Yoga Class each Monday evening

from 7.30 -8.30pm

in Sailortown Offices 11-13 Garmoyle St

Cost £2.50 per session

Everyone welcome

Computer Classes

Mon, Wed ,Fri evenings 7.00 -8.30 pm

in Sailortown Offices 11-13 Garmoyle St.

For details telephone 90751094

between 11.00am and 2.00pm

Docksiders Senior Mens Group

present

the launch of

"Echoes of the Past"

a book of reminiscences from the Sailortown district

told by former residents

in the

Dockers' Social Club

Pilot Street

on

Thursday 8th November 2007 at 6.000pm

Press Release

  Enquiries about this release should be made to

Paul McLaughlin on 07706285042.     

                                                                                                       1^st November 2007                                                                                                                                          

Old memories echo in a new book about Sailortown

Hitler was an unwitting supporter of the peace process in Northern Ireland, according to one of the contributors to a book of reminiscences about Belfast’s Sailortown district, which was launched today (Thursday 8^th November) at the Dockworkers’ Club in Pilot Street.

The German dictator was the common foe who brought Protestants and Catholics together – many for the first time – in one of the stories from the Docksiders Senior Mens’ Group’s anthology of life before and at the start of the 1969 “Troubles”.

That unusual polemic features in “Echoes of the Past” – Sailortown Voices and Reflections” - which has been funded by the Community Foundation for Ireland.

The Docksiders Senior Mens’ Group Secretary Maurice Brown said: “The book consists of a series of interviews with local people and their take on life before the last Troubles began. It paints a picture, in the words of the people themselves, of cross-community relations in what was a vibrant and often less than peaceful part of the city.

“It challenges some of the perceived notions about the history of Sailortown, with tales of wartime togetherness that will astonish many, and gives a voice to ordinary people about just how extraordinary life was in Dockland right back to the 1920s.

“ Our group has started a journey of exploration of the past through seminars and working groups  that will address the legacy of the past through the storytelling of people who actually lived here and we are confident that such a grant-aided process will help challenge sectarianism, reduce the isolation of former residents of this area and, ultimately, contribute to the rebuilding of a shared community.”

Speaking at the launch, John Loughran, the director of the cross-community charity, Intercomm, who facilitated the interviews, said: “These stories speak of life experiences that challenge and question history at every turn. There are no punches pulled and the reading can be uncomfortable, but the words and opinions are those of people directly involved who have taken the unprecedented step of actually addressing their pasts.

“There is much that has been learned by all concerned with the project and we thank the Community Foundation for Ireland for giving us the opportunity to discuss and document these important memories.”

“Echoes of the Past”, which is published by Nova Print, will be available from the offices of the Sailortown Cultural and Historical Society.

ends

An updated selection of new and some old favourites from

local poet Tommy O' Hara.

Price £5-00.

For further details contact

Sailortown Places & Faces

August 2006

St Joseph's Campaign

2000 days on and

still strong

For a brief history of the struggle to reopen

the historic Church of St Joseph's in

Belfast's Sailortown district click on

the link below

Click on link below for further details

Click on photo above for gallery of images

depicting the three day occupation of St Joseph's Church

Read Sailortown News back issues online

Click on link below for archive page

SOCIETY ON THE MOVE.

Sailortown Cultural and Historical Society relocated at the start of 2005 to Garmoyle Street in accommodation above the bookmakers at the junction with Pilot Street. The Society have negotiated a three year lease on the premises which are pictured below.

As part of its commitment to public art the DOE commissioned local

 man Peter Rooney to come up with  a form of public art in an effort to brighten up the

 drab concrete surroundings  of the flyover supports around the M3 Bridge area in Corporation St

 Hence the idea of large wing mirrors reflecting life as it used to be in Sailortown and Little Italy.