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Opinion
Residents in West Belfast today, 20 October saw the opening of an amazing new public park in their area, something that we in Newry can unfortunately still only dream of. When we called by earlier, the place was jam-packed with visitors. Hundreds of children were using the play facilities, young people were trying their hand at skateboarding in the skatepark and many were out walking the dog or cycling around.
Páirc Nua Chollann is situated to the west of the Stewartstown Road in the city, just below Poleglass, and the amazing facility comprises of: An extensive system of paths for cycling and walking, an incredible children's play area, a skate park, a BMX/ Cycle area, outdoor exercise areas and of course plenty of grass and trees!
It's really hard not to compare the project to the campaign for a park in Newry started by Newry 2020 in 2014. Páirc Nua Chollann is 17 acres while the Albert Basin site is a little smaller at 15 acres. While we are told that it will cost over £30m to build our park here in Newry, the entire facility in Belfast was built for just £5.6m!
While the provision of car parking at the Albert Basin site has caught the attention of some Councillors it's refreshing to see that there is no such problem at Páirc Nua Chollann. Just 4 car park spaces (all disabled) are provided for the entire site which like the Newry park site has ample car parking facilities and public transport options in the vicinity.
In 2021 it was stated that enabling works on the site at the Albert Basin before any work would start could cost almost £11m which seems incredible. Currently £16.2m has been awarded by Finance Minister Conor Murphy MLA for the Newry scheme and we are told that this will only pay for 'Phase One' of the park but there is no indication that funding has been applied for by Council to fill the large gap in finances needed to complete the park. Applications by Council to Levelling Up Fund, the Shared Island Fund and Peace IV funding have all, to date overlooked the need to apply for additional funding for what is the most popular infrastructure project ever, in Newry!
No such problems in Belfast's Páirc Nua Chollann, the first phase was the complete park and it took just two and a half years to build from the first sod was turned in March 2020. In fact it might have been even quicker if they hadn't run into some difficulties along the way and I'm sure the pandemic didn't help.
Speaking at the sod cutting ceremony in 2020, Lord Mayor of Belfast at the time, Cllr Daniel Baker suggested the project was only going to take a year to complete. “I am delighted to see work get under way on this new destination public park in the Colin area. When it opens next year it will be an extremely valuable addition to the local community. Like the council’s recent £15 million investment in the new Brook leisure centre which opened in December, I hope the new park will attract many people to the area who may not have previously visited." he said.
The Mayor continued “This investment by the Urban Villages Initiative supports the aspirations of our Belfast Agenda which aims to improve the health and wellbeing of all our citizens. Our parks and open spaces are extremely important assets which encourage people to enjoy the outdoors and get more active, so this new park will make a big difference to people’s lives.”
Back in Newry City an outline programme of works suggests that it will take 6 long years to build our park, from when the contractor starts. Lets hope that happens before many more UK Prime Ministers are deposed.
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Technical issues are forever present in website land. Thankfully after a bit of overnight work we have got the content management software that runs Newry.ie updated at long last. Please bear with us over the next few weeks while we fix any obvious issues and if you see anything glaring don't forget to let us know.
One thing the update did uncover was our Newry Nark section from way back when, a time we enjoyed a good moan ... and sure who doesn't. The standard photograph that illustrated them can't yet be found though. Looking at them now the issues then were much the same as today, no park, too many shutters, not enough cycling, mess of chewing gum, pride in your area etc etc.
If you have a moan and want to put it to the world just email us it at news@newry.ie and we will do the rest.
Check out newry-nark/on-yer-bike possibly published back in 2004 ... but it could be 2008 and then look over some of the other ones.
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Wishing all our readers wherever you may be in the world a very Happy Christmas time.
Hope it gives you all time to disconnect, reflect, reconnect and rest, and above all be thankful for what we all have got.
Thank you all so much for being a part of the Newry.ie community.
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Opinion
Could 2023 finally be the year that Newry residents see progress on our landmark Newry City Park? After all the Motion unamiously agreed by Councillors in November 2017 to to build the park, agreed that it would be 'delivered' by the end of this council term (May 2023) which is fastly approaching! Local Council elections will be held in May and no doubt the Albert Basin Park will once again be high up on the agenda for voters but words are not enough any more, we need action.
