Some of my first major memories, are going to the bowls in Tamlaght with dad. This era would stretch from the mid 1970’s to 1980 or so. One memory is of a beautiful, calm, moonlit night, going home from the bowls, our car turning left at Robert Agnew’s house, onto the Eden Road. The moon appeared in glimpses through the trees. Leaning over, to hold the wheel, while dad lit a cigarette.
Tamlaght O’Crilly Bowling Club
The names of the members of the bowling club, of that era, that come to mind, include: Johnny Campbell, Tommy Kelso, Robert William Kelso, Alice Kelso, Tony Crockett, Sammy Armstrong, Eddie Moon, Willie Lennox, Alec Crockett, Davie Quinn, Isobel Quinn, Mrs Crockett.
They would meet up one night each week at the church hall belonging to Tamlaght O’Crilly Upper Church. In that same hall, the members of Tamlaght Table-Tennis Club would also meet on a separate night each week. At the end of each season (around May time), a joint awards night would be held, where the year’s cups would be handed out to the winners among the bowlers and the table tennis players.
Tamlaght O’Crilly Table Tennis Club
The Table-Tennis Club, of that era, featured people such as: Robert Armstrong, William Service, Jim Dempsey, Brian Dempsey, Gary Dempsey, Billy Turner, Herbert Patterson, David Reid, Norman Bolton and Billy Crockett.
The Awards Night was sometimes held in a hotel. My mum had saved a couple of the newspaper articles of these awards nights. I was delighted to also receive many photos (on this page) from Iris Service. Many thanks. Gratefully received!
If anyone else has any photos, stories, or memories, linked to the table-tennis or bowling club, please leave a comment, or send me an email.
William Service, Brian Dempsey and Jim Dempsey
Above is an article from the Northern Constitution, featuring the joint bowling and table tennis awards from May 1975. The awards night was held at the Carrick-na-Cule Hotel in Portstewart.
Tamlaght Table Tennis Club Awards Night for the 1976-77 season. Featured in the photo are: Herbert Patterson, William Service, Robert Armstrong, Jim Dempsey, Billy Turner, Reverend Millar, Billy Crockett.
Still on the 1976-1977 awards night, we see in the photo above: William Service, David Armstrong, Billy Turner, Jim Dempsey.
From the 1979 Awards night, above, we see William Service and Tommy Kelso.
Moving on to the awards night in 1980, we see featured above: Herbert Patterson, William Service, Robert Armstrong, David Reid, Billy Turner, Norman Bolton, Billy Crockett, Brian Dempsey, the Reverend Millar, and Gary Dempsey.
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