‘Springtown Camp is a monument to the resilience, to the poverty hardship but most of all the endurance of a community who were alone in their struggle for proper homes”
John McLaughlin
I sighed and looked around me and gazed in disbelief
for I saw poor people living through poverty and grief.
And standing gaunt and broken the old tin huts of green
While looking on are the mountains of Scalp and Eskaheen
Seamus McConnell
A fourteen-year-old boy was fined 1 shilling with an extra £2 and 4s costs for blocking up the burn at the Lough Swilly railway line at Springtown Camp with sods in order to use it as a swimming pool. The court was told they were close to thirty children looking on as the swimming pool was being formed.
Mr Jackson from Springtown House owner of the lovely orchard adjoining the camp sought financial help from the Londonderry Corporation to block of his property more securely . He was of the opinion that the Corporation had a responsibility to pay for the higher fence. The Corporation refused. Probably it was the only decision taken by the Corporation that the campers agreed with!
Children recall their innocent antics and faltering steps to maturity, which created wonderful memories and formed lasting friendships.
Parents recall the stark choices they faced, emigrate, stay and tolerate the grinding reality, or stand up and confront the powers-that-be.
Helplessly, we watch our sons with suitcase in hand
Leave home to seek employment in a foreign land.
When walking through the camp gate ‘Round Springtown’s streets I strolled I saw myself surrounded By people young and old The young ones were my old friends And one child that I could see Made me stare in wonder For I knew that child was me
Seamus McConnell
A SELECTION OF THE ‘PRINTABLE’ NICKNAMES
Johnny ‘Cow walloper’ Sweeney
Alfred ‘Snooker’ Cullen
Tommy ‘Moonman’ Duffy
Tommy ‘Trout’ Mooney
Patsy ‘Ghost’ Quinn
Mary ‘Needles’ Anderson
Neil ‘Uncle’ McLaughlin
Charlie ‘Butcher’ Carlin
Mickey ‘Fairy Feet’ Holmes
John ‘Dootie-in’ Coyle
George ‘Buzzer’ McLaughlin
Christie ‘Seekie’ McClelland
Jimmy ‘Deadman’ Riley
Willie ‘White Mouse’ Doherty
James ‘Gander’ Scanlon
Eddie ‘Tip’ Canavan
Kevin ‘Jap’ McLaughlin
Paddy ‘Banty’ Doherty
‘Onion’ Friel
Tommy ‘Tit’ Lynch
Paddy ‘Bull’ Sweeney
Christine ‘Cookie’ Dunn
Jim ‘Pirate’ Duffy
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Photographs
Image taken 52 years apart Willie Deery, Brendan Wilkinson, John Doherty, Seamus Callaghan and Stevie Wilkinson
The march on Tuesday 28 January 1964
Willie Campbell at his front door with some children of the camp
Shop owners Joe and Frances Canning with daughter Kathleen and her children
Martin Fleming on his first communion day with his sister
Baby sitting in the camp
John McLaughlin, Willie Edgar and Rory Quigley on the set of the Springtown Play
Rob Strong Ireland top blues singer
Charlie Nash born in Springtown Camp
A picture says a thousand words Corporation Housing Manager Mr. Murphy has no answers for Charles Witherspoon UTV interviewer in 1964
The Old Bridge the day before it was demolished
Neekie Henry in his living room
Danny Jackson with his father Willie Jackson
Back row Tony Gormley, Danny McLaughlin, Hugo O’Neill, Seamus Fleming
Front row Hugo Henry, George Lynch and Stephen Canavan
Mr & Mrs John English with Margaret, Jim and Ann on her first communion day
Collection signatures for the camp petition in 1964 Mr Mc Laughlin, Johnny Doherty, John McLaughlin and George Buzzard McLaughlin with a UTA conductor
The Magowan & Kelly family
Alex Parsons and his wife Mary
Eddie ‘Tip’ Canavan
Jimmy McCarron with his goat
The Buncrana Train passing the camp in 1943
People from Scotland and the Dunn Family over for the reunion dance meet the Mayor of Derry in 1988
Stanley 'Elvis' Colby
Eugene McLaughlin, George Stewart, and John Brown
Bella Carlin and daughter Maura
Charlie McCarron
Jimmy and Lily Jennings
George Lynch, Mickey Henry and Hugo Henry
Wilkinson, Fox and Doherty children
Betty 'Powell' Harkin
Mrs Lena McGinley with some of her children
The Entertainers: John Gillespie, Stanly Colby, Tony Nash, Jackie McConnell, Seamus McConnell, Jimmy Deery, Hughie Harkin and Andy Wilkinson
Michael Curran and Christie McClelland
Martin McGuinness, Willie Deery, John Hume
Maggie J. Sweeney
Marchers leaving the camp 1964
Jimmy Jennings waving to old friend Paddy Roddy
Anne and Paddy McLaughlin, Frankie Doherty and Paddy Parsons with friends
The very first team. Springtown Celtic 1949
Charlie, Frances with twins, George and Margaret, Sarah, and Mary Lynch on last day in the camp
Kitty Lynch waving goodbye last day of the camp
Willie Scanlon
Dolly Sweeney with daughters and a friend
Willie Campbell with women of the camp 1964
