WHAT I LIKE ABOUT DOUGLAS
17th February, 2000

A few weeks ago, we in the ‘Douglas Weekly, came up with an idea which we thought would be good because it would involve our young people in St. Columba’s girls and boys school. We rang school principal Michelle Cashman and asked her if her students would write a composition on “Why I like living in Douglas”. Michelle liked the idea and today we continue to publish another four entries. At the end of the competition we will get a judge to pick three winners, who will receive a prize from Douglas Books. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as we did ...

What I like about Douglas
By Audrey Flanagan.

I have been living in Douglas for the past twelve years. Douglas is a very clean and healthy environment. Everyone is very friendly to everyone. There are "Meals on Wheels" for the elderly. There are also Bingo nights.
I have been attending St.Columbas N.S. with facility for the Deaf Children, for eight years now. Since Ive been here there have been various sport activities such as Gaelic Football which we got to the Final but lost, Camogie, Basketball, Swimming, and P.E. Games. There are also after school activities such as Gymnastics, Irish Dancing, Tennis, Karate, Music and Art Classes, Speech and Drama, Choir and Pottery and Create Dance. We also have a Computer Room and we help to cultivate our Bog Garden.
A few months back the Douglas Camogie team won a final which was under eleven. We were against Na Piarsaigh, we won by a point. The match was very tiring, but when the final whistle was blown we were full of excitement. Everybody was cheering us on through the whole match. We had a big party afterwards. We took pictures and received our medals. It is still hanging up on my wall.
Douglas has a lot of History, such as Phil Carthy who was hanged from the Fingerpost. There are some other things also like the "Bow Wow Bridge" and the Highty Hills. But of course I got most of this information from "Douglas Weekly"!

What I like about Douglas
by Jacinta Madigan, 6th class Ms. Bate

What I like about Douglas is that Douglas is a very small village and I know everyone here. I always have something to do especially on weekend that is a Friday and Saturday and most of all a Sunday. Every weekend my friends and I get ready to go out. Sometimes we will go to the pictures at night or at day. We go to Douglas Court the shopping centre, the same with Tesco, or during the summer we go to the Douglas swimming pool. The next day we all go to the park. I would bring my radio and sweets or even a blanket to lie on. My most favourite place in Douglas is Tesco because we sit down all day. And if its raining and cold my friends and I would still have something to do there. I would go to the library, I love reading. I sometimes go on a Saturday, Douglas is a very quiet village, there's never any trouble , you never hear any trouble going on. Everyone sticks together in Douglas. The people who live here are very nice and helpful, and everything is so close together you wouldn't have to walk far. Now that's what I like about Douglas.

What I like about Douglas
by Emily Forrest

I like going to Douglas because I meet my friends and interesting people. Every year there's a G.A.A. Disco for twelve's and over. Shopping isn't cheap but it's fun. I don't have to go to town now because Douglas is a small town.
Attending St Columbas N.S. with facilities for the Deaf Children has made me very happy. We do lots of various activities such as basketball, swimming, art and P.E. games for young children like jumping from hoop to hoop climbing under chairs, throwing very soft balls. It's one of the best school's I know. My favourite place in Douglas is Vermount. Vermount is a place for scramblers, there are motorbike's which go around a big muddy track and there is a mammoth sized house which is said to be haunted. I don't have any more gossip until the next issue of Douglas Weekly comes out.

What I like about Douglas
by Emer Dowling

I have lived in Douglas for twelve years. I have grown up in a friendly and clean environment. What I like about Douglas is that everybody cares about everyone.
I attend St. Columbas N.S. with facility for Deaf Children. I am in sixth class and I am preparing for my Confirmation. Our school has various sport activities to offer such as Gaelic Football. Our Gaelic football got through to the Scith Na Scoil and did very well. We also have Camogie, basketball, swimming and P.E. games. After school there is also a long list of activities such as gymnastics, Irish dancing, tennis, karate, music and art classes, speech and drama and French lessons. What I like about my school most is that there is something for everyone. I think it is a very good school with all the latest technology such as computers and printers, and scanners. We are also connected to the Internet and have our own website. We have four garden projects including a bog garden which has a pond and wild flowers growing in it. We have a hedge row and we are currently growing trees to form a wood. However, our fourth project is the best. This year every girl in the school planted three daffodil bulbs representing the three millenniums that have passed.
What I really like about Douglas village is that it is really like a town. What I mean is that if you took a walk around Douglas you would see things you might not see in town!. For instance you might not see cinema's, McDonald's chip shops, all the pubs, two shopping centres, garden centres DIY stores. We also have a choice of two churches, Grange/Frankfield and the recently renovated St.Columba's Church.
But the thing that will stand out in my mind about Douglas most is this: when I was in third class, our teacher Mrs Forsythe, was teaching about Phil Carthy who was hung at the Fingerpost in 1798 (I got this information from the Douglas Weekly) when she told us that Phil Carthy was hung at the Fingerpost, the door flew open mysteriously, we screamed and hid under the tables, when we eventually got up we discovered that there was nobody at the door. What will also stand out in my mind is the best newsletter ever in Douglas "The Douglas Weekly".