June 1911

Seagoe Parish Magazine.

JUNE 1911,

SEAGOE SUNDAY SCHOOLS.

EXCURSON to

TUESDAY, JUNE 13th, 1911.

Train Leaves Portadown

9-30

Return Train Leaves Warrenpoint 7-30 p.m.

The Coronation

ON Thursday, June 22nd, 1911, King George

V. and Queen Mary will be crowned by

the Archbishop of Canterbury in Westminster Abbey. The ancient ceremony

of the Coronation is a very solemn, religious service,

and amidst all the rejoicing which naturally

accompanies the Coronation, we should not lose

sight of the fact that the crowning of the Sovereign

is a religious act. A Special Service will be held in

Seagoe Parish Church on Coronation Day at 11-30

a.m., and a form of service, very similar to that

which will be used in Westminster Abbey, will be

provided for the worshippers. Loyal Seagoe wishes

their Majesties a long and happy reign, and will

join in the prayers of the Empire that the Divine

Blessing may rest upon them and theirs and sustain

them in their solemn responsibilities.

The Excursion,

On Tuesday, June 13th the children and teachers

from the Sunday Schools of the Parish will assemble

at Seagoe Church at 8 0'clock. After a short service

the procession will be formed, and headed by the

Ballyhannon band all will march with banners

flying to the station.

The train will leave at 9-30

sharp for Warrenpoint, and the return train will

leave Warrenpoint for home at 7-30. Every Sunday

School child, except very small children, must

walk in the procession.

The price of tickets is as follows

Children under 9 0s 6d

12 0s 9

16 1s 0

Bible Classes and Teachers 1s 3d Outsiders 1s 6d

Whitsunday

The festival of Whitsunday, on which is

commemorated the gift of the Divine Spirit to the

church, falls this year on Sunday, Jane 4th.

T here will be special services in the Parish Church

8 a.m.—Holy Communion.

11-30 a.m.—Morning Prayer and Holy Communion.

7 p.m.—Evening Prayer and Sermon.

On Whitsunday every year the annual collections

are made on behalf of our Day School in the

Parish. Seagoe School and Hacknahay School are

very efficient, and are attended by a total of 230

children. It is most important that these schools

should be kept in first-rate order, so that parents

will feel that in them their children will receive the

best and most complete education possible. We

appeal to former pupils and to the parents of

present pupils, and to all who are interested in

education, to contribute liberally to this object.

Subscriptions from those who cannot attend the

services will be thankfully received by the Rector or

Churchwardens.

Improvements at Seagoe

New gates have been erected at Seagoe School

during the past month, and greatly improve the

appearance of the place. New palings, painted

green and tipped with white, have been placed

round the playground. The out offces at the

schools have been entirely rearranged on the most

approved sanitary principles. We hope that those

who take an interest in the schools will inspect the

improvements for themselves. Observant

parishioners may now frequently notice smart little

boys wearing neat caps, with the letters S.N.S. on

the front in red, white, and blue. These are boys

from Seagoe Day Schools. The girls are getting

SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE.

brooches with a similar monogram. A meeting of

ladies was held recently in the schools to arrange

further assistance towards the improvement of the

schools.

A Canvass of the Parish.

On a day last week Messrs. W. R. Atkinson and

G. Calvert took a car early in the morning and did

not return home until quite late at night. All that

time they were calling at various houses in the

Parish inviting subscriptions for the new heating

apparatus. The Select Vestry had arranged that

they should visit the parishioners for this purpose.

Their canvass was very successful, and they were

well received in every townland.

They were not able to call on everyone, but they hope shortly to

finish their round of the Parish. Everywhere

they report a hearty, generous spirit among the

parishioners, and au eager desire to help on the

work of the Church.

A letter from Illinois, U.S.A.

The Rector has received the following interesting

letter from a former parishioner :—

Illinois, U.S.A.

