Joe Mahon visits Lough Neagh, near Belfast, to meet
volunteers working to restore the former monastic retreat of Rams
Island to its former glory. He also travels to the nearby town of
Glenavy, where he hears the story of John Ballance, a local man who
emigrated to New Zealand in 1865 - and became its prime minister 26
years later.
Filmed in April 2012
Broadcast
originally on BBC1 N.I. then
repeated on
BBC2 N.I.
During WW2
USAAF personnel from the American base at Langford Lodge took time
off to relax on Rams Island. Made a change from working on
Lightnings, Thunderbolts and Liberators etc. Some of the visitors
carved their names and home states on the Beech trees. At the start
of WW2 a detachment of Belgian Troops were actually stationed on the
Island. A television crew from 360 Productions filmed Dan Snow
British Television presenter on Friday evening 5th August 2011 for a
series of historical programmes on WW2 to be aired by the BBC.
Surrounded by airfields and with the famous Sandy Bay Flying boat
base Lough Neagh and Rams Island played a large background role in
the war effort. This was mainly training, servicing and armament
production.
Helen Mark is in
Northern Ireland where she takes
to the waters of Lough Neagh,
the largest lake in the UK,
measuring over 20 miles long,
nine miles wide and containing
over 800 billion gallons of
water! Six major rivers flow
into the Lough and only one, the
River Bann, flows out. Five of
the six counties which make up
Northern Ireland have shores on
the Lough which is also a source
of fresh water to many people.
Eel fishing on the lough has
played a huge part in the lives
of local people for centuries
whilst the lake is also at the
forefront of the sand extraction
industry. Yet although the lough
has been described as extremely
enigmatic, it has remained very
much a place of extraction with
very little put back in to it
over the years. Seven years ago,
a group of local people came
together to do something about
this and recently their hard
work was rewarded when the Lough
Neagh Partnership received an
award for Outstanding
Achievement.
Helen hears from some of the
people involved and starts her
journey by boarding the Island
Warrior from Sandy Bay to Rams
Island, formerly a rat-infested
strip of land on the lough and
now a haven for wildlife and a
popular tourist spot. She hears
from Gerry Darby about why the
Lough Neagh Partnership was
formed and also from Island
Warrior skipper and volunteer,
Michael Savage, about the labour
of love carried out to transform
Rams Island. Helen then
continues her journey around the
shore hearing from heritage
officer and archaeologist, Moira
O'Rourke about some of the
stories she has unearthed in her
shoreline walks and from Kieran
Breen of the Lough Neagh
Heritage Boating Association
about his passion for keeping
alive the age-old spirit of the
Lough Neagh by building some of
the old traditional working
boats used on the lough.
Helen rounds off her day along
the shores with a visit to Coney
Island, the only inhabited
island on the lough, where she
hears from the island's only
inhabitant about the changes he
has seen during his 12 years on
Coney.
Creating an island paradise from an
environmental hell is a big job. BBC
Northern Ireland's rural affairs
correspondent Martin Cassidy made
the voyage to Ram's Island on Lough
Neagh to see how it's being done.
Starting in 2003/4 this is the story
about the building by Volunteers of
a new 72 metre steel jetty at Rams
Island
John Kelly Tug and Barges
Clips taken circa1960 from around
Albert Bridge
Barge Conversion
Conversion of a Lagan Coal Barge to
a Floating Interpretive Centre
for use at Rams Island on Lough
Neagh
Built by Harland and Wolff in 1955
The barge (JK 16) an ex John Kelly
coal lighter was originally used to
transport coal along the Lagan from
the Belfast Coal Quays to the Gas
Works in Belfast. It was
subsequently sold to the sand trade
on Lough Neagh and was used by
Readymix at Toome Bay. Replaced by
larger barges JK 16 was donated to
the Rams Island Heritage Project by
Readymix in 2004
J.K. 16 dumb barge
O.N. 185561. 53 grt/nrt. 65.2 x 14.6
x 6.2 feet.
1955: Built by Harland & Wolff Ltd,
Belfast, for John Kelly Ltd,
Belfast.
1955: 1st registered at Belfast.
1968: Sold to J. N. Emerson & Sons,
Ardmore, Lurgan.
1992: Still on British register.
Barge Conversion Launch and Fitout
Saved from the scrapman in 2004 ex
John Kelly Coal Barge JK16 refloated
and fitted out at Toomebridge and
Antrim during 2008 and 2009 as a
floating Interpretive Centre for
Rams Island Lough Neagh.
Barge Conversion The Journey to Rams
Island
Saved from the scrapman in 2004
Converted to a floating Interpretive
Centre for Rams Island Lough Neagh.
The journey to Rams Island and the
berthing of the barge at the Island.
Antrim Invades Rams Island
Children from Antrim Community
Groups spent a few days on Rams
Island during August 2010
Echo Ghosthunters Rams Island
Echo Ghosthunters would like to
thank Alfie & Dawn for the wonderful
location. Best night in a long time,
althought we found no evidence of
the paranormal. It was lovely
spending time with Jacqui C.P.I.,
Brian & Veronica B.P.I., Hugh,
Kieran & Mary C.A.P.R.A & Darren.
Enjoyed every minute of it :)
