Liz,



In reply to your message, I currently try to go back to Northern Ireland about three or four times a year, as I still have family there and enjoy seeing them. I suppose if people emigrated huge distances, for example to Australia, and really settled there, they maybe don't feel the need to go back, particularly if most of the family moved away. Also I imagine if they moved away during the Troubles, they really just don't want to go back.

I stock up on Veda bread while I am over to keep me going until I return. If carrying through the airport in hand luggage I usually have to point out that I have Veda bread in it, as apparently it shows up on the x-ray machines as suspicious.



Ted,



We probably all used far too much salt and vinegar on fish and chips when we were younger, but our tastes change. When I was over last month, I finally had a Belfast bap, which I had heard about, but to my knowledge never had before. (Did I have a deprived childhood without these??) When I think of what I ate when I was young, it was good but plain, and I don't remember seeing bell peppers at all, let alone avocados, and everything else that is available now. which we would have been astonished at back then.

When I am back in Northern Ireland it amazes me that so many supermarkets do hot meals for sale to take away, very easy if you don't want to cook.

Thanks Ann for your kind comments and as Liz says if there were more folks like you then the Forum wouldn't be in danger of folding up. Interesting that Liz goes back to Lisburn once a year which is great if you have relations or close friends there. However in my case there is only one person that I know from way back still alive although there may be more that I am unaware of.??

I find it hard to believe that its over 72 years since I first left Lisburn although of course I have been back visiting many times and as I have said before used to stand at the corner of Railway St.and the Square to see if I reconized anybody??

Anyway folks again nice hearing from you have a great week Bye for now. Mauri

MAURI, MAYBE THERE IS A GLIMMER OF HOPE THER AFTERALL ?

I still love to recollect Sunday evenings almost 60 years ago in Lisburn, the girls paired up and walked around Market Square, us boys stood in the shop hallways , drooling and whistling and dreaming naughty things
donald

Those walks up and down and around town on Sunday evenings were even more fun during the second world war years as the town was completely blacked out and the boys (saucy devils) took advantage of it.

The favourite trick was hiding in one of the shop doorways and jumping out as the girls came along. its a wonder they didn't have heart attacks?? though to give the girls credit some did pack a real mean punch???. Mauri

Mauri, Do you remember if Genise's opened then on a Sunday night or was it just Fusco's later years we use to visit Rossie's in Bridge St for Ice cream ,and there was a great Pie shop on Bridge St Beano I'm sure would remember it I think he was called Carnduff ?but the pie and peas were brillant then ,sometimes I wonder does one's tastebuds decrease with age ? Or was food tastier then,or maybe we just used more vineger ,O for a supper out of Ginesi's .
Bon-appete Ted

Hi Ted, I remember Fusco's being open on a Sunday but can't remember Genise's opening on a Sunday though it well may have.

Remember how strict and how serious people took Sundays,best clothes worn, Sunday school for the kids, Church for the adults etc.

I remember one time before the war when I was living in Warren Park a bunch of the older guys and some of us little kids went on the Golf course on a Sunday when it of course was closed.

The older guys played pitch and toss while us little kids rolled pennies on the green into the cup. All of a sudden two Police officers appeared from behind a hedge and everybody run to avoid getting caught myself included, however they were not interested in us little kids they wanted the older guys who got on to Sandy Lane then into the cememtary and out the other side.

Not sure if they ever caught them as I headed home scared out of my wits.I think one of the Police Offficers was Chestnut,(Remember him} Mauri

Morning Ann, If you were coming from Belfast just past the Kings Hall they recently built a large Supermarkt (Crightons) they have 3 actually on the Lisburn Rd but this one has a large petrol station on the forecort and I use it most sunday mornings coming from the pool for my papers Etc but they alco have a massive counter that serves carryout hot foods especially Frys everything is there sausage,bacon.black & white pudding eggs, soda & patato and it really smells and looks very appetising and always a large queue ,regarding your Belfast bap you aren't missing a lot as I dont think the quality of bread since we joined the common market is as good now as we have to use grain from Europe were as before most of our grain came from Canada and it is superior
Regarding peppers avocados etc I think cheap travel introduced us to a lot of new tastes hence a new market, Regards Ted

Thanks for your reply Ann. Great that you can get back to NI so often, there is something special about the place, even just to sit in Castle Gardens is special to me, and the Mournes, well, there is nowhere like the Mournes. Did you ever go to the Top Hat when it functioned in Lisburn? There is not many of us left who saw the great showbands that came there, one of the highlights of my teenage years around Lisburn.