A beautiful shiny new sign sits at the entrance to the Albert Basin proclaiming 'Your Plans ... Your Park'. Oh if it could be that straightforward! Since the group Newry 2020 started their grassroots campaign way back in 2014 for a 15 Acre park at the Albert Basin in Newry there have been many false dawns, with the sun yet to come up above the popular project. You would be inclined to think if it was 'your plans', the park would have already begun and could indeed be finished at this stage.
To a blaze of publicity it was announced just over a year ago, in December 2021 that the Department of Finance under Finance Minister of the time, Conor Murphy MLA had found £16.2m to help fund the project. A year later that money still hasn't been released and the estimated costs have in that time gone up by over a million pounds.
Currently an Outline Business Case for the project is with the Department for Communities who have to approve the OBC before releasing funds. It is hoped that if all goes well, this may happen in the Spring, paving the way for the next stage of the project, procurement of the Design Team. The next concern is the Council's suggested 5 years needed to complete the project from the Design Team Procurement is made, meaning that if this begins in March 2023 the park won't be complete until March 2028 at the earliest.
At the November 2022 SP&R Council meeting an agenda item entitled 'Newry City Park Project - Outline Business Case' held in committee, saw Council agreeing to what on the surface sounds like an 'open cheque' The meeting minutes state "On the proposal of Councillor Byrne, seconded by Councillor Murphy, it was agreed Elected Members approve to underwrite any additional financial cost for the Newry City Park Project over and above the funding currently ringfenced for the project." It sounds wonderful but with so many complex manoeuvres and counter manoeuvres going on, and most of them away from the public gaze, it really means nothing. As we said before Council have claimed the entire project will take over £30m to build. This is at a time when larger parks are being completed elsewhere for less than £6m. Council on the one hand have said the park will be built in phases with the outline business case to draw down the £16.2m funding just for Phase One. On the other hand it seems they have not been looking for funding for any future phases, despite several suitable funds being open which makes it look as if Phase One is all we are going to get.
Progress to date on this project which has the capacity to utterly transform Newry City if done right has been non existant. Every step has seen proverbial 'spanners' thrown in the works ... or rather lack of works. Perhaps 2023 will at last be the year when this project gets going in earnest. As residents of Newry City we are entitled to expect our park to be one of our Council's top priorities. It also must be amongst the best parks in Ireland. Nothing else will do.
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A Happy Saint Brigid's day to you all. Long seen by many as being in second place in the hierarchy of Irish Saints the decision to celebrate her life with a public holiday south of the border will go some way towards increasing knowledge and interest in the Saint, and indeed giving some much needed gender balance. Monday coming 6 February is the first Public Holiday date.
Next year 2024 marks 1500 years from her reputed death in 524. The first of February also traditionally marks the first day of Spring although many prefer to wait a month or so before declaring Winters end.
Historically St Bríd is believed to have been born at Faughart in County Louth around 451 and her final resting place is reputed to be along with St Patrick and St Columba at Downpatrick. She founded the first Irish nunnery in Kildare and was Abbess there till she died.
Like Saint Patrick's Day there is a programme of events around the world celebrating Brigid. Events are being held in Australia, Brussels, Hungary, Germany, Egypt, Finland, Spain and many more destinations.
Closer to home Bluebell Lane Glamping in Mullaghbane is celebrating the Saint on Sunday 5 February with a Winter woodland walk with food, crafts and craic. To book or find out more go to www.eventbrite.ie
Ahead of the various events, the Tánaiste Micheál Martin TD said “This is a very special year as, for the first time, we mark St Brigid’s day and celebrate the achievements of Irish women with a public holiday. Ireland has marked this day internationally for a number of years now. This will be the sixth year that the Department of Foreign Affairs, through its global network of diplomatic missions has organised a global celebration of Lá Fhéile Bríde and of Irish women.
"It is a day on which to reflect on and take pride in in the achievements of Irish women.
"It is also a day on which to re-assert our commitment to and our determination to achieve absolute gender equality across the board, whether in politics, business, sport, or in any other walk of life.
