Latest News Items …

I am searching for descendants of Thomas McKee who are still living in Northern Ireland.

Thomas was born in Saintfield in 1868 to William McKee (1814-1893) and Eliza Currie (1821-1897). He married Mary Catherine (Minnie) Fitzsimmons at Second Saintfield Presbyterian Church 22 April 1889.

Thomas and Minnie had five children: Robert (1891), William (1893), Georgina (1895), Thomas (1898), and Samuel (1901). Minnie died four days after Samuel’s birth and Samuel’s aunt (Thomas’ oldest sister, Sarah McKee Massey Gabbey) took Samuel to raise.

Thomas married Agnes McFerran 26 June 1902 at First Larne Presbyterian Church. Thomas and Agnes had three children: twins John and Catherine (1903), and James Holden (1907). Thomas became a contractor and owned Thomas McKee & Sons Builders located in Belfast. Thomas died 12 June 1945 and is buried in the cemetery at Second Saintfield Presbyterian with his parents and first wife.

When Thomas’ sister Sarah came to the United States in 1905 to be near her children who had emigrated earlier, she brought Sam Mckee with her. He was four years old. Sam only saw his dad once after leaving Ireland and that was when Thomas made a trip to the US in 1923 to visit his extended family.

Descendants of Sam are now living in several states in the US but have lost contact with their relatives in Northern Ireland. Any information provided to help us make contact would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for any help you can provide,
Jeffrey Bullins
North Carolina, USA

The second talk of the Discover Saintfield Community series of events, funded by the NIHE Community Cohesion Fund, took place in 1st Presbyterian Church hall on 22nd January. The speaker was Philip Orr and the subject was the person from Saintfield who has had the most impact on the world, Professor Francis Hutcheson. Professor Hutcheson was born in Drumalig, Saintfield, and wrote a number of books on philosophy in the early 1700s while he was running a school in Dublin. His ideas were the main influence on Thomas Jefferson’s drafting of the American Declaration of Independence and on Adam Smith’s famous book “The Wealth of Nations”.

If you want to read more about Francis Hutcheson’s life and ideas click HERE.

If you want to see a list of the books that he wrote click HERE.

The talk was the second event in a series of five, called Discover Saintfield Community, funded by the NI Housing Executive Community Cohesion Fund and Saintfield Heritage Society and organised by members of Saintfield Development Association and Saintfield Heritage Society. To see the details of, and to book a place in the next events, click HERE.

Martyn Todd (Chair of Saintfield Development Association), Philip Orr (Guest Speaker) and David Williams (Chair of Saintfield Heritage Society).

David Williams (Chair of Saintfield Heritage Society)

Thank you to the hospitality team for providing the refreshments after the talk.

Over 150 people attended a talk on the Early History of Saintfield given by local historian and author, Alister McReynolds in 2nd Presbyterian Church hall on Tuesday 15th January. Alister shared his research on the origin of the name, Saintfield and what the area was like before and during the early years of the Plantation of Ulster. He explained how the eruption of a volcano in Iceland in 1693 caused famine in Scotland for seven years and drove migration to Ulster. He also talked about some precious historical finds from the area that are now held in the Ulster Museum.

The Chair of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, Councillor Mark Murnin attended.

Afterwards, Irene Craig and her team provided refreshments, allowing those who attended to chat and share memories of Saintfield.

The talk was the first event in a series of five, called Discover Saintfield Community, funded by the NI Housing Executive Community Cohesion Fund and Saintfield Heritage Society and organised by members of Saintfield Development Association and Saintfield Heritage Society. To see the details of, and to book a place in the next events, click HERE.

Alister McReynolds (speaker), Mark Murnin (Chair Newry, Mourne & Down Council), Janice McHenry (Vice Chair Saintfield Development Association), Martyn Todd (Chair Saintfield Development Association)

Thank you to the hospitality team for providing the refreshments after the talk.

Download the flyer HERE.

The first general meeting of the Saintfield Development Association this year will be held on

Monday 14th January at 7.30 pm in The Rowallane Hub, 35 Main Street.  

The theme for the meeting is “Communication” so please come along and let us have your views on how we can improve communication between us and the community at large. You can also raise any other issues which concern you regarding our village.
This is your opportunity to be heard and we look forward to seeing you there.

The blustery wind and rain showers meant that the stalls had to be re-sited inside the AYC hall to protect them from the elements.

The Saintfield folk were not going to be deterred by a little bad weather and turned out in numbers to support their Christmas Fair, the traditional start to the festive season in our village. Santa and his reindeer were a big hit with the children, as were the many entertainments laid on for them to enjoy at no charge.

This was thanks to the generous donations from local traders and businesses, which together with funds raised by SDA Events during the year, paid for all the attractions. Early reports indicate that the shops which remained open for the evening did brisk business.

So a big “Thank You” to all of you who supported the Fair, it makes all the months of planning and hard work worthwhile.

Please let us know if you have any comments or suggestions for consideration next year. Happy Christmas to you all!

2018_Fair_1

2018_Fair_2

2018_Fair_3

2018_Fair_4

2018_Fair_5

2018_Fair_6

2018_Fair_7

2018_Fair_8

2018_Fair_9

2018_Fair_10

2018_Fair_11

2018_Fair_12

2018_Fair_13

2018_Fair_14

2018_Fair_15

2018_Fair_16

2018_Fair_17

2018_Fair_18

2018_Fair_19

2018_Fair_20

2018_Fair_21

2018_Fair_22

2018_Fair_23

2018_Fair_24

2018_Fair_25

2018_Fair_26

2018_Fair_27

2018_Fair_28

2018_Fair_29

2018_Fair_30

2018_Fair_31

2018_Fair_32

Download the PDF version HERE!