Exhibition reliving the halcyon days of Canon’s Excursion in Downpatrick

Exhibition reliving the halcyon days of Canon’s Excursion in Downpatrick

24 May 2017

PEOPLE of a certain age will remember the old Canon’s Excursion in Downpatrick.

Every summer, local families would head off for a day in Newcastle which to some excited children at the time seemed like a million miles away when in reality it was only up the road.

The excursion, which was always held on the second Thursday of the Twelfth fortnight, was organised by a local committee of volunteers associated with St Patrick’s Church where the PP at the time was Canon McWilliams.

The first excursion took place in the 1940s when people made their way to Newcastle via the former Belfast and County Down Railway and when it closed in 1955, it required up to 40 buses to ferry excited children and parents to the resort.

New shoes and clothes were purchased ahead of the annual excursion so everyone was looking their best, and families gathered at the St Dillon’s Avenue sports pitches before marching to the town’s bus station via Edward Street, John Street, Irish Street and Market Street.

A fun-filled day was spent in Newcastle, when the summers always felt warmer than they are today, with families returning home by bus, exhausted after a frantic but thoroughly enjoyable day which included a picnic at St Patrick’s Park.

The last excursion is believed to have been held in the 1970s, but local people are being offered a unique opportunity to relive those halcyon days via a new initiative being spearheaded by the Stream Street Residents’ Association.

It is putting together a special photographic exhibition at the Eclipse Cinema which is also going to screen old home movies capturing the sights and sounds of the Canon’s Excursion which was one of the key events in Downpatrick’s social calendar.

John Gordon, who is helping to organise the exhibition and film screening, is delighted Eclipse Cinema is on board and backing an initiative that will help people recall memories of yesteryear.

He hopes the exhibition and film screening will take place this September and is appealing to anyone who has old photos or cine film to get in touch.

“We are organising the events to raise funds for our group and hope the event will attract a lot of interest in the area,” said John. “My mum Mary has an old film from 1967 which I have watched several times and it is fascinating to look back at some of the town’s old characters who feature in it, including the legendary Paddy McVeigh.

“I went on the excursions to Newcastle and it was that time of the year when everyone got new shoes and clothes. The event really was a big deal and the film my mum has shows around 30 buses waiting to take people to Newcastle.”

John believes the last excursion was in the early 1970s, explaining there were door-to-door collections in the town with people from sides of the community contributing to an event that was ostensibly for the Catholic community.

“The excursion really was a great day out and took place in an era where people did not have very much. Everyone looked forward to dressing up for the excursion and boarding a bus really was a big adventure, even though we were only going to Newcastle,” he continued.

“I have vivid memories of the event and it was great fun. The excursion was a big day out and everyone in Downpatrick came out to watch the parade to the bus station. That was the way it was in those days.”

John said Downpatrick has always enjoyed a strong community ethos and when the Stream Street group decided it wanted to raise money, it struck upon the idea of organising an event which it believes will generate huge interest.

“We are delighted Eclipse Cinema is helping us and has agreed to copy all the cine films we get on to a DVD that will then be the subject of a special screening,” he continued.

“I have no doubt many people have lots of memorabilia associated with the excursion and we would be delighted it we could use it. The event is still a few months away and hopefully people will be able to help us. It is a great opportunity to look back in special time in Downpatrick’s history.”

Anyone who would like to loan photographs or cine film for the September exhibition is asked to contact John Gordon, telephone 07885 439873. All the material will be returned to the respective owners.