19

THE'LIGHTER" SIDE OF CANAL M. J. Waddell

By way of introduction, Iwill first mention a few No. 1. Victoria Lock on the Omeath Road. facts about the beginnings of this waterway, the 2. Reilly's, a few hundred yards north of first canal in the British Isles. Sands' Mill. era a was During the Cromwellian (1640s), survey 3. Fearon's Lock at St. Colman's College. carried out on the possibility of digging such a canal, 4. Dodds' but nothing came of it. 5. McKnight's at Carnbane. out In 1729, the Parliament carried another 6. Forsyth's. study, this time Parliament established 'The 7. Alec Crothers' at Goraghwood. Commissioners of Inland for Ireland." This Navigation 8. James McCreesh's, Knockararney. an body got Act of Parliament through, which levied 9. John Waddell's at "Crack Bridge," on a duties wide range of luxury goods, such as (Gambles Bridge). carriages, dice and other gaming devices. All the 10. Paddy McVeigh's at Railway Crossing. revenue raised provided funds for the venture to go 11. Arthur Moody's Lock at ? to ahead establish communication between Newry 12. Campbell's Lock at Terryhoogan, Scarva. and Lough Neagh. Newry at that time was one of the 13. No house at this Lock. of Ireland. major seaports 14. Moneypenny's. The vision of the Dublin Parliament was, that with the waterway, the seams of coal found in the Coalisland As already stated, my father and mother were - area Dungannon could be cheaply transported, thus appointed lock-keepers in 1913. On 13th May, 1919, to breaking the monopoly of having import coal and I first saw the light of day and we had cabbage for the other commodities from England. dinner (so I'm told)! was in Official sanction given and work began 1731. I first watched my mother operating the locks, while the ? The digging of the Canal, the costs, problems, Iwas standing in a tea chest probably playpens were can etc. all be found in Dr. McCutcheon's excellent unheard of in those days. to was book, suffice say that the canal opened for traffic The lighters were pulled by horse along the towpath. on 28th March, 1742. Usually a young boy of 14 or 15 years, would walk The Dublin Newsletter, March, 1742 stated 'The along and lead the horse while the skipper would stand Cope" of Lough Neagh, William Semple, at the back of the lighter and steer with a rudder, or came Commander, into this harbour laden with coals tiller as itwas called. The boys leading the horses were and vessel that come the being the first has through poorly paid and suffered a lot of cold and wet during a and as she canal, had flag at her masthead fired guns the winter. This occupation was known as "hauling came up the channel." boats." now want to the I to turn the clock forward late 1920s The lighter men were mostly good humoured but as on and focus the social history of the Canal folks, the hard as nails if annoyed. Quite a few of them came the the Lightermen, Lock Keepers, the workforce and from the Lough Neagh area. Lough Shore men they colourful characters that lived along the banks at that were called. time. They nearly all had nicknames and those were the were My father and mother appointed lock-keepers names they called eath other. in at No. 9 locks by Newry Port and Harbour Trust The most famous name spoken about was the year 1913. "Hammerhead." I never remember him, but I believe There arc 14 locks on the 18 mile stretch of the his name was Davidson. Canal. AND DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY 20_POYNTZPASS / \^ ^y\ ^\ Lough Neagh

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Whitecoat Point / ^*"P^ \ V^v. 1 Moyallen / U Knock ^>\$h?, Bridge , . RIVERBANN / tf|\ T\ Gilford >/\ Tandrageeo^\\\ 13 BanbridgeV^' I ^C3rVa ' f \\? ^^\/ RIVERCUSHERf^ summit( j| ^y Actono UQ LoughShark \ J ] J tUo Poyntzpass! I

Lock Numbers: /// I 1. Victoria Locks. (l/q 2. I U Reilly's. ' 3. Fearon's. \\\ . . 4. Dodds\ NA\ Jerrettspass 5. McKnight's. \W

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The showing the locks. POYNTZPASS AND DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY_21

