Seagoe Parish magazine.
JULY, 1910.
The Confirmation,
THE Confirmation was held in the Parish
Church by the Right Rev. J. B. Crozier
D.D., Lord Bishop of Down and Connor
and Dromore, on Sunday evening, June
26th, at 7 0'clock. The Candidates assembled in the
Parochial School, at 6-15, and were received there by
the Clergy of the Parish. They were then
conducted to the place reserved for them in the Church,
the boys occupying the pews on the Pulpit side, and
the girls those on the Lectern side. The girls were
almost, without exception, attired in white, and wore
small caps. Each Candidate had a Prayer Book and
Hymnal and also a card of admission to Confirmation.
A large crowd of worshippers was present,
for whose accommodation forms and chairs had to be
placed in the aisles. The Service began with the
Hymn 335, " The Church's one foundation ;" and
during the singing of it, the Bishop, Clergy, and
Churchwardens entered in procession by the North
Door. The Churchwardens (Mr. Chas. Collins and
Mr. Thos. Reid) walked first, followed by the Rev.
W. R. Crichton, curate, the Lord Bishop, and the
Rector, who acted as Bishop's Chaplain. The Preface
to the order of Confirmation was read by the
Rector, then the Bishop speaking from the Chancel
steps gave a short address to the Candidates who
stood before him, the Congregation remaining seated.
He based his remarks on Deut. xxvi. 17, 18. He
also, examined the Candidates in certain portions of
the Church Catechism, and then formally, to the
girls first and then to the boys, put the solemn
Confirmation Question, the Candidates audibly and
reverently answering " I do." The beautiful
Confirmation Hymn (376), " Thine for ever, God of
Love," was sung by the whole congregation kneeling,
and then followed the laying on of hands, a most
reverent and impressive ceremony. The Hymn, 594,
Stand up, stand up for Jesus," followed, and the
Bishop standing at the Chancel steps gave a second
address very simple, but very earnest and helpful,
exhorting the Candidates to pray regularly, to study
daily the sacred Scriptures, and never to neglect
Public Worship and attendance at Holy Communion.
After the Bishop's address, the closing Collects were
said, and the Confirmation Hymn, 377, “ Soldiers of
Christ arise," was heartily sung. During the singing
of the Hymn the Offertory was made, and the
alms presented by the Bishop. While all knelt, the
Bishop pronounced the Benediction, and during the
singing of Hymn 878, " Oft in danger, oft in woe,"
the Bishop and Clergy left the Church.
LIST OF CONFIRMED.
The following received the Rite of Confirmation
and have thereby been admitted to the full privileges
of membership in the Church. The names are
arranged in alphabetical order :—Robert John Best,
Samuel Best, David Boyce, Thomas Henry Boyce,
George Cartmill, Samuel Clayton, Robert John
Cordy, Thomas Henry Dickson, David Ellis, James
Henry England, Thomas England, Thomas Flannigan,
David Frazer, Frederick Freeburn, David Gates,
William Gillespie, Jacob Gilpin, George Gracey,
George Graham, Leonard Haire, Robert Hardy,
Herbert Hewitt, Moses Hewitt, Norman Sydney
Holmes, Hugh Killow, Albert Lindsay, James
Livingston, Robert Livingston, Samuel James Magee,
Richard Maxwell,' Thomas John McCormick, William
John McNally, David McNeill, Joseph Parkes, Gilbert
Price, William Quaile, Richard Robinson, Thomas
Ruddell, George Simpson, James Henry Stevenson,
Abraham Sturgeon, Thomas Richard Sturgeon,
Edward Thompson, N.Villiam John Thompson, Samuel
Rainey, James Shepherd, Thomas Smith,
Telford, James Terry, William John Wilson.
