coleraine Archives — One Irish Rover

Faces of the Somme, 1st July 1916

The Somme offensive in 1916 was one of the biggest and bloodiest battles of the First World War. With well over one million casualties and 300,000 fatalities, the five-month battle finally came to an...

Sweethearts Always

Every once in a while, usually after a glass of red wine, I have a look at mum and dad's old photos. They met in the late 1950s, in a hall over in Garvagh. Although dad was ten years older,...

Buried Under His Bed – Aged Coleraine Man’s Hoard

1912 - In the Probate Court, Dublin, before Mr. Justice Madden, in the matter of the goods of Hugh Kennedy, deceased, Mr. Wylie (instructed by Mr. William O’Kane) applied on behalf of Hugh Kennedy...

Sunset in Coleraine

The Coleraine chapter of my life began in 1990. It lasted over 18 years, before I left in 2008 for pastures new. Work back then involved travelling, each day, at all hours of the day and night,...

About One Irish Rover

One Irish Rover focuses on the history and the people of the area in Northern Ireland where I grew up i.e. the Portglenone, Kilrea, Maghera and Tamlaght areas, in Counties Derry and Antrim.

My mother took many photos and saved lots of old newspaper cuttings. Many of these appear on this website.

I love to delve through old newspapers, discovering and piecing together local stories. You will find originally researched articles on this website, that aren't available elsewhere. Indeed, many of the old events have been pieced together, using various resources, and are now only being told fully for the first time.

I am also delighted to receive old photos, and stories. Feel free to drop me a line, via the Contact link (in the MENU above). Thanks for all your contributions.