MOST of the people, who now live in Mayobridge, are strangers, according to local emigrant and former football star, Gerry Butterfield.

Resident in Cleveland, Ohio, for the past 45 years, but a frequent visitor to the scenes of his youth, Gerry said: �With all the new houses, people don�t know who lives in the area any more. When I left the �Bridge in the 50�s, there was nobody I did not know.�

�But when I played for the county side in the 50�s, we seldom got past the first round of the Ulster Championship. And, anyway, there were no job prospects at the time,� he added.

Another emigrant, who has lived in England for many years, Kathleen Barry, is not impressed by all the changes, since her youth at the �Bridge.

�While I thank God for the modern homes, electric cookers, fridges, television and cars to visit family and friends, deep down all this never can bring the same joy and simple pleasures we enjoyed, long ago, in the countryside around Mayobridge.�

One popular personality, who also played for Down in the 50�s, but did not emigrate, is Tommy McGivern, retired tyre salesman, who now lives in Warrenpoint.

An only child, raised on a small farm At Aughnagun, this likeable goalie has been official chauffeur to the Mourne squad for the past two decades, participating in the years of glory during the 90�s.

Moving house to the `Point in 1957, he dropped out of football during that crucial year, when the Down team management was assembling the squad, which would go on to make history in 1960. Otherwise, Tommy could have been one of the �immortals.�

Having played for Mayobridge, Saval and Warrenpoint, he was recruited by Newry-born coach, John Fearon, for the Portadown soccer side. However, in a game against Linfield at Windsor Park, Tommy grabbed the ball in the square and, forgetting himself, went on a solo run, hand-to-hand, being hauled back by the referee, who almost had a heart attack!

In his younger days, when not playing football, young McGivern would cycle to dances, up to 15 miles distant, along with Hugh O�Hare, Felix Poland, Patsy Magee, Mark McClorey and Patsy O�Hare.

A 30-mile round trip on a bike, a hectic night�s dancing, and maybe give a girl a lift home on the cross-bar, was not the best preparation for work, early next morning.

Tommy�s first employment was as an apprentice mechanic at Charlie Carr�s garage in the locality. Then he became a salesman for Clanrye Mineral Water Company; worked at Metal Fabrications factory in Newry, and then became a salesman at Modern Tyres in Monaghan Street.

Finally, Tommy McGivern established his own wholesale tyre business, covering the whole of Ireland. And he admits that football has been a great help in relationships with customers.

The �good old days� around the `Bridge of Mayo were also recalled by Kathleen Barry, especially at Christmas, when neighbours would meet for the long walk to Mass.

That night, her father would get out the accordion to play some jigs and reels, while the children would get up and dance. Later, they would sit around the fire, eating hazel nuts and playing card-games.

The emigrant described how her grandmother had taken ill and died, being garbed in the brown habit of the Third Order of St Francis. Then a van had arrived, laden with supplies for sandwiches, barrels of porter and the �hard-stuff� for the men-folk, port wine for the ladies and minerals for the Pioneers.

She wrote: �As the drink began to take effect, the craic would warm up in the kitchen. People would comment on how well the corpse was looking, - much better than when she was alive! Those invited to sit down for a meal would watch to see what moves their betters made with the knives and forks.

�The men would come in for a while, and then go back out to the shed, where the craic was mighty, and the porter flowing like water. If it was not such a sad occasion, a wake was a great get-together for all the family and friends.�

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