THE TOWER BAR HERE I COME – HOPEFULLY SOON.
A lot of people are hoping to turn towards 41 Church Street in Ballymoney. Their feet are just waiting for the doors of the Tower Bar to be flung open and to see the welcoming smile of Daniel Gillan. This isn’t an ordinary pub, it’s the oldest building around dating back to 1565. Four generations of the Gillan family have been pulling pints right back to the day it was known as Tha Tap Hoose (the Top House to non Ulster Scots speakers). Daniel is the grandson of the original Daniel Gillan who purchased the licence in 1914 and he runs it as the rest of his family have done, top quality liquid refreshments, craic, tall takes and according to an inside source, the best draught beer in the Universe. Be it a singsong at the open fire, an acoustic session or sitting amongst the flowers in the beer garden, there is always something going on to ‘Riss up’ the spirits. Good fortune Daniel, may your months of waiting and worrying soon be over and like all those in the hospitality industry, get back to doing what you do best – serving the public with a smile and a jar. I look forward to visiting!
ALERT: Puffins in peril as new report shows a quarter of birds across the island of Ireland are now Red-listed
Thursday 15 April 2021
– New Birds of Conservation Concern in Ireland (BoCCI) paper shows that curlews and corncrakes are now at risk of extinction in Ireland – Puffins, kittiwakes and razorbills are now on the Red list, along with kestrels and swifts
I will never forget the day the late John Lavery took me across the bay to the 600 metre high cliffs of Slieve League to see the puffins. I couldn’t believe my eyes, much smaller than I thought, full of character and dressed for the circus ring – clowns of God. I was so overcome with excitement I cried. Thank you John for that one and only glimpse of these delightful creatures. Growing up along the Loughside near Whiteabbey I had the joy of meeting all the seabirds of Co. Antrim. I loved the cry of the Kittywake and the gulls mournful uttering, I imagined they were the plaintive voice of drowned fishermen. If the swallows arrived on 22nd April, my uncle’s birthday, we had a party and still to this day the heron is my omen for good fortune and happiness.
He flew over the garden, sometimes with a mate, on a regular basis but not for the last year nor have I seen the two jays for months. But there is still joy, two buzzards circling in a clear blue sky last Wednesday, a magpie and a crow having a vicious argument, not sure who won as they both flew off in a temper. However, just at the moment there is genuine concern about the decline in the bird population as a recent survey proves.
Puffins, swifts and kestrels are among 23 birds that have been moved on to the Red list – relating to species of highest conservation concern – across the island of Ireland, according to a new study.
The ‘Birds of Conservation Concern in Ireland (BoCCI) 2020-2026’ review is jointly compiled by RSPB NI and BirdWatch Ireland.
This review uses a ‘traffic light’ system to indicate the conservation status of bird species by placing them on three lists – Red (high conservation concern), Amber (medium conservation concern) or Green (low conservation concern).
The study’s stark findings show that a quarter of bird species on the island are now Red-listed.
Of the 211 species studied, BoCCI has placed 54 (25.6%) on the Red list – more birds than ever before – 79 (37.4%) on the Amber list and 78 (37%) on the Green list).
There has been a further catastrophic decline in wading birds, with six more species (including snipe) joining the Red list. Lapwings are another wading bird that has suffered declines. Read more here: http://bit.ly/BOCCInews
Houston Marshall obviously read the report. This is his reply: It’s sad news but when you read the report its also great news that there are birds moving the other way in the lists and going upwards in the catagories. Who would have thought that woodpeckers would be on the increase in Ireland ? and Hooray for the humble Robin! However I think the robin story highlights we should be doing reports more often and maybe catch the problems earlier on The previous report was 2013 !!
EIGHTY YEARS AGO
Thursday of last week might have passed over as any other recent Thursday, concern about Covid, worry about finances, missing beloved members of the family who have passed on. There was some talk of the Belfast Blitz as it’s the 80th anniversary of the night 180 German bombers took off from from northern France and at 10.40 p.m. flew low over Belfast raining down their lethal load of bombs and landmines ripping it apart, especially the Antrim Road, New Lodge and lower Shankill. On that Easter Tuesday night the thought was they mistook the Water Works for Belfast harbour.
A number of years ago I talked to people who remembered that awful night and their stories were horrifying.
John Campbell was five that Easter of 1941, his father was on fire watching duties. When the alarm was raised, instead of going into the shelter outside their home, his mother took the family round to his granny in the next street. “The shelter outside our house suffered a direct hit and everyone was killed.” He painted a vivid picture. “I remember seeing a man wearing a shirt with no collar, a cigarette sticking out of his face, throwing what I thought were rags into the corner but it was bits of bodies.”
