I was born in Donegall Pass, in Bankmore Street and then we moved to Erin Street when I was about 1 year old.  I lived here with my Granny and Granda.

My Granny was originally from the Pass and my Granda came from Sandy Row - most of my family on my Granny’s side come from the Pass.

Growing up I always remember stories of my Granny’s daddy, he was in the ‘B Specials’, an old police force in Northern Ireland.

At that point, the Pass was being totally redeveloped, and the new houses they were building were like luxury, they had bathrooms. No more baths in front of the fire on a Sunday night!  I lived in Erin Street for about 11 years and then we moved to the other side of the Pass, to Oak Way.

Arrival ... Martine Boyd

As a child I went to M^cQuiston and then to Porter’s - I loved Porter’s but I hated secondary school.  This was Park Parade - I was only there for 2 years and then I moved to Deramore. I liked English lessons in school, but wasn’t fond of maths.

I was about 11 or 12 when we moved to Oak Way, and here we had a bathroom - that was fantastic.  Before, in our old house, if you had wanted a bath during winter you would have had to go to the Ormeau Baths.

The good old days, for me, were on a Sunday night when me and my Granny and Granda used to watch the ‘Black and White Minstrel Show’.  My worst memory as a child was having to get bathed in front of the fire, and the worry of the “clocks”.

Growing up, I enjoyed the Twelfth of July Celebrations, there was a real party atmosphere. The soldiers used to be there as well, our street party was one of the best in the Pass.  The bands came over from Scotland, and all the bands used to join and make one and march around the Pass with the kids following them on the 11^th night.  They would march up to the Lindsay Street Arch.

When the army used to come up, they would take us for a spin in the jeep - and then we would have our street party. Before the party we would have been sent out to collect money in the weeka leading up to the party and we also had to collect for the bonfire.

Getting older, I went to the Youth Club - this was during my teens.  It gave us somewhere to go, especially in the cold nights and it was a good laugh.  We also went to the old Community Centre, in Copeland Street, for dancing on a Friday night. It was a good laugh inside, but every week, without fail, there would be a fight outside.  That’s what we always used to remember.

They were the good times, people cared about each other, you could have went to your neighbours if you needed anything, but you can’t really do that any more.

We respected things when we were growing up, things weren’t taken for granted and you didn’t back cheek your elders. Nowadays the kids don’t seem to respect anything or anyone.