Another newsman was Rowan Hand, Lecturer in Media Studies at Newry College of Further Education, and long-time Chairman of the Newry Canal Preservation Society.

From being a reporter with a local newspapaper, he became presenter of award-winning RTE programmes, and finally Editor of News and Current Affairs at Radio Ulster.

�Ownie McKevitt, who lived next-door, was a gentle giant, with a kindly little wife. We were always talking over the dividing wall.�

When the his family moved to the other end of the street, Rowan found the same neighbourliness with Jimmy McKenna, his wife and sons, Francie, Hugh, the future Father Gerard and Brother, as well as sister, Patsy, who would marry Cathedral organist, Auguste Toremans, and Mary, Mrs Pat Sheridan.

Francie is a Laboratory Technician in Belfast, while Hugh was a reporter for a short period; was then employed at �Happy Des� O�Hagan�s premises in Mullabawn, later operating an Off-licence in Monaghan Street. He was also Secretary of the John Mitchel Branch of the INF.

�A disaster area,� was how Rowan Hand described the present state of Mary Street, saying:�It�s a terrible shame; - the original houses could have been refurbished, and made available for young families.�

Another ex-pat, who has fond memories of his youth there, is Felix McNally, who spoke of the �great community spirit; everybody helped each other out.� He believes that the British Labour Government, in providing Scholarships for secondary education, and later University grants, �enabled the second generation in Mary Street and elsewhere, to get a leg up to a better life.�

Mothers had a tough time in the �Good Old Days,� scrubbing floors on their knees, hand-washing all the clothes, squeezing with a mangle, - no clothes-dryers! Two bedrooms for a family of two adults, two sons and three daughters; an outside toilet; no hot-water or radiators; cooking in a little �scullery.�

Despite such basic facilities, which were the same for every family in the street, Felix became a chemist, his brother, Brendan is a surveyor in Dublin; sister Kathleen, a violinist, is the wife of former Council Engineer, Billy Ellison; Blinnia is married to architect, Paddy McClean, while Agnes (RIP) was the wife of newsagent, Joe McDonald.

The McNallys also shared with the Boyles the fact that the front room was converted to a shop, the former selling milk and bead, while the latter was green-grocery.

Michael Boyle, who also sold herrings in the Market, had five sons and a daughter, - Fabian, Tony, who is now employed at Norbrook Laboratories; Kevin is with an Oil company in Glasgow, while Oliver and Larry have been prominent in soccer circles. A sister, Madge is Mrs Harry Stokes.

The McGuigans, - Peter, Michael and Jimmy along with Philomena and Kathleen, - were among the oldest families in Mary Street. And there are only two still resident there since the 5O�s, Mrs Kane, - mother of Pat and Eileen; and Edmund O�Hare, whose sister, Rosie, is married to golf professional, Don Patterson, while May was Mrs Pat O�Callaghan, along with brother, Peter.

Maybe the regenerated Market, and the splendid new Boyds Store, together with the refurbishment of some buildings, will provide a new image for a street, which has been going downhill for many years. But it can never recapture the homely atmosphere of those far-off days, when it was a real community!

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