Douglas Bridge long ago by Collette Molloy

Let me introduce myself. My name is Collette Molloy. I am a present member of the Strabane and District Caring Services. I am married to John. We have six grown up children and six grandchildren. Prior to this I was Collette Bonner, the second youngest of nine children. Born to Bridget and John Bonner. Our family home was on Knockmillar Road, Douglas Bridge, Strabane.

My childhood memories are of endless happy days, spent playing with family members - four sisters and four brothers. There would also be chores to carry out. These included feeding poultry and fetching water from the well, running into the village of Douglas for messages from the local shops. One of the shops was owned by Johnny McNamee, the other by Alan McDowell, who also ran the post office.

School was also to feature in my weekly diary. My brothers and sisters would take me to the old school situated on the Ardstraw Road outside of Victoria Bridge. I then moved to the new school which is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary this month (September 2010). The journey to school seemed like an eternity for a five year old as there were no school buses in those days. The only mode of transport was 'Shanks Mare' as the old saying went. To those who do not comprehend this statement, the answer is 'walk'.

I grew up in a rural farming community, my father was a farm labourer who was employed by the local farmers. His duties included planting crops of wheat, corn and potatoes, feeding animals, tending the threshing mill etc. In the summer evenings he would cut turf, sow potatoes and veg and cut blocks of wood so that our family was well provided for. He was a hard working man who always put his family first. In the evenings neighbors would call around as our home was a ceili house where everyone was welcome. Names that spring to mind were Sammy Glenn and his brother Willie. The McDaid brothers who were uncles of my dads. Cards and darts would be played and even a good old ghost story would be told. My mother was the provider of food and drink, home made scones and big mugs of tea. She made everyone happy.

The visitors would say goodnight, the fire was doused, lights from the gas lamp turned off and the doors locked. These are some of the beautiful memories I have from long ago. Sadly the voices of my mother and father are silent now, as well as my brothers like most of those who have come and went to our little home. They have passed on to their eternal reward but the sweet memories of that by-gone age remain in my heart.

The kinds of history I am interested in - by Roseanne Molloy

I am interested in finding out about local history. I recently saw a history project done on a walkway known as the Bridle Path (by Raphoe History Links Group), This caught my attention.

I thought it would be cool to see if Strabane and surrounding areas has something like this to do. It could be interesting doing a walkway because you have to get out and about to find an old walkway, then you have to find out how long it was in use, what grew along the pathway, if there was any wildlife along the walkway and who used it.

We could have the opportunity to repair the walkway and bring it back to life, but to make it wheelchair friendly spoiling the natural beauty of the pathway. Doing a project like this means I will be mixing different kinds of history and bringing them together.

I identify these different types of history as:

1. Social: Because people may have used the walkway in the past either by foot or by horseback.
2. Natural: Due to the flowers and the trees that might have grown there and the wildlife that you might have seen along the walkway.
3. Architectural: The opportunity to repair and rebuild the walkway. Bringing it back to its natural beauty and making it accessible for everyone to enjoy.

'Old Bulli' and worker suppression by Ann Kavanagh

With the global village, much of our world is changing. Big business is hijacking the hoi polloi. We see today how bank and financial institutions have almost brought democracy to its knees, sometimes with the help of governments like the Conservatives in England under Margaret Thatcher who brought the Unions down.

Major companies suppressing their workers is nothing new. The song 'The Old Bulli' is about a mine in Australia in the 19th century where miners went on strike due to methane gas killing its workers. The song does not tell the whole story where outside labor was introduced and having tried to negotiate, the women and children lay on the rail tracks and were crushed by the wagons as they ran over them

Time went by and in the 1960's there was still methane in the mine and the song 'Old Bulli' was recorded and played on the airways, once. People hearing the song, naturally asked about its origin etc. However a curtain was quickly drawn and most people involved denied any knowledge of the song.

Today, I understand, there is a mine in Canada, the major source of it is, potash to world, whose acquisition is under negotiation, by of all people, the owners of the 'Old Bulli'.

Augers well for our future as a global village.

This piece demonstrates Social and Economic History, past, present and possibly future. It shows how big business is running the world whether we know it or not. It also shows our social history and how individuals and small enterprises are subsumed, bullied, maneuvered, and driven by large concerns with no social conscience.

However, the piece particularly shows how from a political perspective, it is important that our governments are composed of upright citizens, who are leaders and freely elected, and how imperative it is for each of us as individuals to stay vigilant and use our voting franchise and use it wisely.

*Note: Check back on this post for the music and lyrics to 'Old Bulli' by Gary Shearston.