Jemima Allen, Mary Allen, Edith Anderson, Mary
Emma Anderson, Ellen Best, Helena Jane Best,
Mary Black, Maria Bleakley, Sarah Bleakley, Sophia
Bradshaw, Martha Courtney, Elizabeth Cummins,
Sarah Dawson, Minnie Dickson, Sarah Dickson, Alice
Maria Donaldson, Sarah Ellis, Mary England, Rachel
Flannigan, Margaret Jane Freeburn, Rachel Gates,
Mary Gillespie, Letitia Gilpin, Charlotte Green,
Martha Gregston, Florence Mary Hall, Hannah
Harte, Margaret Lewie, Anne Jane Lindsay, Susanna
Jane Livingston, Isabella Magee, Anne Major,
Elizabeth Marsh&ll, Elizabeth Maxwell, Margaret
Emma Maxwell, Mary Anne McCormick, Annie
McKerr, Adeline McLoughlin, Florence Jane
M'Loughlin, Sarah Anne McNulty, Margaret Jane
Milligan, Louisa Montgomery, Adelaide Mary
Murray, Ethel Preston, Margaret Roney, Sarah
Emily Rainey, Sarah Margaret Reid, Elizabeth
Reid, Theresa Ramsey, Anne Russell, Christina
Reid, Frances Thompson, Elizabeth Turner, Isabella
Vaughan, Ellen Maria Watson, Sarah Webb, Jane
Anna Webb, Anne White.
Men and Boys—50.
Total Confirmed—108.
Offertories for June
We give Thee but Thine own."
Morning. Evening
June 5th. 2nd Sunday after Trinity £1 13 5 0 10 6
12th. 3rd Sunday after Trinity 2 17 0 0 18 0
19th. 4th Sunday after Trinity 1 1 8 0 11 6
26th. 5th Sunday after Trinity 1 3 10 1 16 9
Weekdays 0 9 7
-------------------- ----------------------
Total £6 15 11 £4 6 4
SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE.
Sunday School Excursion.
The Excursion this year to Warrenpoint was very
successful. That all-important factor, the weather,
was in our favour. It was glorious, cloudless June
day, A short service was held in the Parish Church
before starting at 8 0'clock. The Procession to the
station looked very nice. The girls in their light
summer dresses and the boys in their neat caps,
snow-white collars, and trim suits made a splendid
turn-out, and the faithful Teachers along the line of
procession kept a, careful eye over their youthful
charge. The Ballyhannon Band headed the troops
as they marched to the station, and their martial
music kept all in step. Half-way to the station the
men in Bright's Foundry gave us a hearty greeting
as they lined up to watch us pass Edenderry turned
out even to the smallest baby-in-arms. The train
journey to Warrenpoint was made in good time, and
jones's Field was reached about 11 0'clock. St.
Mark's Excursion was in the field before us, and it
seemed as if all Portadown had moved to Warrenpoint.
Tea was soon ready, and the large round
buns began rapidly to disappear down hungry Seagoe
throats. Unfortunately, the supply of cups ran
short, and there was a delay in getting the
refreshment for St. Mark's party, but Seagoe drank its tea
and eat its buns quickly, and so made way for the
others. Warrenpoint is an ideal place for an Execursion.
The mountains, the sea, the gardens, the
baths, the trams, and the motors provide endless
variety for young and old. The day passed quickly
and at 5 0'clock all were gathering to the field for a
further draught of refreshing tea and another
assault on the inexhaustible bun-baskets. The old
hands were again hard at work, and everyone agreed that
George Calvert and John Montgomery had put just
the right amount of tea and sugar and milk into the
boilers. They know exactly what suits the taste of the
Seagoe people. After tea another hour was spent in
lingering round the toy shops, and at 7-30 the
specials " began to leave for Portadown. The
played the excursionists up to the Church,
and amidst hearty cheers for King George the Fifth,
Seagoe Excursion for 1910 come to an end.
Unpleasant rumours were afloat that the Excursionists
had been stoned, but they were unfounded and the
whole proceedings passed off without an hitch and
everyone returned home delighted with their day at
the shore.
July brings: many temptations to strong drink.
We hope our young fellows will resist all invitations
or temptations to take it. Let the Watchword for
July be “No Surrender to the Drink Foe."
