Your Responses

Robert James (Roy) McClean - June '08
I attanded Harryville P. S from 1948 to 1950. I originally attended Ballymena Model Public Elementary School but when the 1947 Education Act came into force I transferred to Harryville. I lived in those days at 77 Bridge Street and went straight into Mr Edmondson's class. Mr Leetch lived round the corner from me in Clonmohr Terrace commonly known as Clonavon Terrace. One of my class was Wilsie Booth who went with me to the Academy and he eventually became Very Rev. Prebendary W. Booth MVO the Chaplin to Her Majesty the Queen. My wife also attended Harryville (though I did not come to know her until many years later) she was Anne Hamill from Queen Street and went on to teach for nearlynforty years in the Academy, even though she went to Cambridge House. I myself worked in the County Hall, and was the first Road Safety Education Officer employed by the DoE for the NEELB. I also served 31 years part time in the RUCR.
harryville was an excellent school and even though I was only there for a couple of years has left lasting memories on me (especially Mr Edmondson's cane).

Andy Kennedy - Nov '06
Just scrolling through the net on a cold wet day and came on this site. I was one of that crowd that were bussed from the Rectory estate and I was at Harryville from 1951 - 1957. People that I remember from my time are Ian Marcus, Alan Surgenor, Kenneth Richmond, Sandra McCartney, Agnes Watt David Getty, Ronnie Nelson and Norman Rainey. Earlier e-mail from Sam Bell - is he the same Bell as Stella who was in my class? I remember that "big news" day that "the castle was burnt" and we all went up to Mcintosh's shop - referred to earlier to see the smoke rising over among the trees in the direction of the present Leisure Centre. So many memories flood back - Jane Budd, Billy Moore, Jock Edmonson and the whacks on the back of the knees, the smell of pipe smoke from Mr. Leech's office, etc., etc. Anybody remember Hegarty's shop in Waring Street? There was a later one at the corner of Edward Street.

Robert (Robin) Andrews - Oct '06
I was a pupil at Harryville School from 1959 untill 1965.

Alex and Jean McCaw (nee Fleck) - July '06
We found your web site while catching up on other news from Ballymena. Both of us were pupils at Harryville school from 1952/53 onwards.
Who remembers Mr. Bill O'Neill and his reading of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn every Friday afternoon?
Mrs Mann upstairs terrified us. Ms Parker, Wilson, Thompson, Mr Willie Moore, Edmunson, Then Mr. Leech and his music classes never without the tuning fork which he tapped loudly on one of the front desks, The icicles hanging from the outside toilets roof which we knocked off and sucked like lollipops (when temps were zero) Being chosen to fetch the small bottles of Suki Sue orange juice from Mansens dairy at the bottom of Casement Street and then in winter the dairy had turkeys penned off, near the back door, obviously awaiting their fate for some folks Christmas dinner, menacing looking birds for small children, Where is Paul Alan who always borrowed my eraser and ruler, Janet Wallace who always had bags of sweets from her father's shop, Rose Dahn who played with me and Joan her sister, Harish her brother?
Francis Cobel, Anne Fry, Sharon Wilkenson Sammy Beattie, Sam Bell, who suffered from asthma in his school days and for a few years was my near neighbour (saw your input Sam) Frances Craig and many more, Mackentosh's shop with lucky lumps and gob stoppers, One could write pages, We emigrated to South Africa in 1981 with our four sons, born in NI and all are married and to date we have three grandsons.
On our next visit to Ballymena we will make a point of visiting Harryville School again and maybe we will hear from some of you before then. Where in the world are some of the folks from those school years?

EdwinBallymena - Mar 06
My father attended the old school, on Larne street, whilst the new school was being built (that is, the present one on Casement Street). He told me he vividly remembers being moved to the new school, and having to march from the old school, to Casement Street. He was only about 5 at the time, which would put the date in or around 1930.

Shaun Beech - Canada - Nov 05
Hello.
My name is Shaun Beech. Born and bred in Ballymena. Spent a few years in Larne,and Rathcoole. Had a lot of good times in Kelleys in Portrush,long drive from B,mena. Emigrated to Canada in 74. Any one from this era who spent time around Kelleys,drop a line. [ S.beech@shaw,ca ]
Just heard about George Best passing away-what a loss - a great individual and sportsman.

David Gilmore - Sept '05
Hi my name is David Gilmore I attended Harryville from 55-61 approx I started in Miss Wilson's P1 class and remember very clearly that first day, Joan Dann(Sorry Joan if spelling is wrong but it never was my strong subject) was starting her first day and Joan was the first coloured person I had seen and Joan cried all day, Miss wilson was a great lady it was a great school and I remember Mr. O'Neill well as he was my final year teacher at Harryville. Mr. Leetch the Head took us for Music and I rember him saying I was tone deaf. I also remember his cane it was a fairly thick bamboo and stung a lot especially after 6 of the best. I came from a large family 13 of us and I think most of us went to Harryville.

