Fare thee well Lisburn


Fare thee well Lisburn, for I’m laving you,
I’m aff in the morn till try pastures new.
I’m sorry till lave ye, but then sure I must,
for I have been bitten by the wander lust
You have seen many of us depart in the past,
I’m not the first and I won’t be the last.
I, ll think aff ye often, my heart will be sore
When I’m over the scheugh on England’s fair shore,
or read on old Liberty “ Send me your poor “
You’ll be in my heart, I know that for sure


Memories of Hilden will stay in my mind,
when I,m old and feeble, deaf, bald and blind
I,ll hear the mill horn, the tramping of feet,
the knockers up wakening the workers from sleep.
The smell of the flax, the noise of the mill.
Sounds from the wee park, and the EMB still,
do live in my dreams and I hope that they will
as long as I live follow me still.

Donald Watters born 01 June 1944, Lock View Lisnatrunk

And did you end up in England?

I drove to the Marina, filled up with petrol, parked, and strolled round the shops with my wife. Two pairs of shoes and a clothesline later, we had lunch in a Harvester establishment. Not comparable with other purveyors of culinary delights that we have enjoyed in the vicinity, but fine for a couple of pensioners out for a stroll. We then did our weekly grocery shopping.
A trip with neighbours to one of the Festival activities is planned for the week ahead. The FA Cup Final, even without Arsenal, is a TV treat to anticipate. Life is good.
So, when I mope on here about ‘the old days’, I am well aware that I am making a ‘virtual’ search for the best of irretrievable youth and childhood.
Ted, Tommy, Donald, Billy, all of you make me smile over real people that I knew, and many others writing here remind me of various aspects of times long ago that satisfy a need in me.
My old neighbour, ninety-one in June, is little interested in anything. He tells me that he is ‘ready to go’.
He used to talk about his travels and experience as a top Communications engineer – he was called back urgently from America to prepare the Television setup for Princess Margaret’s wedding – but can no longer be bothered.
I am trying to put off as long as possible that apathy.

Dabbler
Yes, two short stop overs in Stanstead, a week in London, another in Liverpool if you can call that a stay in England.
Donald

Donald and Dabbler

Your know the song "I left my heart in San Francisco". Well I visited there a while back, but didn't leave my heart. And that's what is wrong with yis, sure a wee bit of your hearts are still where you walked the streets of Lisburn and Hilden. That's why you go all mushy and write poetry now and again and make yerselves cry. But sure we all love it, incomplete exiles that we are.

Liz

Donald, Keep your memories of the Wee Park in Hilden, as I do, because it ain't there no more. Not as we knew it anyway, with Jimmy Hughes bringing out the big rocking horse, the "burlies", and the aerial ride with a teacher to catch you at the end of it. Lots of other things too, including the sand pit. Anyway, the people who escaped "bad" areas during the Troubles settled in Hilden and wrecked our wee park; they hadn't had the joys in it we had. I'm glad to hear you're not bald, deaf or the other things. I myself am a bit deaf, handy when you don't want to answer the phone. Being a member of The Sunday Times Wine Club, my husband and I also enjoy wine (too much I'm afraid sometimes) but a litre! God, I'd be sick for a week, well may a day or two.

Donald,
Not sure if we all remember the same 'wee park'. Mine was down the back lane past Nicholsons, turn right, cross the bridge, and through the green gate on your right, almost opposite Canal Street. Straight away you could see the big hut up there on the left, past the smooth green grass. Walk along the pathway and there, just down to the right of the hut was the slide. We used to put candle grease on it to move even faster - though nothing worked on a damp day. Turning right before going to the slide, down steps or a slope to a covered seating area. Somebody mentioned toilets - I can't remember them. Russell Bell would remember, and Sonja Gorman. Looking across from the covered bench was a wooden rocking horse with metal handgrips, and down the slope from there were the prisers, the swings, the 'bus' , the 'umbrella', and, on the other side of the sandpit, near the green metal rails that bordered the Lagan, the 'spider'. As Dean sang, Memories Are Made Of This.
Joe

And now for something completely different:

You may have been rich, or you may have been poor,
Had toys aplenty, or few,
You may have been faithful, loved twenty or more,
And committed some sins, one or two.
Just bear in mind, you can’t change the past,
Be happy, or regret, but move on
Your lifetime is short; your chances fade fast
So grab them, before they are gone.

Dabbler, Sonja Gorman went to school with me. She married Fraser Wilson. Fraser Wilson's mother worked in the Examining Dept in Hilden when I was in the office. By, the way, does anyone remember wee Ann Heasley (as was). She works in Tescos part time and I was telling her about the Lisburn Exiles. She says if anyone remembers her, pass it on to me, and next week, when I am spending what money we have while the goings good, I'll pass the messages on.

Dabbler, although I was only 3 or 4 years old I remember the wee park as you describe it and I used to go with my two older sisters. If I got hit up the mouth with those big wooden swings once I must have got hit twenty times. I never learnt, I always walked in front of somebody swinging and BOOF - hit up the gub again. No 'elf & safety' watchdogs then! I also remember a wee paddling pool near the sand pit - although I don't think it was full of water very often ...

Ann,
Would that be a Victory Street Heasley. There were two or three others.
If it was, no, I don't remember her.
Then it should be known that I do not remember a lot.



Signed,
RLR

Ronnie, the Ann Heasley who works in Tesco's was from Tonagh Her sisters are Elizabeth and Margaret. There were boys as well but I don't know them(they were
younger) Ann's married name is Smyth.
Ann, who shops in Tesco's do you live off Benson St ?

Ann,
Ask Ann Heasley if she has a brother called David, and if she is a cousin of Maureen Paterson from the county down? (who used to chat on the exiles site) If so I remember them well.
Sonja Wilson is in Lisburn at the moment, Fraser and I enjoyed a little afternoon refreshment yesterday.
Terry

A girl called Heasley worked in the office in Hilden mill almost 50 years ago. Could that be her ?
Dabbler the wee park I talk about was in Hilden but when visiting my Uncle Bobby Mateer over the Co Down I also played in the Co Down wee park. I remember the things you mention and the paddling pool, was it filled from the Lagan?

Margaret, No I don't live off Benson Street but I realise how you would come to that conclusion. (being near Tescos). I live on the Antrim Road, only a few minutes' drive from Tescos.

Donald, wee Ann Heasley IS the same girl who worked in Hilden office 50 years ago.

Ann, when we go to Lisburn, we stay at the Circular Lodge in Antrim Road, must be near where you live. Someone told me it was Dr Rogers house years ago.

Liz

Yes Hilary, you were very slow to learn. Our other sister told you that you could fly if you really wanted to and you believed her. I can't remember how many times you got flung out of the window, still you lived to tell the tale.

When I used to push you in the baby swings in the wee park, I used to try to get you over the bar, but you survived that too.

Those were the days!

Liz

Gee you guy on the forum bring back some memories Dr Rogers was our family doctor for years and the wee parks at Hilden and the Co Down I lived in Lawnmount Cres and played in the park a lot and throwing tree branches into the big chestnut tree trying to get conkers.My uncle took me to the park over the union bridge when i was about 5 and while I played in the sand pit he was "making out" with a girl on the grass(not his wife) on the way home I wanted an ice cream and he said no so i said I am going to tell guess what I GOT THE ICE CREAM Cheers Gordon

I lived in Lawnmount Crescent with my husband and 4 children until around 1974. The people are still recovering.

Liz, you're getting close. Can't give you my actual address as I don't want to be besieged by handsome men. Johnny would be jealous. (Depp)