Poor fella, he died of exposure, drink and The job of a lock-keeper wasn't well paid but the malnutrition. At the inquest of his death in Newry house was rent free and there were "perks" to the job. Workhouse, a witness said that probably he hadn't had At our lock there was a small hut on the "Back Line" on his clogs off his feet for 15 years! as it was called. The back line was the bank the Another that I remember was a man whose name was other side of the canal. This small hut was about the a case readers not Tommy McCann. He was known as "Top Coat." Me size of "privvy" (in younger may a was a at the bottom of wore his overcoat in Summer when others were in shirt know, privvy "wee house" sleeves. the garden that you went to when you had to). In this Dan Skelten was known as "Heel of the Evening." hut over the back line, were kept the necessary John Neill was known as "Bapp" Neill. He had a very implements for operating the-sluices on the lock gates. big, round face like a full moon. The door of the hut was open during the day and it Then there was "Wur the War" and "Gabby wasn't by accident that a large potato basket (capable was was Taylor," Hughie Fox "The Fox". A local man, of holding approx. Vi cwt.) always lying handy Paddy Quinn was "Smokey Quinn." and in full view of the lightermen. Most of them took I seem to think that a lot of the lightermen were very the hint and filled itwith the best of Whitehaven coal. romantic. The names they had on their lighters would So we had no fuel bills. My mother would hand over ? names or a or suggest this i.e. the of their wives a cake of soda bread or an apple tart, few eggs a a was sweethearts. Frank Campbell's Lighter was the jug of milk. In way, it the "barter system," was "Nora." Billy McCann's Lighter the "Flora." but strictly off the record. was T. I or 12 Iwas often James Neill's Lighter the "Emma." When reached the age of 11 years, McGurgan's Lighter was the "Edith." asked to go and do a bit of cooking. Iwould have At the beginnig of this article, I stated that coal was fried bacon and eggs, steak and onions, etc. This saved transported from Coalisland to Dublin. This was time for lightermen, instead of stopping to do the was on the time correct, but in my memory, the coal transported cooking, they kept going and by they from Newry to Portadown. By now the border had reached the next lock (McVeigh's), 1Vi miles distant, a come into being and also the coal deposits apparently I would have had the menu all set up and "tanner" fizzled out in the Coalisland area. earned for myself. Sometimes delph was scarce and Fisher's fleet of ocean-going boats brought the coal the tea was taken in jam pots. from England and hence the about-turn in the canal Not all the cabins were rough and tumble. Some distribution. I have already mentioned the names of were well equipped and well furnished with good the Lighters and again I can recall that the names of bunks. Some skippers brought their wives and families summer one some of Fisher's boats were names of trees. There was with them during the months. I remember a "The Oak," "The Elm," "The Walnut," and 'The man on a lovely summer day, having big horn came on sat Rowan." Vessels from Norway also into Newry gramophone playing away deck. His wife with cargoes of timber, some of which went by lighter knitting away and changing the records, keeping the to Portadown. music going. was on At some of the lock houses on the canal, there were My father the maintenance staff of the canal. was we our stables, built. During winter, the lightermen would stop Long before Larry Hagman born, had ? own was at a house where there was a stable. As darkness "J.R." J. R. Monaghan the inland approached, the lighter would be tied up, the horse fed inspector. To the big-wigs in the Newry Port and and the skipper and his helper would sleep in the cabin. Harbour Trust, he was called J.R. Around the 'Pass There was a stable at our lock and usually the men he was called the Gaffer and to the workmen he was would come into our house for a night's crack. Tall called "Ould Jamie." yarns would be told, a game of cards or draughts would He was a stout, broad-shouldered man with a very be played. Peter Campbell was a regular visitor. He austere look. He wore a hard hat, a "Dickey," yellow a cane brought along another man called Dan Harte. Both of boots and carried stout yellow stick. Mention ? a not them played mouth organs and great nights of music of "Dickey," if some younger readers may ? and song took place. My mother always laid on a bit know what it was it was a hard white collar with of supper, mugs of tea with soda bread and country a wide white front which covered the whole chest. butter. Moody'slock-houseand"the(No.11)far'Passbridge"(1940's).|^ O > to

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aHilili!!^11*^^% AND DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY 24_POYNTZPASS

