When I was about ten, because my brother was locked away in the Fever Hospital as he had scarlet fever, the rest of the family was sent to the Slieve Donard Hotel until the house was fumigated. Lucky us but sad for Michael. He was in a room all on his own and the only way my parents could make contact was through a small glass pane in the door which was kept locked. Imagine the little child of 6 frightened and confused thinking his mother and father wouldn’t even open the door and come in and give him a hug. There was lots of toys sent to him but because of infection he had to leave all of these behind when eventually he was allowed to come home. All this was going on as, with my other even younger brother and my cousins and parents we were living in the luxury that was the most beautiful hotel in the world – I thought so anyway. I remember racing round the balcony and having fun and I remember going into the huge kitchen and watching chef making dishes to delight the gentry. And I remember the white tiled walls covered with the little figure that came with every jar of Robertsons jam, he was called Golly and he was a collectors item.
Recently a menu from way back gives an idea of what was on offer from those kitchens and all for £1.40!
And now the old Dutchess of Newcastle has had a face lift and a make over and I doubt any young ones would be allowed to run round the corridors or even visit the kitchens let alone view a wall filled with the famous little Golly.
Still in the past. I find this map so fascinating. Thank you to Mark Doherty who is compiling the history of Friar’s Bush amongst other places of interest, what an amazing history we have. Find out more at Facebook: Friar’s Bush Graveyard Belfast and arrange a tour of the graveyard with Mark, worth every minute.
From the Friar’s Bush Facebook:
‘This map of Ireland dates from c.1600 and was drawn by the delightfully named Baptista Boazio.
At the top of the ‘Baie of Knockfergus’, are shown the castles of ‘Belfast’ and ‘Ca Reaugh’ (Castle Reagh). Also shown is B:Frrer which is an abbreviation for Ballyfriar, townland of the Friar.
Queen’s University has commenced an archaeological search for Castle Reagh in the hills above Belfast. There are some promising early indications that the castle site will be located. Exciting discoveries are anticipated.
It would be lovely if some similar work was carried out at Friar’s Bush. As a burial place mostly surrounded by development, there would be many challenges.’
Image credit TCD digital collections.
Happy Birthday to Breezy Willow Kelly the woman who thought of the idea to Bake Bread for Peace. Have a wonderful party in Glenties, sorry I can’t be with you.
And a get well soon to dear friend and faithful supporter Houston Marshall
UP UP AND AWAY
I last talked to Glenn Heasley in 2017. He and his partner George Ellis had launched a new business, Go Fly Your Kite and it was taking off. It began when Glenn’s four year old son was flying his kite on the beach at Ballywalter, Oliver insisted on drawing his own designs on the wings, little did he know the impact his idea would have, it sowed a seed in his father’s imagination.
From Little Acorns
“It occurred to me there would be interest in not only the design but the mechanics of making and flying and that it could be a valuable teaching instrument.” Fast forward seven years and Go Fly Your Kite is something to be reckoned with. “Our workshops are both cross community and cross generations and can be dovetailed to reflect any topic for any community organisation, in June we’ll be involved in the Cruinniú na nÓg creative festival for young people on Saturday 15th June. Before that there are events at Hillsborough Castle over Easter, in Girdwood Hub in North Belfast and in Downpatrick on St. Patrick’s Day.”
Workshops are held in museums, schools, libraries and within community settings. They can be conducted in person or on line, and plans are always moving forward, a radio controlled kite has popped up on the website and George and Glenn are looking to AI to help develop their ideas.
Themed For Any Event Anywhere.
Parents and teachers are encouraged to get involved in the engineering aspect of kite flying using the natural environment of wind and space. There is also a health benefit as children become fixated on making and flying their kite rather than playing their video games.
“Last November we ran Science Week workshops for over 1000 children across Ireland in association with Science Foundation Ireland. We focused on the science of flight with children aged 8 years and upwards discussing gravity and aerodynamics with simple experiments.”
Some of those attending the workshops may well to move on to work in the aeronautic industry reflecting Lilian Bland who in 1911 became the first woman in the UK and Ireland to design, build and fly her own biplane ‘Mayfly’ in Randelstown Co. Antrim
The Word Is Out
“The highlight of the last twelve months has to be our involvement in Eurovision 2023 in Liverpool. Go Fly Your Kite was the only Ireland business from 700 applicants to deliver a project entitled ‘Land and Sky Home and Dreams’ to children in Merseyside Primary Schools and to children in four war torn cities across Ukraine. Our resources were couriered across Europe to Ukraine to enable the children to take part in exactly the same art kite workshops as those children taking part in Liverpool. Our project discussed the different emotions of children in Ukraine compared to children in Merseyside whose dreams differed in comparison to children in Ukraine. They wanted to be professional footballers and ballerinas, children in Ukraine wanted no more air raid sirens and to return to their homes and be reunited with their displaced families. We flipped the responses so children in Ukraine could see the lives of children in the UK and vice versa and the responses were remarkable. A unique heart warming project as the kites united children of Ukraine and UK. This culminated in a collective finale in both Merseyside and Ukraine with all the kites flown by the children.”
Certainly kite flying is fun but there’s a deeper meaning to this family based concern. Children and adults are learning fascinating facts through kite flying, for instance, did you know the fastest recorded speed of a kite is over 120 miles an hour and the longest flying time is 180 hours? I learned that wind is smooth until it hits an obstacle, that the aeroplane is a development of the kite and that aviation pioneer Samuel Cody crossed the English Channel in a small canvas boat powered by a kite. In 1901 Marconi used a kite to transmit the first radio signals across the Atlantic and Benjamin Franklin used a kite to prove that lightning was electricity.
Glenn tells how a 19 year old boy in his wheelchair was able to draw on his kite, he was pushed around a football pitch and when his kite flew he was thrilled. A ten year old boy with autism used his pens to write his name for the first time. “After one workshop, we all went outside to fly our kites, no two the same, the pride and joy of those who created them. For one unforgettable moment I stood there in wonder when all I could see were hundreds of kites and hear the laughter of delighted children – that was something special.”
More excitement to come.
For information www.goflyyourkite.com
I shall be listening to Radio Ulster tonight at 9.05 p.m. to hear if Jazz Club with Walter Love is actually on air. The programme has been billed in the press for weeks now despite the fact that Walter died at the end of January. Perhaps he left pre-recordings, if not this is a dreadful mistake by BBC to have misinformed their listeners. Walter was a stickler for accuracy something that might well have been overlooked in Ormeau Avenue. I hope I’m wrong but we’ll see tonight at 9.03 p.m.
