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The inclusion of our story in the Inverbrena Journal guarantees that we will be remembered. Many thanks to all who have contributed.
Outings Strangford W.I. 1983 – 2002 by Phyl Johnston
Our very first outing was in Shannie’s bus to see a play at the Lyric in Belfast and on the way home, on a very cold, clear night, the bus broke down about a mile out of Strangford. How were we to get help? We were stranded quite near Sally and Joe Maguire’s home by the little lake near Bannaghan Road, so Sally and I got off the bus and began to walk in our high heels along the slippery, ice covered road towards her house. The cold grabbed us and we walked carefully along. I remember the bare, dark trees against the night sky. The road was deserted – twenty years ago there was far less traffic than there is today.
Howth 1994 Sally’s house was warm and inviting and we phoned some of the husbands. Soon Leslie McCullough, Brian Denvir and Alan Johnston arrived in their cars and began to ferry the twenty or so ladies home. One of our earliest all day outings, maybe summer 1984,I remember sitting at the back of the bus talking to Brenda Croke. She was born and bred in and near Strangford while I was a newcomer. She told me the names of different parts of the road into Downpatrick – Quarry Hill, the Doctor’s Hill, Buck’s Hill etc. etc. I wish I could recall more of them!
June 1994 We left Strangford in a McDermott bus from Portaferry with a new young driver 19