A Special Prize has been awarded to Thomas
Dickson, of Drumgor, for his Church Attendance
Card for the quarter ending March 31st.
Baptisms.
I will make an everlasting covenant with them."
June 4th.—Herbert Harrison, son of John and Anne Coulter.
Frances Jane, daughter Of Joseph Leathem and Kathleen Watson.
Norman Cecil, son of David and Sarah Jane Guy.
Thomas James, son of joseph and Jane Eliza Fletcher.
Alice, daughter of John and Margaretta Dickson.
Marriage,
' God, our Home."
June 29th—Joseph Keelips, Portadown, to Florence Isabella Kirby, Edenderry
Burials.
Death is swallowed up in Victory.
June 14th—John Anderson, Drumgor, aged 70.
23rd—John Whaley, Edenderry, aged 41.
The Day Schools.
At the recent Examination in Religious Knowledge
held by the Rev. J. He Mervyn, MLA., Diocesan
Inspector, the following results were obtained
Seagoe School—Course IV., First Certificate—
Margaret Irwin (Full marks). Second Certificates-
Charles Killow, Mabel Reid, Margaret Magee.
Passed—Theresa Ramsey, Margaret Costello.
Course I. Certificates—Sarah Martin, Thomas
Hewitt. Passed—Henry Ellis, Olive Blakely, W.
Coulter. Scripture only—Commended, Sarah Irwin.
In the Junior Division 81 passed out of 110 examined.
Hacknahay School—Course 11, Second Grade
Certificate—Elizabeth England (Full marks), Adelaide
McMurray, Ellen England, Mary Flavell. Third
Grade Certificates—Albert McMurray Sarah Thompson,
Rachel McKnight
Scripture only—Commended, Hannah McMurray„
Helen Calvert. Passed—Netta Spence.
John Stoops, Sam Magee, and. Johns Patton have
been awarded Silver Medals in Seagoe School for not,
having missed day at School during the past twelve
months.
Holidays.—Seagoe School broke' up for the
holidays on Friday, June 24th, and; will resume work
on Monday, August 8th. Hacknahay School broke
up on Thursday, June 30th, and resumes work on
Tuesday, August 2nd, We hope the children will
have very pleasant holidays: Both schools have
worked hard and done well during the past
At the break up the children gave hearty Cheers for
their Teachers and' wished them a Happy holiday;
SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE.
Items.
The congregation in Seagoe Church at the Confirmation
on Sunday evening numbered 680 persons
Major Blacker and Mrs. Blacker have returned to
Carrickblacker after a holiday in England.
The Bishop. during his visit was the guest of Major
and Mrs Blacker.
We congratulate the Rev John Taylor on his
election to the position of President of the Belfast
Junior Clerical Society.
The Garden Féte at Moyallon on Tuesday, June
28th, was very pleasant and successful function. It
realised about £120. Unfortunately the weather was
not favourable, but the proceeds will help materially
to reduce the debt on the Cripples' Institute in
Belfast
The Rector has concluded his delivery of the
Donnellan Lectures in Dublin University. The last
lecture Of the course was delivered on Sunday,
June 19th.
Some excellent snap-shots of Seagoe excursion were
taken by Mr. Jeffers, Of High Street, Portadown. We
believe they have had large sale as postcards. We
Congratulate Mr. Jeffers on his enterprise.
Mr. Bertram Holland, who recently left Seagoe
for Toronto, Canada, has written a long and interesting
letter to the Rector. He has got a very good
engineering position, and attends the services at St.
James' Cathedral every Sunday. He desires to be
remembered to the members of Edenderry Men's
Class,
The Lord Bishop has given a donation Of £5 to
Hacknahay Day School.
Measles has been very prevalent in the Parish for
the past fortnight, but it is fortunately of a light
type. Parents should be very careful as the after
effects of; measles are often serious: Quiet; warmth,
and subdued light, form the best treatment.
The Associates and Helpers of Seagoe C.F.S. and
the Superintendents of the Parish Sunday Schools
had a pleasant evening at the Rectory last month.
