Latest News Items …

A medal has been struck for the “Pedal The Peninsula” cycle ride on Sunday 27th April. The medal will be given to all cyclists who complete the cycle ride round Strangford Lough.

You can simply show up and pay on the day, or pay online in advance HERE.

Saintfield Development Association is running a fundraising cycle ride, Pedal The Peninsula, on Sunday 27th April. The 50-mile route round Strangford Lough starts and ends in Saintfield.

Registration is from 8:15 am in Downpatrick Street car park, with the ride commencing at 9:00 am.

The route will be marked out and there will be sweeper cars.

Refreshments will be provided at the half-way point (Portaferry), and at the finish.  There will be a medal for all finishers.

Ferry, food and water breaks included, and all for only £15!  Book online HERE.

Thursday 27th March saw Saintfield receiving the Most Improved Special Award at the Translink Ulster In Bloom 2013 presentation ceremony.

See more photographs of the ceremony HERE.

On Tuesday 25th March Saintfield Development Association held a very successful
Open Evening in The White Horse Inn, signing up eight new members.

More photographs of the event can be seen HERE.

What is going on behind this tarpaulin at the courtyard in Rowallane?

Find out HERE.

On Monday 24th March the Liberty Players performed their play about the United Irishmen, “Liberty or Death”, to an audience of parents and invited guests in Saintfield high School.  The Liberty Players are Year 12 pupils from the performing arts class. The performance formed part of the pupils’ preparation for their GCSE examination the following day.

On Saturday 22nd March VivoXtra held a charity fundraising event, with male members of staff having their legs and chests waxed. The participants at the Saintfield and Ballynahinch stores raised over £2000 for the Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children.

Those pictured are:

Back, from left – Nichola McConnell (Superman costume); Jason Stewart (topless guy); Eugene McNeill (man in behind chair, in hat); Aidan McGrory (California, Surf t-shirt); Wayne Jarvis (blue top with 2 yellow and 1 white stripe); Martin Smyth (man on right, behind guy in yellow t-shirt, hand on his shoulder-manager of store).

Front, from left – Stephen Wallace (on bed); Emma Baker (holding money bucket); Aaron Rice (bottom right).

The photograph was kindly sent in by local photography student Rebekah Collins of Rebekah Collins Photography.

Saintfield Parish Church will be holding its annual Lenten Soup Lunches on Wednesdays from 12.30pm to 2.00pm during March and April.The dates for your diary are: March 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th April 2nd and 9th Please go along and help this worthy cause. Everyone is welcome.

Betty Catania emigrated to Ontario with her parents in 1949, when she was less than a year old.  Her mother, Elizabeth (Betty) Wilson, remembered growing up in Saintfield.  Betty  Catania is keen to make contact with anyone who knew her mother and she has provided the following information about her family.
“I came to Canada with my parents, Elizabeth and Samuel James Hanlon (formerly O’Hanlon) in 1949 at under a year of age. They have both been deceased for many years now. As a child I remember my Mother, talking about growing up in Saintfield, Northern Ireland. She was born Elizabeth (Betty) Wilson on April 1, 1929 to her parents – Elizabeth (Bushnell, I believe) and William (Billy) Wilson. She was one of the youngest of a large family – 16 children – with several sets of twins. The siblings I remember her mentioning were Maizie, Tommy, Peggy, Winston and Sadie. Many would have left the family home by the time she was growing up. Sadly, when my Mother came to Canada she lost contact with her parents and siblings and she died at a young age – never getting back home to her beloved Ireland.My Father, Samuel James O’Hanlon was born in Canada to Irish parents, who had emigrated to Canada sometime earlier. He was born in Toronto, Canada on October 14, 1921 to Lavinia (Thompson) and Bernard O’Hanlon. My father had four siblings, Bernard (Ben), Norman, Ronald and Phyllis O’Hanlon. The family went back to Belfast, or close by, in 1938 and my father served in the British Army from 1939-1946. On June 18, 1947 my parents married and I was born the following May 15, 1948. The address on my birth certificate is 12 Cedar Valley, Ballydollaghan, in the district of Ballylesson, Lisburn.In the Spring of 1949 my parents and I came by ship to Toronto, Ontario, Canada. All of my Father’s siblings, except for Ronald and Phyllis, emigrated to Canada after that. My Grandfather, Bernard O’Hanlon, left the family and has never been heard from. My Grandmother, Lavinia O’Hanlon, stayed in Ireland and lived on 29 London Road, Belfast until her death many years ago.Any information on either side of my family would be greatly appreciated. I am hoping to take a trip to Ireland (and hopefully) Saintfield this year.

Sincerely,

Betty (Hanlon) Catania”

The last two people who made enquiries about their families through this website were successfully re-united.  Let’s hope this can be a third success.