I went to St John's school in Colinward Street, and would play around the Colin at Lunch times . We frequented the old Flush too. I remember the wee Colin football hut at the foot of Colinpark Street.
I lived at Highfield estate at the time (the late 1950's).
As a kid in the 1950s and 1960s,myself and my older brothers used to play in and around the Flush area.
If my memory serves me well,there was a big biscuit factory at the Colinpark Street end of the Flush,I believe it was called Scribbens.Perhaps some people might remember it.
One of my teachers from St.Thomas's,Mr.Brannigan,lived
in Colinpark Street at that time,his son was a decent footballer in local football as I remember.
Mackies was at the Colinpark End of the Flush, Joe, but your are right about there being Scribbons-Kemps biscuit factory at the other end of the Flush up the Cottonmill Lane.
That might have been his younger brother, although I have been away so long I could be wrong, his brother played for Distillery, Ballymena and the Glens and also represented the Irish League, he was a good player.
That might have been his younger brother, although I have been away so long I could be wrong, his brother played for Distillery, Ballymena and the Glens and also represented the Irish League, he was a good player.
I am nearly certain that it was Mr.Brannigan's son,he was a fair Irish League player for years.
I am nearly sure that his first name was Gerry.Around that era Roy Welsh,Mousey Brady,Joe Meldrum and Johnny Cochrane all played for Distillery,they had a terrific team in those days,they won the Irish League
and played in the European Cup.
Joe, you are probably thinking about Gerry McCaffery, he lived across the street from the Brannigans,
Mr Brannigan was a very nice man but suffered from bad health most of his life he was never a teacher.
My mistake,I know the man I was thinking of but I gave the wrong name,his name will come to me in due course.Bear in mind it wasn't yesterday or the day before when Distillery were a top team.
Mr.Brannigan,the schoolteacher from St.Thomas's,obviously lived in Colinward St. and not Colinpark St.as previous poster,Jamesy, pointed out.
I never knew Mr.Brannigan's christian name but Jamesy says it was Tom and that rings a bell with me.Could I be right in saying that his son was called Tommy Brannigan who was a good Irish League footballer in the 1960s ?
I am sure somebody will remember and let us know.
I went to St. John's School. Colinward Street , with Gerard Kearney who lived in Forfar Street, just round the corner from Colinveiw Street, haven't seen him for years, he had a brother, can't remember his name, their father drove a fruit market lorry.
At the back of their house was a wee river and on the other side of it was Young's Lemonade Factory.
Hi Joe, "Barney" here, I lived next door to the Kearneys, I spoke to Gerry last year when he was visitng a friend in NZ, Larry Fitzpatrick,I think Gerry said that he was living out by Glengormley, unfortunately his brother Frank had passed away. Joe didn`t Youngs get away with murder, do you remember they used to dump all their broken bottles below Burn`s railings? all the dogs in the area always had cut paws.They also had stables and they dumped the manure just above the wee river and we kids used to have horse`s dung ball wars, we smelt "lovely" afterwards, still it was good fun.
John wasn`t there also the names Sammy Todd and Ewing in that house, my late wife went up to see Kathleen, I think was her name, when she was home in 2007, either Kathleen had passed away or something but she didn`t get to see her. I used to "knock about" with "toss" and played football with him, is he still in the land of the living?
Sammy Todd was my uncle,he lived in Colinward St,he was good mates with Toss and Kathleen was my aunt,her and her family always lived in my granny,s,her kids were Angela.Kay,Gerard and Martin.My uncle Gerry[Kathleens husband] worked in Barney Hughes bakery most of his life.They moved into a new house on the Springfield and i visited them there years ago on a trip home from Australia
I also remember some names in Colinward Street linked to the School, The Glover's, Pat Gray, Andy Clarke,The Murphy's who I think were the last caretakers of St John's School.
Didn't a teacher Jubey Allen. he taught Irish, live in Forfar Street, apparently he had been interned , and Mr Crean, another teacher lived on the Springfield Road at the top of Colinward Street.
Some of the masters I remember was Bill Harvey, Mickey McLaverty, McGonicle, Tansey and Miss McCarthy.
And I rememeber the shop at the top of the street was Harbinson's.
Yes Peadar,you must have been around my era, not many remember "Jubey", he lived down Cavendish St at the corner of Crocus St, I think,Mr Crean took over from "Jubey" when he retired, McGurahan was the other name, you must be a bit younger than me as I knew Andy`s brother Joe better,Frank Gray and Paddy Glover(RIP, Paddy`s Mum used to clean the school and at that time I think she had the keys, do you remember when Bill came down the street, "here comes hat and coat".We used to say Mrs mcCarthy, not knowing that in those days married women could not hold the job as a teacher so you`re right it was Miss no Ms either. All great teacher except for Tansey, and Mc Gurnahan was always very snobby. I had his son Mathew and Bills son Liam in my class they were always under pressure to do well.
He may have John, as young guys we always found him a bit of a nuisance, but he was probably just wanting to be accepted, do you remember wee Da Brady? he was a bit of a character, or "Susie" Crean he was the teacher`s brother.
Is there anyone still ALIVE that used to live in this area?
Yes very much alive and enjoying reading this....We came from Colinward st and came to Australia in the 60's.
My mother (dead now) was born in Colinpark st..So I knew most of the people mentioned here = Da Brady..mousey and Taddie the sons..also the Brannigans the father we knew as "Boot Brannigan" and the son played football well...The Grays lived next door to us then..
But there was a lot of good memories from around that area...one was playing around the flush..and frightened to go home when you fell in the water.. then trying to dry your socks on the "Hot pipe" up the other end from the bridge as we called it...which was at the end of Forfar st....
Do you remember the Burn's and McMenemy families from 'Mackies Heights', Springfield Drive. Another wee street no one has mentioned is Springfield Crescent where Young's Lemonade factory was.
Hi Jamesy..I went to school with Danny Burns from "Mackies height"...we used to walk down through the dumps (an estate now, I forget the name)from St Thomasas school on the Whiterock rd.....he was only learning bango then. All the family were great musicians.....McMenemy I know the name but cant put faces to them, its been a while...was Laim McMenemy one of them ??
How about "The Bray" up the side of the flush, any one remember that??..and Browns cows at the top..where "Linker" he was called riding that big horse down every aftrenoon...Those were the days...