Is anyone informed upon how the renovations in the Castle Gardens are progressing? I remember as a boy more than 55 years ago going there on Easter Monday with my Aunt Nellie to roll our egg down the little slope where the Cannon gun stands. The place was packed with familes. If you were lucky you got 3d to buy an ice cream cone ( poke ) at Just,s I think .
Donald

Hi Donald,
I remember doing the same thing at Easter some 40years ago. I wonder if children today roll their eggs?

Thelma

I also remember going every Easter Monday to the Castle Gardnens with my sister and parents,to "trunnel" our eggs we took along sandwiches,buns and bottles of lemonade it was so much fun,no matter what the weather was like rain or sunshine it didnt matter and in those days we walked everywhere as not too many people had cars .Great memories.Sally.

We also were at the Castle Gardens 55 years ago. All the family would go and do the same as everyone else.
It was wonderful and wonderful memories. We would go with Aunt Nellie and Aunt Madge (Fraser Wilson's family)Here in Saskatoon, we can have the possibility of snow - we really can't depend on the weather. However, I usually have an Easter Egg hunt for the grandchildren in the park. They love doing it so I will do it again this year. They also have the Easter Bunny here but I don't participate as this was something I really don't believe in.

Later we went at Easter to the Braniel, and / or the "Glens ", at Hillhall, turning right at the Braniel Hall or the next turn right where Lady Stanis I think had her mansion. There was a fast running stream, we lit fires, made tea, boiled eggs, smoked Woodbine and were chased by the owner, a farmer, ( Kirkwood? ). A paradise for us boys.
Donald

Yes, there were many of us exiles there 55 years ago, I certainly was with all the cousins aunts uncles, etc.

Well, we were in Lisburn last Monday, and inspected the works at the Castle Gardens (only on the outside, peering through the fence). About a third of the length is now fenced with see through wire, which enable you to see the work. There was a lot of work going on around the wasr memorial. It was stripped of the angel at the top, and the black tables of war heros. And all around it was being paved.

One day as a child I passed by and saw my dad building the toilets that stood at the far right entrance. They are now pulled down and new posh ones take their place. I could see also the castle wall was repaired and built up, and the grounds were dug up with the excavations. Altogether things looked as if work was well established, and looking good, still very much the Castle Gardens as we knew it.

No Easter eggs will be trundled there this year though.

Have a happy holiday

Liz

i was in castle gardens with everyone else rolling the eggs
with all the letters do you ever wonder how we all fitted in? all beside the cannon as well?

Nice one Tom! I only remember my own family by the cannon. I have a faint recollection of plenty of others around, but couldn't name one.
But the associated emotions are enough to have me looking in here, sixty and more years on, to catch a fleeting memory.
Did you guys really chuck your eggs down that wee hill as I did, some around the same time, some ten, twenty years later?
I like to believe so.
Joe