Ina remembers that ....
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Causeway Columns
(Photo Richard Moore)
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The Giants Causeway was a great place to be. Happy enjoyable times. People meeting people from all walks of life. Visitors came from all over Ireland, Scotland, England including other countries. Visitors would stop and talk with the shop keepers, look in amazement around the Causeway and the sea in all its splendor. For the local people there was pride. Everyone was dressed in their finery. The Giants Causeway became a tourist attraction to the wealthy as well, but regardless of who you were everyone was equal when you were at the Causeway.
The path to the Causeway was very narrow and steep, but that did not stop the visitors from making the stroll down to the bottom. At the bottom of the path "The Martin" would meet and greet you and accept a small entrance fee. The Martin's had a house at the bottom of the Causeway where a fence was located.
(View the house and read more about the Martin family's time at the Causeway by clicking here .)
Many shops existed at that time at the bottom of the Causeway. The exact number I could not tell you, maybe eight to ten, all sold trinkets, little knickknacks, plenty of post cards ( all the shops sold post cards ), china, shillelaghs of all sizes and rock candy. All had pictures or prints of the Causeway, even the rock candy. Wishing Chairs were always in demand. Shillelaghs were big souvenir items. Ice Cream treats were always around.
( Read about the McMaster family, who dished up icecream at the Causeway.)
The local home crowd had fun, those were the days when everyone knew each other and the times were carefree and happy. When the ships docked at Portrush, the Navy was in abundance at the Causeway.
The Causeway had many, many images and all had stories:
- 'The Organ'
- 'The Wishing Chair'
- 'The Honey Comb'
- 'Lord Antrim's Parlour'
- 'The Chimney Tops'
Also, if you looked up the cliff you would see an old man with a cane and a bag on his back walking up the cliff. Two years ago, when I paid a visit home, the Causeway was not the same... But it 's still my home and it will always be my home.....
Ina has promised Your Place & mine more stories and details about
the Causeway at that time. We're certainly looking forward
to receiving them.
Your responses:
David Thomas - Feb '06
I have stories about my Uncle Alec, who in some very
posh glossy hardback edition of the Causeway, was called
The King of the Causeway, but some may not be publishable...
lol.. anyhow, thanks to you all for putting up a wonderful
site about my family, the Martin Clan..
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