Wearing a Dickey, there was no need to change a Looking back to those far-off days, I became very shirt every day (or every month for that matter). annoyed and depressed at the environmental changes. When the Dickey got soiled with dust or tobacco Small holdings have disappeared, taken over by big juice, it was washed in a basin with Sunlight soap, concerns. Hedges and ditches have been levelled. The rinsed with a solution of Robin starch and allowed 10 small fields of the old days each had its own name, or 15 minutes to dry, and "hey presto," you could each had its own bit of history. The habitat for wild have gone to the Newry Bachelors' Ball! life is fast disappearing. The cuckoo, the corncrake, When old Mr. J. R. died, his son Joe became Inland the yellow hammer, the kingfisher, to name but a few, are Inspector. have almost gone. The rivers and waterways There were usually about six or seven full-time men polluted. Fishing in the canal was once a major tourist employed on the maintenance staff of the canal. At that attraction. Visitors from Manchester, Liverpool and time they were as follows: Peter Campbell, Willie Bolton came on holiday each year. Guest houses Crothers, James "Buffer" Burns, Hugh Convery, around the 'Pass were booked out from year to year. Frank Cross, Hugh Burns, John Waddell (my father) One family I remember very fondly, was the Fairhurst and Paddy Hanratty (casual worker). family from Manchester. Old Mr. Fairhurst loved to Paddy was one of the "rare ould characters" in the fish the canal at our lock No. 9. He always came from rare ould times. He couldn't read, write or count, but the village early each day. Coming each year, he he was endowed with a ready wit. One time while became very well known to ourselves and to all the working for Frank Monaghan, he was coming across neighbours. the yard after forking hay all through a hot summer The Crack Bridge, below our house, was the meeting day. It was now around 10.30 p.m. Mr. Monaghan place for all the local characters. Bob Whiteside, Bobby said to Paddy "Are you finished, Paddy?" Paddy Sterritt, Frank Monaghan (of Athletic fame), "Crab" replied "I don't know sir, but I'm quit." Kelly, Tom Sterritt and Johnny Minnis. Young and old

Maintenance workers pictured at Crothers* locks (No. 7) around 1935. From left, front: Not known; Joe Monaghan, Inland Inspector Newry Port and Harbour Trust; Hugh Convery; Peter Campbell. Back : James Burns; John Waddell; Willy Crothers. POYNTZPASS AND LOCAL HISTORY DISTRICT SOCIETY_25

Mr. and Mrs. Alec Crothers outside lock-house (No. 7) around 1935. used to gather to fish, to play skittles or to play pitch These are some of my memories of life on the canal and toss. and life along the towpath of the Newry Canal in the The one character that stands out was Johnny Minnis. late 1920s and 1930s. a Johnny had a grey donkey, I had black donkey (some Since then the canal, which was so picturesque, has would say that was four donkeys)! Johnny worked been allowed to fall into disrepair and has become a was around the country. On one occasion he working health hazard. a at house that was noted for a lack of quantity of the However, Iwould like to end on an optimistic note. grub. The quality was always good but the helpings The four Councils involved in the eighteen miles stretch ? sparse. of canal Newry and , Armagh, ? are now One day after the dinner the lady asked Johnny did and Craigavon valiant efforts to ? making he enjoy his dinner. His reply was "I did Mrs. if restore it to something like its original beauty and that was it!" interest in the canal and its restoration is increasing One night in Hudson's pub at closing time Johnny all the time. was in no hurry finishing his bottle of stout. The late Recently a sponsored walk from Newry to Poyntz Gerry Hudson didn't like to tell Johnny to "drink up" pass along the towpath attracted more than 300 and go home, but he hinted at it. He looked into the participants. The experience was enjoyed by young and fire which was nearly out and said to Johnny:? "That old alike. The potential is there to make the canal one ? fire is very low." Johnny's reply was:? "If it gets of the greatest tourist attractions in Ireland let's hope any lower we're going to have to sit up with it!" it is fulfilled! AND DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY 26_POYNTZPASS SOCIETY

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Cattle and goats graze the tow-path, 1950.

Joe Monaghan supervising repairs to Crothers' locks.

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'The Harbour' Poyntzpass (post card 1910). POYNTZPASS AND DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY_27

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IIK POYNTZPASS AND DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY_29

The sluice-keeper's cottage at Acton Lake (Lough Shark).