Belfast Branch Outing to Ulster American Folk Park, OmaghAuthor(s): Phyllis HancoxSource: North Irish Roots, Vol. 14, No. 2 (2003), pp. 24-26Published by: North of Ireland Family History Society (NIFHS)Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27697516 .

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Belfast Branch Outing to

ULSTER AMERICAN FOLK PARK, OMAGH

Phyllis Hancox, Member B 0798

Friday the 4th July dawned bright and dry in Bangor and everything was looking good for a fabulous day. I was going to celebrate American Independence Day with the Belfast Branch of the North of Ireland Family History Society on their outing to the Ulster American Folk Park Omagh Co Tyrone. This was a day to let our hair down and sample some American history and culture and to see some of our own Ulster

countryside on our way.

After picking up our fellow companions in Bangor we made our way to Stranmillis

College, Belfast where our coach was waiting to speed us on our way and take us back to a bygone age with strong ties to Ulster and its people. Imagine our surprise when two members of the coach party came dressed for the occasion. David Robinson

in full American regalia with stars and stripes, topper and waist coat, white trousers and red jacket. His wife, Beverly, not to be outdone was dressed in period costume

complete with bustle. Now nobody was going to forget this day in a hurry.

After a good laugh we boarded the stagecoach -

sorry bus - and set off for our first

stop at the Mid Ulster Garden Centre Maghera where we had tea/coffee and scones and some good Ulster craic. After some refreshments and a few purchases to remind us of the occasion we headed on our way again to the Glenelly Valley and the Goles line of standing stones circa BC. Why they had been placed there nobody knew but then these are some of the mysteries that are part of Irish Folk Lore. An excellent

running commentary was given by Uel Webb as we travelled through the countryside which added much to everybody's enjoyment, while his wife Ruth head counted us onto the bus at each stop to ensure no one was left behind.

Next on the itinerary was a picnic lunch at the Sperrin Heritage Centre and Flora Jackson, Treasurer of the Belfast branch decided that a touch of the Irish was in order and bought herself a shamrock hat and joined our two American friends to add an Irish dimension to the celebrations.

As she paraded it up and down the coach, much to the amusement of everybody, it fell down over her face and shrieks of laughter filled the air. We then set off

again for our final destination through some beautiful

countryside to the American Folk Park and its Migration Studies Centre where we were given an introduction to the facilities available. After a most interesting talk some members used the library for research while the rest proceeded to the exhibition and exhibits in the park.

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We entered the Old World where there was an indoor exhibition telling the story of 200 years of emigration Outside there were guides dressed in traditional costume

who were available to answer any questions we might ask

Our next stop was a single room cabin typical of those in the Sperrin Mountains of

County Tyrone in the 18th century at the time of emigration and one could only imagine how on earth they coped in such cramped conditions

We then came to the Mellon Homestead, the birthplace of Judge Thomas Mellon who was taken by his parents in 1818 aged five to Pennsylvania and became a

prominent American citizen of great distinction The house is in its original state and

a tribute to the foresight of planners of the Omagh Folk Park

Further on we come to Ulster Street with its 19th century shop fronts reminiscent of

typical towns of that period It wouldn't have taken much of a stretch of your imagination to transport you into that era and feel the excitement of the journey ahead and the

expectation of a new life The shops recreated were brought from local villages and towns and reassembled brick by brick on site Among those assembled were Hill's

Chemist, Blairs Printers of Strabane & Reillys Spirit / grocer from Newtownbutler and many others There was a traditional Punch and Judy show for the kiddies and at the bottom of the street, the docks where we boarded the Brig Union a sailing ship from the 19th century which was to take us to the New World

Conditions on the Union were very sparse with little privacy afforded to the passengers

Sleeping accommodation was arranged so as to allow as many passengers as

possible in the space available and headroom to sit upright was non-existent The lack of space and the close proximity of other passengers allowed any sickness

aboard to spread rapidly Many never got to see the New World owing to the poor conditions aboard the migrant ships

However we did arrive safely in the New World and after docking we arrived in an American Street, a representation of a typical American town in the Baltimore &

Boston region, which were entry ports to America in those days It was interesting to

see some of the typical shops and establishments common to the area in those days like the First Mellon Bank & Wheelwright's Shop and we really did feel as if we had

entered the New World

On we went to the Cunningham Springhouse where we were to see a re-enactment

of The Battle of Onskany, which took place August 1776 and was one of the bloodiest ambuscades of the American Revolution This engagement between the New York

militia, the Loyalists and the Indians was to be re enacted for the visitors in celebration

of that day many years ago and the subsequent Independence that was eventually to follow This proved to be a very interesting spectacle with a lot of shooting and

killing of the enemy which added to the atmosphere of the occasion The crowds of onlookers cheered their respective sides and the television cameras recorded the

proceedings for the evening news Needless to say by the time we arrived home that

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night we missed the chance to see the news but were glad others had the chance to share part of the excitement.

After such an exciting and fun packed day it was time to say goodbye to America, the Folk Park and make our way to the coach and the Mellon Inn where our evening meal awaited. Safe in the knowledge that we were returning to our homes with all our mod cons we knew and loved so much. Could we have lived their exciting life

style of self-sufficiency and everyday existence? Somehow I don't think my nerves could stand it. Yet life certainly wasn't dull for them. Ah well. I wonder how things went in Coronation Street* tonight?

* Coronation Street is a British television soap opera.

PRONI Public Search Room and Reading Room will both be closed from 31st October 2003

until 12th January 2004

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