"In sport, in particular, 2023 will be a very special year for Irish women as, for the first time ever, Ireland will participate in a FIFA Women’s World Cup finals, a truly magnificent achievement that is an inspiration for Irish women and girls, on St Brigid’s Day and every other day.”
Ireland.ie will be host to a St Brigid’s Day hub, which will showcase the programme of events taking place internationally. Check out the events at www.ireland.ie
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The Newry to Omeath road must be one of the most dangerous roads to cycle on anywhere. I really do thank God every time I get off this road on to the safety of the Carlingford Lough Greenway at Victoria Lock. It looks like it could be a while though before the greenway links straight to Omeath. Hopefully the stretch to the border from Omeath will be complete by the end of this year. Until planning gets approved though anyone who wants a wee 12km cycle to the lovely village of Omeath will have to run the gauntlet of vehicles not slowing down and being just too close. Today I could easily have kicked one car without hardly taking my foot of the pedal!
Cycling through Newry at rush hour today I saw just two other bicycles ... I wonder why?
Meanwhile south of the border Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan TD announced yesterday that his department was making €290m available for walking and cycling infrastructure. Back up here in the 'wee' north Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd MLA agrees for greater collaboration for active travel and greenway delivery. You can collaborate all you like but if money isn't actually promised nothing will happen.
Back in Newry I would be concerned that proposals to link the Newry Canal Towpath to the Carlingford Lough Greenway through the City on a new path between the Canal and the river might be put in the back of a filing cabinet market 'To Do's'
It's totally unbelievable that here we are 12 years after the Newry City Centre Masterplan proposed 'a comprehensive network of foot and cycle paths.
Newry City Centre Master Plan 2011
"The existence of the Newry Canal and Clanrye River running through the centre of Newry makes it uniquely suited to a comprehensive network of foot and cycle paths. These paths or Greenways present a real opportunity to link the majority of Newry’s neighbourhoods with one another and with the city centre.
"The benefits of such a system would be considerable. It would encourage many more people in the city to walk or cycle to and from the city centre, thereby reducing road congestion, improving air quality and greatly contributing to the health and fitness of the city’s population."
Sure we can only dream!
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When possibly the worlds most powerful leader stands up and mentions your home town in a speech to Dáil Éireann it's quite a feeling.
Unfortunately President Biden didn't make it to Newry this time round but at least we are constantly in his head. I sincerely hope he will be a friend to Newry especially Newry Ship Canal and add his name to the large list of people calling for the waterway to remain navigable, and insist that any bridge put there by the Department For Infrastructure as part of the Southern Relief Road project is an opening one. After all, many of the Irish people who travelled down that canal, changed the course of history not only in America but in many other parts of the world.
In his speech to the Dáil yesterday President Biden referred back to his trip to Carlingford on Wednesday "Yesterday, I returned to County Louth, where I toured Carlingford Castle, likely one of the last glimpses of Ireland my Finnegan ancestors held in their gaze as their ship, in those days often referred to as coffin ships, sailed away from Newry in 1850. I later learned from The Irish Times that my good friend Barack Obama's great-great grandfather was a shoemaker like mine and sailed five weeks earlier from the same port.
"The idea that they both sailed for a new life and thought their great-great grandsons would both be President is really a little bit of Irish malarkey. It is kind of interesting, is it not?"
In a court of law!
The jury is out on whether above is true or not. To date we haven't had conclusive proof as suggested that the ship in question, The Marchioness of Bute sailed instead from Warrenpoint (although it would have been under the auspices of Newry Port) instead an advertisement at the time said in February that "This ship is now at Warrenpoint, and parties intending to Emigrate are requested to Inspect her before engaging their Passage" Whether in March it left from the Point or from Newry is still unproven to us and anyway with Warrenpoint being a Satelite of Newry Port he would still have left from Newry Port.
The other matter of President Obama's Great Great Grandfather also taking a trip up to Newry to leave the country is an interesting one and certainly one we haven't heard before. One to investigate, but sure if President Biden said it ...
President Biden's Great Grandfather James Finnegan aged 7 (or Finigan as mentioned in the ships passenger list www.immigrantships.net) along with his mother Jane (27) and brother's Stephen (5) and Patrick (infant) left the Port of Newry in March 1850 bound for New York on the Marchioness of Bute.
