Ireland
Archived Posts from this Category
Sunday 18 Feb 2007
Markethill RUC station in WW2
Update 22/02/2007: The article was actually written by my aunt Fay!
I was just googling the BBC website this evening when I came across this article on Markethill RUC Station during WW2. The article mentions the following events that my Mum has always mentioned:
- American GIs at Gosford.
- German PoWs at Gosford - and also at Markethill RUC station.
- Sounding the air raid siren at Markethill.
My grandfather William Thompson was the station sergeant during the War and my Mum remembers him sounding the air raid siren, and also visiting the PoWs and GIs at Gosford. She remembers that the GIs brought bananas, oranges and chocolate for the first time in many years.
My Mum has a good picture of Markethill RUC station before the Troubles made external alterations essential! I must get a scan of this…
Other links of interest:
- PoWs in Gosford - I think the foundations of the PoW huts are still there, except the model chapel built by Italian PoWs seems to have disappeared from the main car park.
- American GIs in Gosford
- History of Gosford Castle.
- History of Gosford
Tuesday 11 Jul 2006
Bouncy Walls of Derry?
The BBC News at 10 has just asked how the Twelfth might be turned into a “cultural celebration”. Some in the Orange Order have even dreamed how the Twelfth might rival Rio’s Carnival.
That set me wondering what £100k of government funding might lead to?
- Bouncy Walls of Derry?
- Opportunity to recycle the Bavaria beer trousers discarded by Dutch football fans?
- Womens Orange Order samba dancing teams?
- Drag queens dressed as the Queen Mum
Ideas gratefully received below…
Friday 26 May 2006
My father’s garden
My father, John Adams, was a wonderful gardener, but sadly died 9 years ago at the age of 64. On his last day he spent over eight hours in his garden. Not a bad way to go.
The garden has been kept tidy since then but has not had the same effort, love and care lavished on it. Nature is trying to take over again.
For example, this Belfast sink was planted by Dad with a series of perennials and annuals. Now the perennials have taken over and have reverted to type.
His shed is still in the same condition as he left it. My garage (i.e. large garden shed) looks much the same, maybe it’s genetic!
I often wish he was still around to share gardening tips and stories.
More pictures are in my Neglected Garden set on Flickr.