Wilbert Logan - August '05
I was at Harryville PS from 1954 to 1961. I grew up in Chichester Park West. I remember all those teachers, especially Jock Edmonston. He slapped me across the back of the Knees for being late back from lunch. My father was from Tullygarley and he knew Jock very well. My mother went to Harryville and in fact remembers being marched from the old school on Larne St to the new Harryville when it opened. Contact me if you want.

Gemma - August '05
Hi everyone, my name is Gemma and I was a pupil at Harryville Primary between the years of 1993 - 2000. I have alot of memories from the school some of which are better than others, one is that Our class used to stand up and sing a song together while doing actions to it at the same time. This was in p5 with Miss craig. I would like to hear from anyone about their memories of the school.

Margaret Wylie - July '05
Hello Ballymena folks,

My name is Margaret Wylie (Torbitt) I used to live on the Moat Road in the 1930's. I attended Harryville School, and the girls club in the town. I studied dressmaking with Miss. O'Rourke, I have since moved to Canada. Most of my family still lives in Ballymena. I love to see the pictures of our lovely town on the internet and send out greetings from Canada to all.

Sam Bell - July '05
Very interested to read of former pupils at Harryville. I was there from about 1952, and lived in Chichester Park Central, quite close to where Mr O'Neill lived , in fact. (Those were the days when even mature teachers could still be living in rented council accommodation...).

I have been living in England since 1968, have worked as a teacher myself, and now sculpt obsessively - if interested in communicating, see http://www.stonesculpture.gothere.uk.com

Currently still have family in Ballymena, and visit to enjoy the GORGEOUS SMELL of Ireland and long walks to the Plough in Broughshane.

Dean Robinson - January '05
I went to harryville primary between the years of 1994-2001 and live in chichester park central. The teachers i had were : mr black, miss stewart, etc. please get back if you visited h'ville in these years.

weirdo jr.

littlespirit:
I was a pupil at Harryville Primary School from about 1954/55 until 1961/62. I would be interested to hear from anyone who was a pupil at that time. The head master was Mr. Leetch at the time. Other teachers I remember were Miss Wilson, Mr. O`Neill, Mr. Moore and Mr. Edmunson.

your place and mine contributor:
I attended Harryville School from Easter 1966 until June 1972. The poor teachers afflicted with me were Miss Morrow, Miss Bell, Miss McDowell (Mrs Simpson), Miss Miller, Miss Simpson, Mr Stirling and Mr Edmundson. I think that everyone's favourite was "Jock" Edmundson, especially when he "fell asleep" at the front of the class until such times as we ventured to see what time it was. Then he would open one eye and tell you the time. I also remember well, Miss Simpson reading to us "The Coral Island", and I have kept a love for that book ever since. Most of these will have long retired, if not gone to the great schoolroom in the sky - for putting up with me, they deserve to be canonised.

My son is quite amazed that his dad's school is still standing and being used, as opposed to being at the Ulster Folk Museum. He also asked if I had written with chalk and slate..... cheek!!!

Happy to hear any one else's memories.

your place and mine contributor:
I performed with an educational theatre company in Harryville in the mid 80's when the building was getting fairly elderly. I don't remember the visit so clearly (we also worked on the same day at St Mary's and Dunclug) except that the architecture was of the 1930's modern style. I thought nothing of it for ten years until one day I met a wee woman from Ballymena where I live over here in Dorset, now called Maureen Spatchet, who had been amongst some of the first kids to attend the school.

Joe Mack:
Hi Friends in Ballymena,
I used to live in Moat Road, near the school, and my daughter Carol and sons Stephen and Robert attended the school. This was in the 60's. There was a little shop at the top of Casement Street. We lived in a house opposite the Moat, in Moat Road. Perhaps someone who reads this might contact me and who knows we might be lucky and meet up with some old friends. I worked in the Co-Op, in Church St in the 50's-60's. I ran the Lifeboys in Harryville Church and opened one of the first youth clubs in Ballymena, in the same church. I then turned professional and moved to Rathcoole, Newtownabbey. I was the full-time youth leader at Lombard Youth Club, Tower Street, East Belfast until the Troubles in 69. I then left Ireland and went to Cheshire and tutored on a course at Liverpool University. I now live a very busy yet happy retired life in Essex. Should anyone like further information or can remember me, then maybe you'd like to get in touch with me here at "Your Place & Mine".