake.
Makes you feel really old when your contemporaries are retiring.
If only I could afford to.  

was he from around ravenhill ave ?

[marty1953]

Jackie was from Ravenhill Gardens,beside Paiselys colosseum of hate.

[willow]

nice one marty. sorry i had to miss out on the night. hopefully there will be a next time. interesting you mentioned the lack of the history from the parish priest. ive said it b4 after us lot meet him that he has NO  interest in the past  history at all.

My family attended the celebration Mass last Wednesday and it was a very moving and historic event. I'm sorry Father McBrearty disappointed you and your friend marty by not dragging us into the past. Perhaps he has been trying to help all of us in the parish by following the advice given by one of our former elder statesmen. "I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past" When he arrived here in 1996 this parish was on its knees and he has been an outstandingly courageous and caring pastor to us all and has helped make it what it is today.

[marty1953]

Think you need to read what  I said,and get off your high horse I  know Father Stephen personally  and will say to him what I said in print,the people who continually  shout sectarian abuse at parishioners coming out of mass are the people living in the past.

[olelad]

My family attended the celebration Mass last Wednesday and it was a very moving and historic event. I'm sorry Father McBrearty disappointed you and your friend marty by not dragging us into the past. Perhaps he has been trying to help all of us in the parish by following the advice given by one of our former elder statesmen. "I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past" When he arrived here in 1996 this parish was on its knees and he has been an outstandingly courageous and caring pastor to us all and has helped make it what it is today.

dragging yous into that past ?! i think all we was asking that the past be recognised. lets not forget all those who lived in the parish and were forced out because we belonged to the very same chapel you attend. many lost there lives for the religion they was born. i dont think thats to much to ask. i found father mcbrearty a decent enough bloke. but we was there to put a past reunion in place and found his lack of interest a pain. after all all we was doing was high lighten those who once lived in the parish.
thankfully there are others still in the parish who havent forgotton there past parishioners.

[tefal]

I have justcome across St Anthonys cant believe  how you remember every one.I moved up with my family from Short Strand in 1957/58 in a class in the svp hall taken by Mr Tracey smoked a pipe .loved Germany taught us German folk songs drove a Volks wagan beetle.I lived at 300 Woodstock road.served on the altar with V Crilly.Mr Kelly was Sexton believe he was x RUC.you would mabe remember my sisters better Margaret,Rosemary Imelda Faloona.We were put out in1973 and moved to London.took me back to hear forgotten Names and places.realy nice to read your stories of Willowfield

[east58]

Hi WOULD ANYONE OUT THERE REMEMBER THE DUFFY FAMILY FROM CARLNGFORD ST.?WE ALL WENT TO ST ANTHONYS PRIMARY AND LATER I WENT TO STMALACHYS COLLEGE, MY BROTHER DANNY WENT TO ST AUGUSTINES WHILE MY SISTERS ANNE,TINA AND PATSY WENT TO ST MONICAS. IN REVIEWING THE SITE I RECOGNISE MANY OLD NAMES AND IM SURE THEY ARE STILL OUT THERE . WE ALL GREW UP IN THE DISTRICT UNTILTHE TROUBLES .THEN WE "EVACUATED" TO VICTORIA  FLATS NARS THE NEW LODGE. WE ALL HAD A GREAT CHILDHOOD IN THE WOODSTOCK AND CREGAGH AND HERE ARE A FEW OF OUR OLD CHUMS AND SCHOOLLFRIENDS FROM BOTH RELIGOIS BACKGROUNDS IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER. GARY WILSON ,CLIVE HARVEY , GEORDIE KERR,EUGENE QUIGLEY,FRANKIE HAWKINS.  MARTIN MCNALLY,MY SISTERS FRIENDS 'WERE ANGELA TAGGART,DONNA FERGUSON, IRENE MACHUGH,MARLENE STEAD.iKNEW TONS OF OTHERS AND LEFT THE DISTRICT IN 71 LIVING IN MY NANNYS HOUSE FOR AS LONG AS I COULD. IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HEAR FROM AMYONE WHO REMEMBERS US AS ALL MY FOLKS WERE IN THE DISTRICT EVEN BEFOE THE CHAPEL WAS BUILT.

I lived in Omeath Street, and knocked around with your brother Danny.It was so sad to see you guys having to leave. Also the Flynns, Hawkins, Huttons, Devlins, Shorts, Walsh's. Good times.
 

[east58]

Hi Oledad
                                  Im sorry i cant give you any info. regarding the reyhills. All the Clonduff people were scattered. M. mcnally and the Meighans,Tony Brennan  the Rooneys all went to west belfast. I went to the new Lodge. Though some went to Craigavon or Downpatrick. Manny Collins did live in REDCAR ST. he was a friend for a while as you do in primary school you sort of hang with everyone at some time or other. They were put out cos I knew a good protestant mate of his whom I later came to know well who helped him and his family load their stuff. He was really fond of Manny and regretted his leaving. Maybe you knew my brother Danny Duffy  he was 3 years younger than me and perhaps was in the1970 group im not sure. He eventually went to St Augustines and then when we were put out to Bearnageeha though he did travel to St Augustines until his 4 th year. He sadly died at the young age of 39. I went to London to bury him . He was a great kid with a colourful life but he had a hard start since my mother was paralysed at his birth and that of his twin sister  and he spent the first 3 years of his life in Nazareth lodge Childrens home on the Ravenhill Rd. . W e were all reunited but Danny I think carried the legacy of this all through his life. Any way enough reminiscence---. Good to see a few old schoolmates' names'mentioned and piece together a few memories.

I know that your quote has been on here for quite some time, but I would like to say how very sorry and shocked I am to read of the death of your brother Danny. We were close friends in our younger years, and played together day and night. Danny came to visit me around 20 years ago, and it was so good to see him again. I would like to offer my deepest heart felt sympathy to you and your family. He was such a lovely guy. Rest in peace Danny.

[olelad]

I lived in Omeath Street, and knocked around with your brother Danny.It was so sad to see you guys having to leave. Also the Flynns, Hawkins, Huttons, Devlins, Shorts, Walsh's. Good times.

lived only 3 streets away from omeath st and apart from frankie hawkins knew no one well from there.  if memory serves me right you lot knocked more around carlingford st end of street ?  !

[olelad]

marty did u ever get a chance to check that site out on the castlereagh rd ?