WHILE Newry�s Derrybeg estate can claim to have had the first Community Association in this area, its neighbours, the Meadow and Armagh Road, could boast of having secured the only complex of business units and Community Centre in this region, - maybe even in the North!

Praise for the important role played by key personnel was paid by Pat McElroy, then chairman of Newry and Mourne district council, and former resident of the Meadow estate. He singled out the chairman of the local Community Association, Peter Jackson; his son Brendan, now manager of Newry Credit Union; and Tom Kelly of City Centre Management and the Armagh Road Community Association, as well as ex-president of Newry Credit Union.

Back in 1979, the Meadow and Armagh Road Community Association had been formed, initially to combat vandalism. But a major setback came when the first community centre was burned down. It �dealt a devastating blow, because of all the hard work. A terrible apathy prevailed.�

But Chairman Peter Jackson recalled how, �so determined were we to remain a community group, in spite of adversity, that we approached the Newry and Mourne Council with a request to have the centre re-built. A promise was made to provide a custom-built centre, similar to those at Bessbrook and Forkhill.

�We became aware that the Confederation of Community Groups were interested in community economic development, consulting with associations at High Street, Drumalane and Barcroft. We tested the reaction in our estates, canvassing 600 houses.

The response was very positive, with requests for various services, including a shop, small businesses, Post Office, clinic, etc. �Also, we realised that the economic aspect of our community was almost as important as the social aspect, - to regenerate the local economy would be of great benefit. The Community Association became vibrant, representing the residents on housing, health and welfare. We organised lunch clubs for senior citizens, play-groups for pre-school children; parties for OAP�s and young people, bingo sessions, sports, and dances for the middle-aged,� Mr Jackson reported.

Meanwhile, the Confederation received funding from the International Fund for Ireland, via Area Manager Joe McNulty, in order to set up structures for community groups, interested in the project. The Meadow and Armagh Road Association was the only one to seek help and advice.

Newry and Mourne district council, under chairman Pat McElroy, decided to support the venture, with the DOE and the International Fund for Ireland also coming on board. Terms of funding, involving �290,000 for the business units, were accepted by the Community Association. The Council agreed a joint venture, encompassing the business units and community centre.

The waste-ground of the former railway property, between the Meadow and the Armagh Road, was found to be ideal, since it was owned by the council, who leased it at a nominal fee for a period of 99 years. Given the option of choosing a name, the Association chose Whitegates, because of the railway connection. The original Whitegates Business Park included supermarket, food-bar, hairdresser, laundry, video shop and after-hours child-care provision.

Those who deserve credit for this unique experiment in community enterprise were: - chairman, Peter Jackson; vice-chairman: Niall Quinn; secretary: Kevin Quinn; asst sec: Kieran Shields: treasurer: John Dunlap and asst. treas: Pat Courtney.

And the committee consisted of Marie Rice, Bernadette Healy, Dominic Spencer, Tony Hanna, Lilian Fallon, Joanne Fearon, Deirdre Walls, Thomas Feenan, Margaret Coyle, Patricia Feenan, Sean McAleenan and Brendan Cranney. Also there was the financial and administrative assistance of Mark Crimmins, Brendan Jackson, Liam Quinn and Tom Kelly, as well as John Duffy and Lou Morgan of the Derrybeg Community Association.

Multi-millionaire Irish-American, Dan Rooney, whose family owned the land on which the Meadow estate was built, became involved when business leaders from the Newry area went to Pittsburg in 1996. They met Mr Rooney, vice-chairman of the American Fund for Ireland. The result was the Newry Pittsburg-Partnership; success of Enterprise Newry; and the prestigious Rooney Scholarship, which has given local students the opportunity for study in the USA, and brought the philanthropist back to his roots for the past 13 years.

Playing host as chairman of Newry and Mourne council had been Pat McElroy, a former Meadow resident. He recalled showing Dan Rooney�s brother around the Meadow estate, which his family had once farmed. Pat also introduced him to Felix McParland, son of a Donaghmore builder, who had been a friend of his Irish-American guest�s father. Felix related many stories, which his father had told him about the Rooneys, - �the craic was mighty.�

The council chairman also brought the visitor to the Armagh Road home of his sister, Mrs Carmel Smith, who had baked soda farl and apple tart on a griddle, which fascinated the American. He was also shown the Whitegates complex, where trains had once transported workers to Bessbrook Mill.

Pat, whose three uncles were butchers, had lived at Derrybeg Drive, until his marriage to Bridie Jennings, a cousin of `big Pat,` after which they moved to Cronin Park. Neighbours at the Meadow had included Fr Dan McCaul, Cllr Gerry Hand, bookmaker father of Ignatius, Rory and Rowan Hand; Mrs Truesdale, John Fearon and Geordie McCrum.

During his varied career, the amiable but dedicated public representative has been a milkman, barman, student priest, seaman, bus-driver, factory-worker, boxer, civil rights activist, internee, Hibernian, GAA and soccer player and manager.

Official meetings with President Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, `Mo` Mowlam and the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahearn, were a far cry from that grim period of internment. Arrested and hooded, he was dropped from a helicopter, deprived of food and sleep, then lodged in Long Kesh, along with Gerry Adams and Martin Meehan. Eventually he was released, due to the intercession of Fr Davies and Jack Macken, Warden of the St John Bosco Youth Club, where Pat had played an active role.

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