A shaky Walk Round Banbridge Academy 50 years on

( First of all apologies for the shaky nature of this video. I didn't realize how dreadful it was until I viewed it. )
Banbridge Academy was my old school. I was a pupil at Banbridge Academy around 50 years ago. Banbridge Academy '64-71 I have hardly been back since. There is very little of the old school that I remember left standing.
I thoroughly enjoyed my Academy years and was and am always very grateful for the opportunity to to attend a good school with supportive teachers and a fun peer, hard working group.
apolgies to staff and pupils that i forgot to mention. Various names came back to me after the video eg Mr Harkness -history teacher.

[@christrotter7644]

The red brick buildings surrounding the main stone building have been around at least the 90s, perhaps even earlier. Other buildings and extensions were added after 2008 including the large arch-roofed building which contains a canteen. I managed to have a walk-around a couple of years ago when I was home for Christmas, but usually the entrances are closed outside of term-time. I still remember the relief of opening up the 11+ envelope and discovering I'd secured a place! Tom, had the railway completely shut by the time you were there?

[@TomMcClean]

Yes when I arrived at the Academy the railway was gone but you could see right down and see where the tracks had been. When I was a lad you could look out the back bedroom window of Windsor Tce , and see the black billowing smoke steam train puffing along towards Newcastle. Not sure how it got across the main street- I can't remember any tunnels. I wonder what way it came along? It came along from the street entrance to Solitude park. I must look up an old map. I remember seeing the old station building was down Huntley road before it was removed so how did the tracks get across Banbridge main street. There had to be a tunnel but i don't remember it.

[@TomMcClean]

Ah I'm thinking that the track may have run under the bridge and alongside the Bann river. This would seem most likely.

[@christrotter7644]

Funny enough I've been looking into this over Easter using Google Maps satellite images. There must of been a bridge over the Bann which was removed once the line was decommissioned. There is a disused piece of land between the Bann and the Lurgan Road where the old line must of connected with a now-gone bridge. What I find very interesting is that you can see the remnants of the old lines on satellite images from Scarva to Banbridge, Banbridge to Castlewellan and Banbridge to Lisburn. Although the lines are gone, you can see tree-lined paths snaking their way through the countryside occasionally interrupted with a newly built house or some farmer who has appropriated the land. It appears that the local transport authority removed all the unnecessary bridges as part of their decommissioning plan. It's fascinating what a few satellite images can reveal. This is worth a read. nigreenways.com/about/

[@TomMcClean]

There was a line running in from Dromore and Belfast. That must have been the track at the back of the Academy. Then there was the track I watched trains using heading out to Newcastle. this ran along near the Bann at the back of Solitude park. Then there was another track heading out to Scarva. The old memeory is not so good on where the bridges etc all were Yes there must have been a bridge to cross the Lurgan road above the Academy. Thanks for the link. It was always a shame that these rail tracks were allowed to go in the first place. Of course it was all about economy and saving cash.

[@squarecpc2145]

Thé dôme thing is the Atrium

[@andybrown223]

very nice mate'my old school orangefield high school is being demolished at the minute.shame such great memories.

[@TomMcClean]

My 'ole mate Brian Ervine ( David's brother ) taught there. Brian Houston the singer songwriter went there too as did Van the Man and Eric Bell of Thin Lizzy.

[@thegamingprothegaminglife8749]

It's greet to see some of your old schools

[@TomMcClean]

Hi the gaming pro the gaming life, Hey thanks very much for that. The filming was rather terribly bouncy and I was in 2 minds whether I should publish but I kept it in because of the commentary being a bit of Banbridge local history.

