WHAT I LIKE ABOUT DOUGLAS
24th 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 Emma Sheehan

I have been an inhabitant of Douglas for the past twelve years. Douglas is a very safe and friendly environment. It is safe because there are a lot of wardens around Douglas and it is friendly because of people helping the old, like Meals on Wheels who go around from estate to estate bringing meals to the elderly.
I have been attending St.Columba's now with facility for Deaf Children for the past eight years. There are various activities to offer during and after school such as football, camogie, basketball, swimming, P.E games, gymnastics, Irish dancing, tennis, karate, music, art, choir, creative dance and speech & drama. So you can see we are a very fit and healthy school.
Douglas is like a town itself. It is easier for elderly as they do not have to go into town. We have two shopping centres with a library, toy shops, a pet shop, jewellery shops, clothes shops, shops and two super markets. Outside of all that there is a swimming pool, a well kept Children's park, restaurants, cinemas, pubs, and Montessori School. In the future there will be a mini mall.
My Mum used to tell me when she was small , she used to go for walks in Douglas with her Mum, Dad and Brothers. She told me that instead of houses there were fields.
If I ever have to leave Douglas, I think it will be a very sad day. Hopefully that day will never come.

What I like about Douglas
By Sarah Healy

I have been living in Douglas for the past four years and I am happy to say that my neighbourhood is extremely clean and friendly. I love where I live and I have a lot of good friends at home and at school.
I have been attending St Columbas N.S for about five years. This school has a facility for Deaf children where I have learned sign language, which helps to communicate with the Deaf Children in the playground. It also has various sports activities such as Gaelic football, camogie, basketball, swimming and lots of other P.E games. We also have after school activities like gymnastics, Irish dancing, tennis, karate, music, art classes, speech and drama and French lessons.
Douglas village is like a town itself, having two shopping centres with lots of shops. Douglas also has a GAA pitch and hall and a well kept park and children's playground. Douglas has pubs, chip shops, discos, a cinema and restaurants. My favourite restaurant is McDonalds YUM !
Last year when I was in the school choir, we took part in a competition in Merchant's Quay and we won. I am glad and proud to say that I live in Douglas because it is so clean and popular. I like going to St Columbas NS because it's a great school. P.S. I love reading the Douglas Weekly.

What I like about Douglas
By Deirdre Murphy

So you have decided to spend your holidays in Cork, have you? Well, in reply to your request, I would love to tell you about Douglas! As soon as I received your letter, I started to think about what I could write about and found that it would be almost impossible to fit everything in, and then I realised how lucky I am to live here.
Douglas has got something for everyone. I'm certain that your family will never get bored! For yourself and your sister, there is a cinema, McDonald's, and two shopping centres, which both have a wide variety of shops, and as for your parents. I'm sure they won't be left out, what with bars, restaurants, and golf course.
Now, you have also told me that if your older sister likes Douglas, she will live here and work as a teacher. My school St Columba's is a lovely school. It has wonderful, spacious grounds, a pitch nearby, and a bog garden. It is situated near both St Columba's Boy's School and the School for the Deaf. We are involved in lots of projects with the School for the Deaf, and a few classes are currently learning how to use sign language. In fact St Columba's and the School for the Deaf are no longer separate schools and our school's official name is now St Columba's G.N.S. with facility for Deaf Children. The building itself is a beautiful modern one, and it has a very friendly atmosphere inside. It is quite large, with 652 pupils and about thirty teachers.
Douglas is a lovely suburb that is not too close to the city, but it is still only a 5-10 minute drive away. Not that you'd need to go, Douglas with its two shopping centres would cater for your every need. Douglas also has a lovely church, which has recently been renovated beautifully.
Whenever I say I'm from Douglas, I can't help smiling a little! I'm very proud to live here, and though I'd like to travel to different countries when I'm older, I'll definitely return to Douglas, after all, home is where the heart is!

What I like about Douglas
By Emma Sherwin

I have lived in Douglas for twelve years. In the area I live in, the people are friendly and kind. There are lots of children living in Douglas which makes it a nice place to grow up in. I attend St Columbas N.S. with facility for Deaf Children. There are various sport activities to offer such as Gaelic Football, camogie, basketball, swimming, P.E. games etc, plus numerous after school activities. I get the perfect education as my teacher is very dedicated and understanding.
Douglas village is an excellent place to live. There are two shopping centres, cinema, restaurants, swimming pool, pubs, chip shops, discos, video stores, hairdressers, beauty salon and the Community park which is brilliant for active children. There is also a G.A.A pitch and hall.
If I was to look back at Douglas in twenty years I would remember the people. The kind people and it's interesting history. If I were to walk down the street I would remember that somebody would greet me with a "Hello or How are you?"
So as you can see I enjoy living in Douglas, because of its convenient location and facilities. I couldn't imagine living elsewhere without my friends and everything that I am used to. I still have lots of years left to live in Douglas. These are just my thoughts of Douglas so far.