Holy Communion.
Those who have been confirmed will attend the
celebration of Holy Communion on Sunday, July
3rd, either at 8 0'clock in the morning as many have
arranged to do or at the Celebration which follows
Morning Prayer. We earnestly invite the Parents
and Godparents of these young people to join with
them in partaking of Holy Communion. Some of
those who were confirmed three years ago have not
yet fulfilled the purpose of their Confirmation by
becoming Communicants, and we also invite them to
Come forward and to show that God's grace has not
been bestowed upon them in vain.
Each candidate who was confirmed last Sunday
received a little pamphlet on the subject of
Confirmation and Holy Communion.
Anniversary Service
On Sunday, July 10th, Sermons will be preached
both morning and evening on behalf of the Orphan
Society. In the Morning the Collection will be in
aid of the Co. Armagh Protestant Orphan Society
and in the Evening at 7 0'clock the Collection will be
in aid of the Enniskillen Orphan Fund and the
Armagh Protestant Orphan Society.
The Evening Service will take the form of
Special Anniversary Service, and we hope to have
with us representatives from the Orange Lodges in
the Portadown and Lurgan Districts. Special seats
will be reserved for the Brethren.
Nature Notes for July.
There is such a profusion of growth in July that
it becomes hard to know what to look at first. The
great Wayside Plantain grows everywhere along
our roadsides. Its coarse leaves and long spike of
flowers are easily distinguished. Thistles are
numerous and very varied. Strange to say, they
belong to the same family as the Marigold and Daisy,
each blossom really consisting of many blossoms,
They are called compound or composite flowers.
The Knapweed or Hardhead is very common in
Seagoe district. It has a thistle-like flower very
compact. Its stem is as tough as wire, and its dull
purple bloom is set in a hard black cup. Plenty of
Ox-eye or Moon Daisies are now in bloom, especially
along the railway banks. The Meadow Sweet,: with
its foamy flowers and strong almond-like perfume,
grows freely in the hedgerows.
The Fruit Season now begins. Fruit is a useful
diet, but is not very digestible unless when cooked.
Strawberries are rich in alkaline salts, and neutralise
the acid in the blood, but they are unwholesome when
taken in large quantities. In Bird life the chief interest
this month consists in observing the habits of the
newly fledged offspring, their feeding, attempts at
flight,.changes in plumage, etc.
SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE.
Old Seagoe Notes,
Ordnance Survey of Seagoe 1835 —The notes
made by the Ordnance Survey Officials in 1835 when
they were making the first complete survey of
Ireland are very interesting. They have never been
printed, and can only be seen in the Royal Irish
Academy Library in Dublin. The following are
some extracts relating to Seagoe and the neighbourhood
:—The name of the Royal Engineer who was
engaged in the survey of Seagoe and Portadown
was J. C. M'llroy, and his officer was Lieutenant
Bennett, R.E. Mr. M'llroy says—During the
Summer months the meadows along the Bann are
covered with numbers of Black Cattle. The Quays
near the Bridge have a perceptible air of business
about them, especially that on the Edenderry side
of the Bridge. There are twelve houses in Edenderry.
The width of the Bann at the Bridge is
360 feet. [The river was narrow above the Bridge
beet, but widened out almost to the size of a small lake
just below it.] The first Bank established in Portadown
was a branch of the Ulster Bank. It was
opened in 1836 in Edenderry where Lutton's factory
now stands. The townland of Edenderry according
to Mr M'llroy was in 1836 owned by a Miss
Hogshaw, of Lisburn. The Presbyterian Meeting
House was built in 1822 ; the Minister was the Rev.
W. Dowling. Previous to its erection the Presbyterians
worshipped in Vinecash, outside Portadown.
Hacknahay School was built in 1827. On Sept.
22nd, 1837, Mr. M'llroy visited it, and found Mr.
George Edbrooke, a member of the Established
Church, teacher. Religious instruction, he notes,
was given to the children each day, and on
Wednesdays and Fridays by the Rev. Simon Foote.
