No doubt, Martin�s expertise and equipment would have been invaluable after the horrific plane-crash, in which 44 people were killed and 74 injured, as a Boeing 757 was landing at East Midlands Airport in 1989. Mrs Rita McGrath and her sister, Mrs Loretta McStay from Newry were seriously injured, as was Adele O�Grady from Camlough, while Mrs Gynette McConville of Rathfriland lost her life. Newry student, Des McDonnell escaped without injury.

Mrs McGrath, - a relation of the late Cllr Tommy McGrath, - resided a stone�s throw from the Whitegates complex at the Meadow estate, and Mrs McStay from Mountain View Drive, suffered multiple injuries, the latter being trapped in the aircraft for four hours, being linked to a ventilator. She had to undergo an 8-hour operation on two broken arms and legs, and had been conscious during the crash, as well as the journey to hospital in Leicester.

Mrs McStay, a nurse at the Newry hospital, and widow of the late Sean McStay, had been returning from a visit to her Sean (junior), who lived in London. Another son, Damien, had been waiting at Aldergrove Airport to take his mother and aunt back home.

Meanwhile, Desmond McDonald, who resided at Sean O�Neill Park in Newry, was one of the luckiest survivors, escaping with some bruises. He had been visiting his grandfather, and was returning to work when the crash occurred. Sitting beside a girl from Lisburn, he was able to pull her through a hole in the fuselage. A passing motorist had stopped, rendered First Aid, and brought her to hospital. The Newry student was accommodated in a local hotel.

Joe and Winifred McDonnell had been waiting at Aldergrove Airport, anticipating their son�s arrival, unaware of the disaster. His sisters, Geraldine and Oonagh, had travelled to England in order to visit him. Initially the parents were told that the aircraft had come down, and there had been a few injuries. Then they were informed that five passengers had died. Finally, a telephone call came from their daughter, Maureen, back in Newry, with the information that a Methodist minister had phoned from Leicester, stating that Desmond was safe.

Adele O�Grady from Sturgan Road in Camlough was a third-year law student at Queen�s University, and had been visiting her sister, Yvonne. She received a bruised pelvis, cracked ribs, severely cut arms and bruises to the face. Former Head Girl at the Sacred Heart Grammar School in Newry, she had been seated in the tail section and was suspended upside down by the seatbelt for hours, before being released. The only fatality from the Newry region was Mrs Gwynette McConville, a mother of two from Rathfriland, who was killed in the crash.

The pastime of one person from the Meadow, Seamus McGuigan, has been to inflict cuts and bruises, or to judge the merits of those who administer such punishment. Involved in boxing with the St John Bosco Club, and later the Plough Club, he is now a respected judge. In fact, he was at the ringside when Wayne McCullough fought for his title in the Ulster Hall, Belfast.

The McGuigan family has been a prominent feature of Meadow life for generations. In fact, Seamus� father, Felix, who hailed from Damolly, and his wife moved into their new home at Derrybeg Drive, just after their wedding in Newry Cathedral. They were married on the same day as Max Keogh, later council chairman and MP for South Down, who would be near-neighbours.

Others in the McGuigan family are Phelim and Brendan, both teachers; Clodagh, on the staff of Newry Credit Union; and Gervase, who has been District Manager of the Housing Executive. Seamus is a civil servant. His uncle, the late John McCoy, was a founder member of Newry Credit Union.

Seamus� father, the late Felix McGuigan, a prominent supporter of Newry Town FC, was initially employed with the Toase company in Newry. Later he joined the milk-producing Magee family firm at Carnmeen, of which the former Papal Private Secretary, Monsignor, now Bishop John Magee is a member.

As a boy, young Seamus would play at the nearby Retarding Dam with Kevin Boyle, who died recently; Eric McAllister, John McCullagh (now of internet fame); Noel McConville and Eddie Gray. He was also an altar-boy at the Nissen Hut, - which preceded St Brigid�s Church, - along with Paul Ward, Gerald Chambers, and Brian McAlinden.

Neighbours included Geordie McCrum, Peter Keeley, employed in the Gas-works, and later a painter; Anthony McGuinness and Louis Grant, the Coffey, Hand, Linden, Reilly and McElroy families; Fr Oliver Mooney�s father, who drove a Post Office van; RUC Sergeant Dick Bradley and Kevin Boyle.

Joining the St John Bosco Club�s boxing section, Seamus was involved with champions like Adrian O�Neill, `Nailer` O�Neill, Frankie Carragher, Eamonn Treanor, Pat Hughes and Tommy Lucas. He possesses a `Best Boxing Club` plaque, awarded by the Northern Ireland Federation of Youth Clubs. Later he joined the Plough Club, with Peter Shields as chairman and Seamus as Secretary.

Most memorable occasion at the Bosco Club was the period when European champion, Freddie Gilroy, came to the Erskine Street premises, in order to prepare for a title fight at the Albert Hall in London. Seamus recalled that two of the Bosco boys would stand and punch the champion in the chest. It was �part of the training, and the boys got a great thrill out of it.�

Boxing is still important in the life of Seamus McGuigan, who spent some time in Birmingham, before returning home and gaining a post with the Civil Service. He can be seen at the ringside for boxing tournaments all over the region. Meanwhile his mother, Mrs Rosaleen McGuigan, still hale and hearty, must qualify as one of the Meadow�s oldest and most esteemed residents.

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