Liz

hello ann,
i,ve been in australia since 73 but have three brothers still in norniron, two in lisburn.i,ve been back about 8 times last about two years ago, it,s a hassle long time in an airplane, but the end result is worth it. love the place, people, country and my brothers are always so glad to see me

Liz
I still remember our Aunts who all worked together in the mill taking us on Easter Mondays to "trunnel" our eggs in the Castle Gardens beside the cannon gun. The eggs were dyed a day before in water and Wynn blossoms which we collected over the "lonies". Do you remember over 60 years ago one Saturday afternoon them taking us to the Regel cinema at Balmoral to see Doris Day in "Annie get your gun"? Your brother Will, Joseph Lavery and a few others, also sisters met at the Monument beside Hilden park and went on the train, on the way home we stopped for chips. In the film Doris sang " You can´t get a man with a gun"! I read recently that she is still living and celebrated recently her 96 birthday with a new show.
donald

Ha, ha, Donald, yes i do remember that day. Not nearly as vividly as you, as I only vaguely remember the film. I think I felt a bit bewildered being in a crowd of Hilden folk. I shall always remember the walks my brother Will took me on when we visited on a Sunday afternoon, up where Harmony hill was, the heather and bluebells, the old water pump for drinks. The ride home in the bus to Lisburn was a great event too especially when it went over the bumps. Auntie Betty and granny were always there at home baking a cake in the range, and they always seemed to be laughing, joking or singing. Talking about the big pot of soup they made the day before when everybody and anybody could call in the wee cottage and have some. Seems like a hundred years ago!

Sigh!!

Liz, I think I was only in the Top Hat once or twice, when a group I liked was playing there. I was never a fan of show bands, although I know a lot of very good musicians got their start playing in a show band. I was more into blues and soul and generally went to the Maritime on weekend nights and the Jazz Club on Saturday afternoons. However, I did follow some groups and went to a lot of places to see them. I remember Betty Staff's and her air freshener!

Ted, I remember a garage called Creighton's near or in Finaghy many years ago, think it got blown up at one time, wonder if those you mentioned are owned by the same people?

Tom, Good to know you have been back quite often, I know the journey from Australia is horrendous, particularly in "cattle class". There is a direct flight to and from Perth now, which takes around 17 hours, but not a lot of use if you live on the eastern side, as you still have a 4 hour flight to the east coast. I generally lose the will to live around half way through a long flight. My ideal way to travel that distance would be a private plane, stopping off after around 6 or 7 hours, then starting again next day (would you have to go through security each time though?). Will have to wait until I win the lottery.

ann b
thank youfor your comment. the 8 hour to singapore plus 14 after is a bit weary. the oz flight lands in heathrow about six in the morning and it,s like a football match,grand final.people everywhere then, get a flight to belfast,not a lot of fun.
but,pat from limerick who used to subscribe, very kindly advised me about dublin airport. so last time i flew into dublin,stayed a week in a local hotel and had a lovely time in dublin. then 15 minutes walk from the hotel got a train to belfast.,stopped at lisburn. my brother met me there and great hello.back to his place in pond park, and after the train journey i was so thirsty i just had to join him in a bottle of guiness? or maybe two?. so next time will do the same. regards tom

Afternoon Ann, I would imagine it is the same family as it has been in business since 1936, They really run a high standard outlet comprising of 3 units one at Balmoral, one at Finaghy, and the other on the fringe of Dunmurry all with ample parking and always carry a vast stock of basic requirements , the Balmoral outlet is the latest and the smell on Sunday mornings with the bacon and sausages cooking is something to savour , Regards Ted