[@johnkerr1672]

hi tom, Ha, i went to this school too back from 77-82 - ricky knight taught me too as did bambrick and mcconkey, dorman was the headmaster. - small world lol - well defo have to see about getting something going for gary moore (Y) :)

[@TomMcClean]

Hi John, Thanks for dropping by. I'm trying to place you. I know I was well gone by the time you arrived at the Academy but your name does ring a bell. Did you live on the Lurgan road? Did you knock about with a John Giffin? I seem to remember this? Maybe I'm wrong. It was a long time ago. The memory plays tricks. Anyway I had a great time at the Academy and growing up in Banbridge. The headmaster of Church Ctreet PS when i went through was a Mr Kerr-any relation? Gary Moore should have a statue in Belfast.

[@kenrunciman8706]

I did my O, and A levels there at the same time-but my greatest achievement was snogging Heather McCreary after the school disco! Loved my time there, and my fellow students-not sure if it was necessarily reciprocated, but who cares, it was a great time in so many ways, and the memories are strong....

[@andybrown223]

yes mate the school was full of local hero's.

[@ayylmaotv]

it's a good school but it's went downhill lol

[@TomMcClean]

Teachers everywhere are having difficulties trying to teach. There are so many restrictions now on what they can and cannot do as regards discipline. A good school will be a good school because of it's Senior Management teachers and in particular it's headmaster/mistress. If these are not good and not supportive of their staff then discipline will falter and morale and results will fall. Best wishes thanks for calling in.

[@its._cat109]

I'm in this school. 😝

[@TomMcClean]

Hey Queencat 0201 I was there in 1964 -1971 -all those years ago. I used to look up at the team pictures on the walls of the old main school building and wonder who all those people were looking down on me from decades before. Now I am one of them! lol Don't waste your school time. Have fun yes but get as many and as high GCSEs and A levels as you can get. The competition for jobs is fierce. Generally speaking University degrees are a waste of time and get you in debt unless you know exactly what you want eg teacher nurse doctor engineer. Most of the rest of them like Philosophy/politics/social type degrees are just to get you there and then take your money and get you in debt to a student loan. Thanks for calling in. i have lots more Banbridge and Academy KZbin videos up. Best wishes.

[@christinegibson9626]

GO EDENDERRY YAY ITS BESIDE EDENDERRY MY SCHOOL

[@TomMcClean]

I went to Church Street PS in the 1950s Christine before the school was transfered up to the newly built Edenderry PS. Best wishes from Belfast.

[@jimgiraffe5253]

there from 89-95 rip winston breen and jim mcconkey and the dreaeded frau mckay brian moore was probably the best teacher i ever had and a really decent man, rev merv mcclean - awesome guy in the early 90's we had a influx of new teachers - the sexy ms lavery chemistry teacher, the scary mrs campbell maths teacher who got me an a-at alevel.... I wish i could go back and be better. My Mate chris poots took his own life in 2010 - rip chris

[@TomMcClean]

I was there a lot earlier than you Jim. 1964-71 or so. I only remember Jimmy McConkey, Dave Griffin and Brian moore who got me through my O level French and maybe a few more. People do the most dreadfully unexpected things. My sister Maye took her own life 7 years ago. Best wishes

[@jimgiraffe5253]

hi tom, thanks for the reply Yep, dave griffin was a decent spud too. Sorry about your sister, -how old was she ? if its any consolation, i have primary progessive ms now and i think about it often myself - drs cant and wont do anything. People say it is not an option but if you have pain that wont go away then its the only choice for some.

[@TomMcClean]

My sister was 59. She had a good life with plenty more to come with no worries we knew of. She appeared to have everything going well then deep depression struck, out of the blue, without warning or build up and within 6 months she was gone. That is dreadful about the MS. I used to work for the local charity organisation, Action on MS based here in Belfast. I drove a big white van and did set ups for their fund raising walks all over Northern Ireland. I know a wee bit about MS because I used to chat with some of the folk who stopped by. They spoke well of the charity and the help they received. I can only say that my sister's death caused so much pain for us she left behind......... And I know she wasn't in her right mind when she did it. Hey you take care. Life can be very very hard.

[@active_commenter5348]

Nice Video. Commented 19/04/2017 At (3:29pm).