Rev. Sir,

Just a line hoping it will find you well as it

leaves me well at present. You will notice I have left

Chicago, I have got a much better position managing

a drapery store for a man, his name is Worthen and

he comes from Belfast. He has seven stores. He

opened one on March first and went to manage it

himself, so he gave me this one to manage for him.

It pays me five dollars a week more than my last

job did. There are eleven girls and nine fellows in

it, so it is pretty large. I like to be be in this town

very well ; I will tell you a strange thing about it

there are twelve thousand people living in it and

there is not a public house in the whole town ; there

are two policemen and six firemen. It is a very nice

place and is just thirteen miles from Chicago.

There are some fine churches, two Episcopal, one

Presbyterian, two Methodist, a Congregational, and

a Christian Scientist ; there is no Roman Catholic

Chapel at all. I am sending you a postal card with a few

views on it, I am enjoying very good health since I

came out. I attend my church every Sunday.

I spent a very quiet Easter, we had very fine preachers

and the sermons were some of the best I ever heard.

The services here are a little different from what they

are in Seagoe. There is a Bible Class every Sunday

Morning before Church and there is an average

attendance of one hundred and thirty. Church begins

at 10-45 and lets out at 12-15, and then Zagain at

7-30 in the evening. I have no more to say at

present, so I will close by saying good bye.

Items.

We offer our hearty congratulations to Mrs.

Montgomery (Miss M. Neill) on her marriage. Mrs.

Montgomery was a splendid worker, and gave us

valuable assistance as a member of the choir, and as

a teacher in Hacknahay Sunday Sehool. We hope

often to see her in Seagoe parish.

The Lurgan Choral Union held its annual festival

in Seagoe Church on Saturday, May 27th.

Over 300 choristers took part in the service. The

Dean of Armagh was the preacher. The festival was

great success. The visitors had tea in Seagoe

School after the service.

We regret to hear that Mrs. Blacker has been

seriously ill in England, but the latest accounts

report that she is rapidly recovering. We hope she

will soon be quite strong and well again.

Mrs. Beatty of Northampton, a grand-niece of

Archdeacon Saurin, visited Seagoe last week and was

much interested in seeing the place where her

grand-uncle spent so many years.

A special Sunday School lesson on the Coronation

will be given in the Sunday Schools on Sunday,

It deals with the flag of England, the

Union Jack, and the lessons to be learned from it.

Hymns For June.

June 4^th Morn 57 215 614 605 460

Even 219 238 335 631 376

Trinity Sunday Morn 9 225 226 217

Even 56 472 535 225 25

1^st Sunday after Trinity Morn 3 90 252 544

Even 48 121 98 99 12

2^nd Sunday after Trinity Morn 52 273 249 373

National Anthem

Even 577 333 113 423

National Anthem

Progressive Portadown

In the new Census returns Portadown occupies a

proud position. It heads the list among the towns

of Ireland in the increase of its population. It has

increased by over 16 per cent. in the 10 years since

1901. This is very satisfactory. It looks as if

Portadown might some day become second Belfast.

It would be strange to think of Seagoe as a city

church, as it would be then, with possibly

electric trams running past the gate.

SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE.

Offertories for May.

(Parishioners are reminded that upon the offertory

depends the proper upkeep of the services in the

Parish Church, and that almsgiving in proportion to

one's means is a duty incumbent upon every member

of the Church.)

Morning, £5 6s 4d ; Evening, £2 7s 8d ;

Week-days, 12s 8d.

Baptisms.

" A little child shall lead them. “

Matilda, daughter of William John and Margaret Hara.

Mary Winifred Eliza, daughter of John George and Sarah Jane Gracey.

Maurice Frederick, son of David Alexander and Letitia Rock.

David, son of Robert and Mary Jane Livingstone.

Marriages.

" And now abideth Faith, Hope, Love " (R. V.)

May 2nd—George Montgomery, Portadown, to Margaret Neill, Drumlisnagrilley.

