Baseball home runs at the Killyleagh event at the Bridge Centre.
The call of home runs was heard in Killyleagh for the first time in over 75 years as schoolchildren took part in a war-time throwback of American baseball.
It was part of a Second World War-themed sports night on Friday evening as games played by visiting soldiers to the town from 1939 to 1945 were restaged at the Bridge playing fields.
Chris Hagan said: “The favourite among the primary school kids appeared to be baseball which was first played in the town by American GI’s when they were based in Killyleagh in 1942.
“The teams also enjoyed playing soccer and cricket, a game at which Shrigley villagers were once kingpins in Northern Ireland.
“Everyone’s child taking part was presented at the end with a souvenir medal plus free drinks and crisps. The back-in-time event was organised by the Killyleagh Remembers the War group and Killyleagh Summer League, with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
“It was a belated way to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War after the original events had to be postponed and cancelled due to Covid.”
This Sunday the Killyleagh Coastal Rowing Club will exhibit the skiffie boats which were popular on the lough around 1939. The group is planning an off-shore memorial event on the lough in memory of those from Killyleagh who lost their lives at at sea during the war.
There will also be a photographic display of those killed at sea and a short ceremony at 1.30pm, close to the Killyleagh Yacht Club’s launch point at Net Walk. All families are welcome. Full details will be confirmed on the war group Facebook page.
The final event will take place on Tuesday evening at 7pm. It is a unique cross-community, posthumous tribute to Killyleagh’s last war hero, Martin `Tina’ Charters, on what would have been his 100th birthday.
The tribute evening at the Castle Square at begin at 7pm and will include contributions from his family, Ann Fee and Austin Cheevers of the Sloane and Killyleagh Remembers the War groups, and local musician Conal Montgomery who will sing “We’ll meet again.“
As part of the night a specially commissioned bench, bearing Tina’s name, will be dedicated. It has been paid for by Councillor Billy Walker.