In the Oldpark there was a direct hit on a street where a wake was happening in one house, the coffin and the corpse were found the next day further up the road in the school grounds. To the north of the city, destruction was dreadful and many lives were lost; in the eery stillness next morning people walking over the rubble could hear the clocks chime the hour below their feet. There was a report of an Alsatian dog running away with a dead baby in its mouth, thankfully rescued and left with the soldiers with a note, ‘body found on York Street’.
Gerry Hobbs told me he was a member of St. Gall’s Boys School choir who were guest artists that night in the Ulster Hall. He remembers they had just performed and were mixing with the audience, almost 1200 eager people all waiting for the great lady to appear little realising she would be instrumental in saving their lives within a couple of hours.
The Horror Unfolds
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‘It was then that we heard the shocking announcement that Belfast was being hit by an air raid and it was advisable not to leave the hall. Everyone was so nervous and uncertain as just what to do.”
The build up to the Céilí Mór was massive, posters everywhere especially around West Belfast – The Johnston School of Irish Dancing, David Curry’s Irish Rhythms Orchestra and Delia Murphy, Ireland’s Queen of Song. St. Malachy’s GAA club had booked the hall but there was unease in the city and sure enough shortly before Delia Murphy stepped on stage the drone of German bombers was heard advancing on the city.
Two young Belfast men, Leo Wilson from Andersonstown and his mate Harry Kavanagh arrived just before 8 o’clock, “We took to the floor every time a dance was called as we waited for Deila. We became friendly with a man who was a fire watcher and it was the first time he’d seen Irish dancing. About 10.15 Delia appeared to a great roar of applause and for the next 30 minutes or so she sang some of her best know songs.”
I sat with Leo in his home in Andersonstown and even at 90 he lived the memory.
“Suddenly we heard a lot of noise coming from the main entrance so Harry and I went to see what was happening. An air raid warden made straight for the stage and when the crowd calmed down he told us that German planes had been bombing the shipyard and the aircraft factory.
“He told us that no one would be allowed to leave except members of the ARP (Air Raid Precaution), nurses, First Aid workers or trained medical personnel.”
On stage Delia Murphy called to everyone to be calm and she began to sing. Ballad after balled filled the air and when she stopped she told the band to strike up and the dancers to take the floor.
“The Fire Watcher asked if we wanted to view the city from the roof top, of course we accepted. The scene was one of absolute horror, the entire city seemed to be in flames. We could see German planes as they swooped down, we watched as buildings burst and debris was sent skywards.”
The friends turned to the West where they lived.
“Our first view was of the Twin Spires of St. Peter’s, they were outlined against a background of flames and smoke. Unfortunately an air raid shelter in Percy Street got a direct hit, 30 people died. In Cavendish Street six houses were destroyed. We told no one of what we’d seen, it would have caused a panic.’
Meanwhile Delia Kept Singing
“Then David Curry would strike up the orchestra fully aware that the music and dancing and Delia’s singing would help to keep the sound of the planes overhead blocked out. The old motto, the show must go on was never better upheld than it was by Delia Murphy on Easter Tuesday night April 15/16 1941.”
Gerry Hobbs also recalls Delia Murphy taking over.
‘She entertained the crowd for hours, The Spinning Wheel, If I Were a Blackbird, The Star of the County Down, all the popular songs of the day as bombs and incendiaries fell for four long hours,”
The people were united in grief, bodies were buried in Milltown Cemetery and the City Cemetery, no one knew their denomination, it had to be done. Fire brigades came from the Republic to help fight the raging flames and, like Deila, that gesture was never forgotten after a Thursday night and Friday morning when almost 1000 people were killed, 1500 injured and 100.000 left homeless. 80 years ago this week.
TEARS AND BROTHERLY LOVE
The Funeral of Prince Philip yesterday was masterly. The organisation that went into the day was incredible. Undoubtedly plans had been laid a long time ago even with the restrictions but to mount it in such a short time really was some feat. It was a spectacle which will go down in history and the sight of the little queen bent over in grief was terrible, so much alone, head bowed, mask on, immersed in sorrow.
But I only felt tears prickle when I saw William, Kate and Harry walk away together, talking. I hope so much that they will heal the rift, I can’t bear the thought of brothers who loved each other so much, depended on each other so much and have so much trauma to share won’t be able to draw comfort and joy from each other any more. They are birds of a feather and hopefully they’ll soon share the same nest at least by zoom!