The Heart Of Ardoyne

The Heart Of Ardoyne

By Paul McCann

I grew up in a little village in North Belfast called Ardoyne . It would be impossible to sum up the amount of sadness , suffering and heartaches that have been brought to Ardoyne over the years through the troubled years, but again its the character of the Ardoyne people that has survived through it all . Its a credit that people have kept their smile and have stayed connected together through the hard times .

The village of Ardoyne has a great strength of character and a big heart . Part of the fiber that kept things going were those little shops around Ardoyne .

When you hadn’t the money to buy what you needed there was the honesty and trust that let you buy and pay later . If you really needed anything at any time , there were those shops that carried you through . It was always those shops up the road where you could go for a loaf and return two hours later depending on who you would meet

Across the Crumlin road there was The Cabin where I used to buy these Balsa Wood aeroplanes that you assembled in a few minutes and they could flew fly as if they were on a mission to change the world . Then as you crossed over the Crumlin Road there was Delaney’s shop that had a taxi service , ice creams and sweets , you could do your pools and buy any newspaper you wanted from morning ,noon and Saturday Night . I remember the times after mass when people bought the Sunday papers and after reading them they were exchanged with neighbours for the other one . There were the little parlour house shops and also places like the peppermint lounge and Rosie Nugents had a little shop where she sold buns and five Woodbine at a time . Many of the wee shops ran small clubs , like Miss Forrest the Chemist where you could get lipsticks and perfumes paying them off at thruppence or a tanner a week .

If you went along past the Edenderry Post Office you would pass by McCanns chippy then on past the Castle to the Top Shop It was hard to pass by McErleans Bakery because the buns and cakes in the window would have you staring for ages looking at the Coconut Macaroons , diamond Buns , apple squares and custard tarts Then there was the magic places like Freddie Fusco’s where you could sit with a with a chip and a soft drink , or a cup of peas and if you had some spare change you could even play the juke box .

Then where butchers and bakers and bookmakers and then there was The Glen , Raffertys , Billy O’Carroll’s shop , Donaldson’s , Maggie Walkers and my favourite Davidsons Shop in Herbert Street ..

There was always a friendly word to say when you went into their shop . Their baps were the crustiest , their milk was the creamiest , they gave you more that a quarters worth of Blackjacks for your money and they made you feel as if you were a special member of the Ardoyne family . They opened early and shut late . Every morning around 630am that where I met up with Noel Benson who drove the milk cart for the Co-Op We would start our milk run and by 9am it was done and he would drop me off at St Gabriels just in time for class . Davidsons shop in Herbert Street had to fight the Belfast corporation to open an entrance between Brompton Park and old Ardoyne . They won the case and The Brompton Gap was the result .

So many shops I haven’t mentioned but I’m sure there are people who like myself have fond memories of the wee shops around Ardoyne .

The End

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