Wilkinson and Moore children School photograph
Mary Deery on her wedding day with Theresa Deery and Kathleen Bradley
The McGuinness children
May Parke and cousin on their first communion day
The seven sons of Willie & Martha Wilkinson
The Thompson children with Mum and Dad
Mr & Mrs Charlie O’Hagan and children
Lily Stanley, and friend Noreen Killen
The Northland Road leading to the camp gate circa 1938
Mr. & Mrs Peter Hagan
Gerald Hegarty with grandchildren
The Huts when occupied by the Americans
Jimmy Deery with MP Charles Stewart and residents. Mrs Collett, Kitty Lynch and Phyllis Doherty
A section of the crowd and Art Installation unveiling
Alex Killen, Mrs M McMonagle, and Hughie McMonagle
Sheila Brennan with her Mother Margaret
Noel McDonald, Alex Killen, Danny McMonagle, George Killen and Gerry McDonald
Sheila Brennan
Mrs Dolly Breslin, visiting her sister Mrs Mary P. Duddy
Margaret Doherty, Willie McConnell and Andy Doherty
Brothers Junior and Danny Spratt
Mr / Mrs. Magee & Family
Stevie Wilkinson & Willie Deery
(Dublin 1969)
Eilish Callaghan on her wedding day
Cissie Moore wife of John
Brothers Gerald and Georgie Hegarty
Jack Jennings with his children
US Sailors rehearsing in the Springtown Camp 1942
Eamon Wilkinson with his wife Rosaleen and his daughter
Eamonn Wilkinson and wife Rosaleen on their wedding day
Martin McGuinness, Willie Deery, Gerry Anderson and Sean Coyle at book launch
Francie Brandon proud Springtown Camp man
Jimmy Deery with is daughter Celine
Hugo Cullen, Seamus Fleming and George Lynch
Molly Dunn, Jenny Deery and Martha Dunn
Alex Hegarty with his wife
Eileen Mc Ginley on her 70th Birthday
Granny Fisher with grandson Bobby.
Well, listen and I’ll speak of a character unique Who used to walk the trouble streets of Derry
He always wore a smile, his manner could beguile
And everyone called his Tipperary
From Springtown Camp he came, and each night was the same
At all hours you could hear him loudly singing No sooner off the bus until there was a fuss For all the children to his coat were clinging
Down William Street he’d sit, a man of charm and wit
The stories he could tell were quite amazing With bottle in his hand, he didn’t give a damn
If all around him half the town was blazing
Seamus McConnell
PLACARDS:
When I was a lad
I lived with my Dad
In Springtown Camp
Now, I’m a Dad
With a few Lads
Still in Springtown Camp
John McLaughlin
Springtown Camp
Derry’s ‘Little Rock’
Billy McLaughlin
Our lives in your hands’
Kathleen McLaughlin
We are nobody’s Baby
No Future in Tin Huts
Phillip Burns
‘I’m good enough to serve in the army but not good enough to get a house to rear by children’
Eddie ‘Boy’ Moore
‘When I was a young fella, I loved to go out to Springtown Camp to feel the warmth, companionship and the craic from down to earth genuine people and where egos didn’t exist’
Paddy ‘Yunky Kerr.
I remembered being in bed at night as a young boy and listening to the sound of the rain beating down on our tin hut. Also swimming in the burn and making Batons with rushes plucked from the Rushie field spring to mind. But the thing I remember most of all was my boyhood friends and especially my close friend Jim Campbell who died so young.
Peter Divin
Apart from the conditions of the huts, most people have happy memories of Springtown Camp- sure you could let the children out to play in the knowledge that they would be safe, not like today’s world.
Sadie Campbell
Remembering their laughter,
‘Gander’ Scanlon a super footballer, if you kept him sober and Johnny ‘Beardy’ Saunders who shaved every October.
Neil ‘Uncle’ McLaughlin, hated bullies if their anger stung
To them he would never, restrain his temper or his tongue.
Enter! John ‘Dootie-in’ Coyle who interrupted many a match
When out of the blue, like lightning, the ball he would snatch.
‘Big’ Jimmy Jennings to the young, radiated hope and cheer Grew kindlier, with his wise counsel, he took away their fear
Fred ‘Snooker’ Cullen with a grin, sold the ‘Telegraph’ in town To the Foreign Sailors, at the inflated price of half-a-crown
Eddie ‘Tip’ Canavan, advice to passers-by in a mad hurry.
If you Worry you die, don’t worry you still die, so why worry.
Recalling our boyhood innocent antics and faltering steps to maturity which created wonderful memories and formed lasting friendships.
People who for no particular reason flash across my mind.
Hannah Burke, Mary Ann Meehan, Bella Hagan, John Moore, Jamesie Hagan and Eddie ‘Boy’ Moore. All their wee characteristics I could clearly see in those momentarily glimpses back in time.
The unfavourable image of Springtown Camp as a place and an environment to live in.
Could not deter the hopes and aspirations of a people of strong character