The departure of the 1,500 ton ship was delayed until Monday 11th March 1850 due to "the very severe state of the weather" An advertisement in the Dundalk Democrat said "Her accommodations will be found not to be surpassed by any Emigrant Vessel". It's not known if it actually did depart on the 11th but we do know it arrived in America 15th of May 1850.
Check President Biden's speech at twitter.com
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On a beautiful Sunday such as today one could be forgiven for asking where is everybody in Newry? Apart from those serial shoppers, it appears that everyone else has 'left the building'. Traditionally, especially during the summer months there is an exodus out of the city to far flung parts of Armagh, Down and Louth and even further afield. The Silent Valley, Newcastle, Slieve Gullion, Cranfield, Carlingford, Warrenpoint Gyles Quay and Omeath are just some of the popular destinations. That exodus at least is possible for people who have access to their own transport. For others, Sunday public transport doesn't make it easy to visit places such as Slieve Gullion Forest Park and many no doubt resign themselves to staying at home.
This all leads to a question - Do you stay about Newry on a beautiful summers day and if so what do you do? We're obviously not talking about sitting at home watching the TV. More a question on what is there to do in Newry on a Sunday and how do you occupy yourself and your family, especially if you don't have access to transport. Taking this a step further what would you like to see in Newry that would not only be perfect for local people but would also attract others to here.
We do not want this to be a negative post, rather stimulate debate on what we already have and what is possible for us to have in the near future. Would love to hear your comments either here or by email to news@newry.ie
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Opinion
Newry has an issue that prevents the city from reaching its full potential. What it is? - I don't know, but there is definitely some block there that needs to be moved on and now is the time.
Yes Newry has been pretty good at reinventing itself over the years. The Cistercians moved to Newry in 1157 creating a Abbey that had a massive impact on the area. Moving the clock forward to the 1700/ 1800's Newry became a merchant city of some wealth thanks to the influence of Newry Canal.
Newry is a City, oh yes it is. Anyone who repeats the oft stated 'Newry will always be a town' is guilty of doing themselves and us all a disservice! What was ever achieved by thinking small? In recent years Derry has reinvented itself. Known as 'The Walled City' it's now a hip and trendy place to visit with a signature Halloween Festival and of course home to Derry Girls. Newry must do the same.
Newry achieved its City status over 21 years ago, back in March 2002 and a decade ago the 'Newry Think Big' campaign was in full swing, but in the intervening years the city seems to have lost its way and not capitalised on its own marketing beliefs. Little appears to have happened to significantly make Newry a better place to work and live in.The arrival of a more diverse population with people making their homes in Newry from many parts of Europe and beyond is probably the thing that has the most positive impact on our city. Yes local business people have succeeded in bringing substantial employment and world beating businesses we can be proud of, to the city but what investment came from outside? Infrastructure wise in a full 20 years I can only think of the renovated Newry Train Station, new leisure centre, the Merchant's Quay walkway and the Carlingford Lough Greenway as projects that have improved our city.
Newry Chamber CEO Tony McKeown reminded us a while back of a video doing the rounds on social media from Black Paddy on his visit to Newry. On the video people said roughly one of two things when asked what's so special about Newry. Two answers were given 'It's the crack' or 'Newry's Sh**e' On the one hand those questioned saw the friendliness of us lot and the crack we love to have as a great positive while on the other hand some couldn't put forward anything positive. It's often said that the people who can't find anything good to say about something are the very people who don't do anything about their perceived gripes.
Newry's newly updated Culture, Arts and Heritage Strategy 2022-2027 states as an outcome "In 2027 Newry, Mourne and Down has a rich cultural life that is celebrated and protected for future generations. Our culture, arts and heritage creates economic impact in our urban centres and brings benefits to all our rural communities across the district." Lets hope our new arts facility and park are in place in 2027 and perhaps this will go some way in revitalising our stagnant city.
Yes the secret of Newry's future is to capitalise on its past. Masterplan after Masterplan has told us this yet nothing has been done. Newry Canal, Newry Canal, Newry Canal - It's still there to be developed. Lets hope that too is sooner rather than later and that instead of blocking off our most valuable resource to the world we will open it up to the world.
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