Golden Jubilee of Drumcliff Terrace

Young residents of Drumcliff & friends - Joel Meehan, Margaret McBrearty, Kathleen Melly, Geraldine Coulter, Hugh Duncan, Madeline McGinty, Patricia Hegarty, Kieran Fingleton and Mary Duncan

This year is the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Drumcliff Estate on the side of the River Eske, looking down on the bank walk - popularly known in its time as the Top 20. My own family moved up there in June 1956 - up to then we had been residing above McGettigan’s Butcher Shop on the corner of the Diamond. Paul Duncan and Peadar McGinty did a bit of research for the paper and came up with a list of the original occupiers, ten of which still retain ownership of their properties.
In the early fifties, the land was bought from Dom Breslin snr and a Sligo builder called Bill Thornton was awarded the contract. He ran into trouble some way through the work and whether another builder was brought in to finish the scheme is a bone of contention. Michael Kelly, Maldon House, came to town to work on this job and his recollection is that Thornton finished the scheme but some people had to pay extra for their houses - Peadar McGinty, from his mother’s memory, thinks that John Gallagher might have played some part in completing the job. Kevin Timoney from Quay Street supervised the operation for Rhattigan and Doherty Architects, Bridge Street.
Anyway by the end of 1956 all were safely ensconsed in their houses. To celebrate the golden jubilee, Paul and Peadar hope to organise a small function for past and present householders. All will be notified in due course. So get out the dancing shoes - it’s going to be a mighty hooley!

Countdown
The Countdown semi-final, taking place on the 16th May, includes Conor Travers, the 14 year old whose granny and granddad hails from Ballinakillew, Laghey. Conor lives with his parents Martin and Maureen in Luton, England. So it is all eyes on Channel 4 on the 16th May for the semi-final.

Get ready for the big launch

By our Marine Correspondent

Was down in Killybegs last week and dropped in to see the new waterbus in Mooney’s boatyard. A most imposing vessel of which we will be writing much more later. Billy’s wheel-house is like something out of ‘Star Wars’, with the whole 80 tonnes of craft manoeuvred by a stubby joystick. The launch in the next few weeks will be a big occasion. All local boat owners should get their vessels ready to escort the ‘Dun na nGall’ up our lovely bay in style.

Martha Brennan is100 Years Old By Paul O’Sullivan

Martha Brennan pictured with her two daughters Aileen Vilton and Celine Cunningham and her three sons Hugo, Jim and Enda at Martha’s 100th birthday in the Central

If “a day is a long time in politics” then 100 years must be an eternity.
One person who knows full well what it’s like is Martha Brennan, Mountcharles, who celebrated her 100th birthday last Saturday, May 6th. To mark the auspicious occasion, the national, county and American flags flew in honour of the First Lady of Mountcharles.
Born in 1906 in the nearby townland of Castleogary, she was one of six children, along with Hugh, Mick, Jim, Annie and Mary born to parents Ellen (Canning) and Hugh Boyle.
Martha went to one school in her lifetime, Legan National School where she spent ten years from 1911 to 1921. “Ten years...... READ ON IN OUR MAY 10TH ISSUE OR SUBSCRIBE FOR YOUR VERY OWN ISSUE, KEEPING YOU UP TODATE ON ALL DONEGAL NEWS AND EVENTS