Write a commentThe latest edition of the Poyntzpass and District Local History Society’s journal ‘Before I forget…’ was launched at a function in Petty Sessions Coffee Shop at the weekend. This, the fifteenth edition of the very popular journal, contains as usual a wide range of articles of local and wider interest, ranging from superstitions and beliefs about animal behaviour, to George Beattie’s account of the terrible Greenore boating disaster of 1916 and local connections to the American Civil War.
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In the mid-1980’s members of the Local History Society undertook to research local topics and present their findings at the Society’s monthly meetings. When the journal first appeared in 1987, it was the Society’s aim to record in a more permanent way the fruits of this original research by its members and to make it more widely available to the general public. It was intended that the articles, while accurate, interesting and informative, should be presented in such a way, and in such language, that the average reader would be able to read and enjoy them without reference to dictionaries or encyclopaedias. Over the intervening 32 years the Society has stuck to those principles.
The current production includes an affectionate memoir of Porter’s Shop and Post Office, Jerrettspass, now sadly no more, a history of Island House, an early 19th century farmhouse, an insider’s history of Taylorstown Point-to-point Races and the tale of enigmatic Clare Castle. There is the local connection with the Alexander Family, famously involved in both war and peace, Brian McElherron’s recollection of the Village Pump and the inspiring story of Rev John Hall of Ballygorman, affectionately known as ‘The Presbyterian Bishop of New York’.
A feature of recent editions of the Journal has been transcriptions of headstone inscriptions in local graveyards. This time the subject is the cemetery at St Mary’s Church Barr. A dedicated band of members spent many hours recording, checking and mapping this extensive graveyard and the result of their efforts is sure to give hours of interesting browsing.
The Journal will be widely available in businesses in Poyntzpass, Scarva, Markethill, Loughgilly, Tandragee, Banbridge, Loughbrickland, Lurganare and Newry and at a very reasonable price of £10 would make a unique Christmas present for friends, particularly those away from home. You can contact the Society by email : history@poyntzpass.co.uk
