Hugh Daly showing Joe Mahon some memorabilia from Poyntzpass.
Joe Mahon is continuing his travels around Northern Ireland with his new UTV series of ‘Mahon’s Way’ and his next episode brings him to Poyntzpass.
Due to air on Tuesday 22nd August at 8pm, Joe goes on a whistle-stop tour of the town and its surrounding areas, finding out about its history from local people who call it home.
Joe learns how Poyntzpass gets its name, which dates back to the 1500s, and the Nine Years War.
With the help of members of the local historical society, Joe goes on a mission to discover what its residents from the past have left behind, be that items and artefacts, or poetry and song. And as a result, this episode is jammed with interesting facts, people, and stories.
Joe Mahon and Eoin Brown go metal detecting in the twilight at Poyntzpass.
He meets up outside Poyntzpass with a young metal detctorist called Owen Brown who has been scanning the area for clues to the area’s past. He shows Joe many of the artefacts he has found including coins from 1700s and a spearhead from the Bronze Age.
Joe has a go himself, but with less successful results!
Joe also meets Barbara Best who tells Joe about the legendary Savage Sisters, Minnie and Sara who were spinster sisters living in the town. He learns of and sees for himself the many talents that Sara especially had, be that craft, music or poems, all of which give a valuable insight into life in Poyntzpass in days gone by.
Joe Mahon and Barbara Best, and the Poyntzpass museum collection.
In the second half of the programme, Joe goes to Action Parish and learns about the writings of Dr McDermott, and also learns about the ‘Before I forget’ books, and reads some very funny obituaries about local people.
Finally Joe hears about the Wedding Field and why it was so called.
Robert Morrow and Joe Mahon in the loanin at Poyntzpass.
‘MAHON’S WAY is produced by Westway Film Productions for UTV, supported by Northern Ireland Screen’s Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund.
The series is sponsored by FirmusEnergy. You can watch this episode on Tuesday 22ndAugust at 8pm on UTV and on catch up on www.itv.com/utvprogrammes