WHAT I LIKE ABOUT DOUGLAS
23rd March, 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 Amy O'Leary

I live in a safe and clean environment. It is clean because every year all the women and children clean up our park. It is safe because the neighbourhood is big and I live at the very back, it is also a cul-de-sac. The people are very friendly because we all help the elderly. Sometimes I go to Meals on Wheels with my Grandparents, also there are three ladies in my neighbourhood who are going to have a new baby. I like living in Douglas a lot.
I have been attending St Columba's National School with a facility for Deaf Children for almost eight years now and I think it is a really good school to start out with. There is also a St Columba's Church in Douglas where I made my Communion. St Columba's School has various sport activities during school and after school such as swimming with my class each Friday, speech & drama with a different teacher, creative dancing with a dancing teacher. After school there are karate lessons I go to with my friends two days a week, French lessons if you are going to France on your holidays, piano lessons is for if you like music, all those activities are in my school and at a very reasonable price.
Douglas Village is like a town in itself, we have two shopping centres which have supermarkets. We have lots of sports in my environment such as a swimming pool which has several Galas and swimming lessons. We have our own G.A.A pitch and hall. Our well kept Park and Children's Playground is very popular in Douglas as well. We have a lot of social things such as well built pubs, tasty chip shops, fabulous discos, excellent cinemas and of course restaurants which are all in Douglas Village. Even St Columba's Church has been renovated.
I remember when I was three, I got lost in Dunnes stores and I thought I was going to be lost forever. Suddenly a kind lady brought me to the Information Desk, where she went on the speaker and called my Mum and Dads name, finally my Mum came running over to me and hugged me tightly. I was so happy that I was back home safe and sound.
So this is what I like best about Douglas, my environment is clean and safe, the people are kind and friendly, the school and church have the St Columba's name and my school has lots of fun activities. Douglas is like a town in itself, and last but not least are the MEMORIES.

What I like About Douglas By Ciara Fitzpatrick

I've lived in Douglas most of my life, about nine and a half years and not once have I thought about living anywhere else. Some people say Douglas is just a village but to me it's much more. Douglas is a brilliant place with facilities for everyone, young and old. It has a great selection of shops which include Boot's, Dunnes Stores, Tesco and lots more. We also have nice take-away's and restaurants like Bully's, the Briar Rose, and my favourite Eco's, We also have two wonderful hotels, the Rochestown Park, which was done up and it looks fabulous and we also have the Maryborough House which is very nice. In Tesco we have a beautiful library which has books for all ages and across the road from Tesco's there is a five screen cinema.
Our local school, St Columba's is a very beautiful building. We have a girl's/boy's and a school for the hearing impaired. We are also allowed to use a G.A.A pitch which is great because we've a sporty lot. This year we planted 3,000 daffodils and a few years ago we planted lots of oak trees. We also have a bog garden which looks lovely especially in the summer time.
We also have great sports facilities here in Douglas and we've a G.A.A pitch and hall. My uncle (Pat Holland) was on the winning football team of 1974 and he was on the winning hurling team of 1983 and now he trains some teams.
Douglas has developed a lot over the years and will continue to grow and develop as it is a popular place to live.

What I Like About Douglas By Kathryn Hussey

I've lived in Douglas for most of my life. I loved living in Douglas and really miss living in this wonderful village. Douglas is a village but still has lots of amenities and facilities for everyone. For young children Douglas has a swimming pool, a cinema, a playground and loads of restaurants for older people. Douglas has shops, churches a golf course and Douglas is just ten minutes away from the City. Douglas is also very near the tunnel. St. Columba's church is just been done up and looks lovely.
If you are a sports fan Douglas G.A.A has just built a new hall so that in winter people can still play sports indoors. We also have a swimming pool, golf course, tennis club, football club and camogie club, Douglas is a very sporting village.
Our school St Columba's is away from the busy village and when you walk in it is all green and peaceful. For the millennium we planted 3,000 flowers in the grounds and trees near the building which is very bright. We also have a bog garden which looks beautiful in spring. Our school camogie team and football team got to the finals this year which was fantastic. If you like shopping Douglas has two shopping centres with a library, book shops, card shops, pound shops, pet shops, flower shops, sport shops and super-market's. We also have lovely restaurants and bars.
Douglas is a very wealthy village with lovely people. It is situated in a good area with facilities for everyone and is growing all the time. I'm very proud to be from Douglas.

What I Like About Douglas By Aisling Ward

Douglas is a fantastic place to live in. I have lived in many places but I have to say that Douglas is hand's down the best village I have ever lived in. Douglas has many amenities and facilities for people of all ages. It has hotels such as the Maryborough House Hotel, shops which are in nearly every park in Douglas, the cinema which you can visit when it is raining or if it is sunny restaurants such as Eco's, Paddy Garibaldies, Bully's and loads more. There are Churches especially St. Columba's which has recently been done up and there is even a library in Tesco's. Those are only some of the facilities in Douglas.
There are many sporting facilities also. There is a G.A.A. Hall which is great as it is right in the heart of Douglas. There are leisure centres in the Rochestown park hotel and the Maryborough House Hotel. There is a tennis village close by, Douglas swimming pool is near Tesco Shopping Centre, there are golfing societies and there are two G.A.A. pitches right next door to my school, St Columba's school.
St Columba's school with facilities for the Deaf is one of the best schools I know. It is built on a very spacious site. There is a bog garden and last year we planted 3,000 daffodils, which will look wonderful when they bloom. Our suburb is growing all the time and is great because it only takes eight to twelve minutes to get to the heart of the city, Douglas is also very close to the tunnel which brings you straight onto the road to Dublin.
I am very proud to say I am from Douglas and hopefully I always will.