Russell Park estate residents reminisce

Russell Park estate residents reminisce

4 May 2016

FORMER residents of Downpatrick’s Russell Park gathered for a special reunion last weekend when they reminisced about their days at one of the town’s oldest estates.

Denvir’s Coaching Inn was the venue for the event with many people taking time to study the faces in a selection of many old photographs of the estate and its residents which were on display.

Families also reunited for the event with those who lived at Russell Park in the 50s, 60s and 70s getting together for a night of great craic and story telling. In addition to the photos on display, many residents brought along their own pictures, with an album produced by Aidan Harris proving very popular.

As past and present residents recalled their time at Russell Park, sounds of the 50s, 60s and 70s were playing in the background. The oldest current resident who attended Saturday night’s reunion was Mrs Sue Martin who celebrates her 90th birthday in January next year.

She was joined by her husband Arthur and children, Claire, Philip, Paula and Colin who flew home from Denmark for the reunion.

Mrs Martin, who still lives at Russell Park, was joined by Maudie Perry, Donny Maguire and Frances Vaughan who were among the first residents to move in in 1953.

Around 150 people attended the reunion and everyone really enjoyed themselves, with the event providing an opportunity for people who had not see each other for many years to get together to recall the “old days.”

Aidan, who was born in the front bedroom of his parent’s house at Russell Park, said it was great to meet up with many former residents.

“It was great to see so many faces,” he continued. “The album of photographs I brought along consisted of images of people who lived at the bottom end of Russell Park where my home was. The album featured people like Paddy McKee, Peter O’Hare, Gerard Hynds, John Stitt and Mickey Fitzsimons,” he continued.

“Colin Martin flew in from Denmark, with Paddy McKee and Peter O’Hare’s sister Collette coming over from England for the event. Marie Stitt flew in from Spain for the event. Nearly all of the original families who moved into the estate 63 years were represented.”

Aidan, who was joined by his wife Angela and twin sisters Michelle and Linda, added: ”It was a really terrific night, It was great to see so many faces, especially those who moved into Russell Park all those years ago and some who are still living there.”

The proceeds from ticket sales after the event’s overheads have been paid will be divided between the Marie Curie and Chest, Heart and Stroke charities.