7th—William Robert Hughes, Tarson, to Anne Graham, Edenderry.

11th—James Thompson, of Portadown, to Anne Freeburn, Edenderry.

Burials-

' In me is thy salvation. "

May 18th—Mary Anne Webb, Lylo, aged 25.

26th—Ella Macaulay, Edenderry, aged 2 ½ .

29bh—Thomas Lynass, Clanrole, aged 77.

Nature Notes for June,

The flowers of early spring have now disappeared

in the long grass and straggling hedgerow growths,

but the white star of the stitchwort and the small,

bright blue flower of germander speedwell still survives.

This is specially the month for climbing plants

such as the purple vetches, the woodbine, and ragged

robin. The tall flowers of the cranesbill will soon

be seen, like a diminutive geranium blossom,

brightening the roadsides. Meadow-sweet (spiræa ulmaria)

is already unfolding its graceful, fragrant clusters of

bloom. All these plants are common in Seagoe

Parish. Birds nests have been a source of great

interest during the past month, but now the young

birds are the objects of chief interest. Have any of

our readers heard the night-song of the sedge warbler

or the grasshopper warbler, or the night jar. The

song-thrush and the robin also often sing at night.

Visit of the Diocesan Inspector-

The Rev. J. H. Mervyn, M.A., Diocesan Inspector

of Religious Education in Day Schools, inspected

and examined Seagoe and Hacknahay Schools on

Tuesday, May 23rd.

The result was very satisfactory and the pupils acquitted themselves well. The

Church of Ireland children were examined in the

Bible and Prayer Book, and those who are not

members of the Church of Ireland were examined in

the Bible only. In Seagoe School the following

obtained special certificates—Margaret Irwin, John

Atkinson, Mabel Reid, Christina Livingston.

The Inspector in his report on the proficiency of

the Junior and Infant Department expressed himself

very much pleased with the answering of the

children.

Hacknahay School greatly distinguished itself in

the examination. The following is the Inspector's

report—" The children in this School are most

carefully taught. The answering except in a few

cases was excellent and intelligently given. Both

seniors and juniors showed great interest in their

work. This school deserves commendation. The

work done here is much above the average." We

congratulate Miss Stevenson and Miss Dickson on

this good record. The following Hacknahay children

were awarded special certificates—First class,

Elizabeth England and Florence Stevenson ; second

certificate Mary Flavell ; passed, Eileen M'Kane. In

all 46 children were examined and 36 passed.

Old Seagoe Notes.

Fairy Stones in Seagoe.—Few people are

aware that Fairy Stones are to be found in the

townland of Seagoe. The layer of clay which is

exposed in the Brickworks at Seagoe contains

number of curiously shaped small stones, which

bear an extraordinary resemblance to animals,

insects, and other things in fact they ought best be

described as a collection of animals out of Noah's

Ark, they present such a variety of shapes, In a

random selection of these stones one is exactly like a

small tortoise with head and legs, another is a

perfect representation of a snaily another resembles

a bird, another is like a withered pear, another is

like an old woman Cithering her cloak around her.

Amongst Belfast geologists these stones are

known as Culleybackeyites,"

have only been found at Culleybackey, in the Co,

Antrim. Henceforth they will be known also as

" Seagoeites," since they occur so plentifully in Seagoe.

SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE.

Their origin is obscure. They are found in the

Jurassic clays, and are formed of a friable or crumbling

sandstone, which has been formed in layers by

a gradual process. In the centre of each stone there

are traces of a foreign substance, as e g., a piece of

the bark of a tree, or a fragment of ironstone, and

the Seagoeite " has been formed around this

substance.

Similar stones are found in many countries, and

are known under various names. In Finland they

are called Imatra Stones, in Germany " Lossmanchew,"

and along the Rhine Losspuppen." The

finest specimens are found alonq the banks of the

Troy River, near New York, U.S.A., and in the

Champlain clays of the Connecticut Valley. A small

volume was written on these stones by Mr. J. M, A.