There were present at the School on the above date
75 children——35 boys and 25 girls under 10 years of
age, and 10 boys and 5 girls over 10 and under 15.
Anne Burrell was Mistress of Carrick Female School,
beyond the present Levaghery School. The School
was attended by 59 girls, and the Teacher was paid
by Mrs. Blacker, of Carrickblacker.
Reid Booth was the Master of Balteagh School,
but Lord Mandeville's " moral " agent would not
permit Mr. M'llroy to enter the School.
A Curious Inscription—The following lines were
inscribed on the old Bell in Lurgan Church tower
(1836)
• " I to the Church the living call,
And to the grave do summon all."
John Ruddell, fecit 1794.
The inscription on Seagoe Church Bell before the
present one was, Parish of Seagoe, A.D. 1781."
An Old Map of Seagoe in 1760—A very interesting
Map of the Co. Armagh was made for the
Primate by a Frenchman, Jean Rocque, in 1760.
It is on a large scale, and gives many interesting
details about Seagoe. Portadown scarcely existed
then, and there were no houses in Edenderry.
Bridge Street did not exist. The road over the
bridge ran up to Quarry's Turns, and on to Killycomaine
and Lurgan. The old Horse Block is
marked in Seagoe Graveyard. Only portion of the
present Rectory had been built. An old lane, the
pavement of which can still be traced near the upper
gate of Eden Villa, ran down towards the Bann,
The map explains the origin of the " Devil's Elbow “
turns on the Carne Road. Originally there was a
square piece of ground like a pound green in the
middle of the road, and the road went round both
sides of it. the road at one side was closed
it left the present curious angle at the other side.
Church lane ran in a straight line to where the
Seagoe Railway Crossing now is, and on to Derryvore.
There was a curious oblong piece of ground
in the middle of the road at Killycomaine Cross
Roads, the roads running at each side of it. Traces
of it may still be seen. There was a well in the
Rectory grounds, usually called “The Lady's Well,"
Which was possibly one of the ancient sacred wells.
It has long since been filled up. Altogether the
map is very interesting, and it may be possible to
reproduce it in some future issue of this Magazine.
Portadown in 1835—Before the Linen Industry
was started in Portadown the town became important
as a centre for the export of grain by the Newry
Canal to England.
Imports in 1836—1ron, 250 tons; Coal', 600
Timber, 500; Slates, 200 ; Flour, 50 ; Oatmeal, 100.
Exports Wheat, 2,250 tons ; Oats, 2,500 ; Barley,
250. In the same year 90 tons of Pork was sent tow
Belfast by cart. St. Mark's Church was built in
1826 to seat 500, and cost £l,600. Arthur Williams
& Co., Dublin, built the present stone bridge in
1835. The contract price was £8,000, but the
actual cost was C9,000. Thomas Gey was Schoolmaster
of Portadown Infant School in 1835. The
chief newspaper read then by the people was The
Ulster Times." Mr. M'llroy, in his notes, says that
the people of Portadown find great amusement in
reading newspapers."
CHURCHWARDENS OF SEAGOE (Continued) :—
1711— John Sinclar, of Aghneeyhey.
John Woolsey, of Edendery.
1712— Patrick Best, of Tanefeglassony.
John Stephenson, of Derriadda.
1713— William Bullock, of Tanefeglassony.
Thomas Pressick, of Breagh.
1714— John Fisher, ye younger, of Kinnegoe
John Davison, of Bocomra.
1715— Richey, of Bocomra.
Christopher Wilson, of Derri-lnver.
Note—The most interesting point in the above list
is the way in which the Townlands are spelt.
Aghne-eyhey is apparently the original form of
Hacknahay.
MEANING OF TOWNLAND NAMES (Continued)
Derryvore—Daire-mor, the great Oak-wood.
Drumgor—The Ridge of the Goat.
Drumlisnagrilly—The Ridge of the Fort of the
Dagger or Short Sword. This townland is the
traditional site of the Battle between the Danes and
Sept Of the O'Neill's in 941.
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