Sheldon, and published in Boston, U.S.A., 1900.

The title of the book is " Clay Concretions from the

Champlain Clays of the Connecticut Valley." The

stones are usually termed Calcareous Concretions,

or Clay Concretions of Aluminium. Those who

would wish to learn further particulars regarding

these curious geological freaks should consult Geikie's

Geology, 2 vols, p. 646. There are some interesting

specimens in one of the geological cases in the

Grainger collection in the Free Library, Belfast.

Making the Railway in Seagoe, 1838.—Here

is the warning notice issued to a landholder in

Seagoe in February, 1838, prior to the making of the

railway :—-

THE ULSTER RAILWAY.

Whereas in and by an Act passed in the 6th year

of the Reign of his present Majesty King William

the I V. entitled an Act for making a Railway from

the town of Belfast to the city of Armagh, in the

province of Ulster, in Ireland, certain persons were

united into a Company by the name and style of the

Ulster Railway Company, and the said Company

were authorised to enter into and upon certain lands,

now I do hereby give notice that it is the intention

of the said Company to take and use that piece or

parcel of ground situate in the townland of Seagoe

Upper, now or lately in the possession of Robert

M'Culley, containing 3 roods, 29 perches, the said

ground being required for their works, and described

as Nos. 4 and 6 in the large scale map of said Rail-

way at the office of the Company, in the Commercial

Buildings, Belfast.

HUGH WALLACE,

Solicitor for the Company.

Dated this 10th day of February, 1838.

To Lord Mandeville and Robert M'Culley.

Extract from the Act of William IV.-—If any person

shall obstruct or prevent any person employed by

the said Company or shall pull up or remove any

stakes that may hove been driven into the ground

for the purpose of setting out the line of the said

Railway he shall forfeit and pay any sum not exceeding

Five Pounds for every such offence.

Interesting Old Seagoe Documents.—The

Rector acknowledges, with thanks, the gift of several

interesting old Seagoe documents from Miss Kinnear.

These include the above notice regarding the making

of the railway ; also a Bill of the Court Leet of the

manor of Kernan, with the names of the Leet Jury,

dated May 13th, 1842, and signed Charles H (tnt„

Seneschal ; also a sketch of (he old church, made

before the west gable had fallen; also a printed

abstract of the accounts for the building of Seagoe

School, dated July 10th, 1860.

Mrs. William Hart, of Ballygargan, has kindly

sent the Rector the remaining verses of the spirited

ballad of Tommy Downshire." All these will be

printed in the next and succeeding issues of the

Magazine.

Churchwardens of Seagoe.—(Continued).

1745 Wm. Thompson, of Ballydonaghy ; Leonard Calvert, of Monraverty.

1746 William Dixon, of Ballygargin; Benjamin Woolsey, of Edenderry.

1747 John Beans, John Eccles.

1748 Meredith Atkinson, of Low Seagoe ; Arthur M 'Can, of Ballydonaghy.

1749—William Buck, of Levaghery ; John Best, of Balteer.

The Windy Bridge at Portadown.—Portadown Bridge is without doubt the windiest bridge in

Ireland. Even when the air is very calm there is a

breeze blowing there, but when a moderate wind

blows the air currents become so strong that

pedestrians have to hold on their hats, and if one is

riding a bicycle it is necessary to dismount for

safety. The cause of the phenomenon is quite

simple. The prevailing winds in this district are

from the West, and the street which crosses the

Bridge runs almost. but not quite, West and East.

The screen of high houses along one side of Bridge

Street and High Street diverts the westerly wind

and forces the current towards the Bridge. Here it

is blocked below by the heavy stone arches and

coping walls of the bridge, and so it escapes with a

fierce rush over the parapet and catches the passers

by. When the wind veers to the South an almost

similar event occurs in an opposite direction,