It was a warm summer evening in 1969 . Belfast was burning . A
blanket of thick black smoke covered the sky . On the fringe areas
people were told to leave or they too would be burnt out . It was
madness . Hundreds of those who left their homes torched them so nobody
would take up residence . Many others had not the time to gather up
their possessions . Their homes where petrol bombed as they slept . A
stones throw from Smithfield Markets was a spare ground where city
shoppers once parked their cars . Now the car park was a pick up place
for those families who needed emergency transport .
Walking up the footpath at Peters Hill was a large family with all
their earthly possessions in tow . A young lad of about 15 years pushed
a wheel barrow was the TV set that was wrapped in sheets and blankets .
Behind him was the father pushing a large cart with a bed and wardrobe
. The mother and older girls had a suitcase in each hand . They walked
along towards the car park ,
where a man waited in a truck . As he saw them coming he jumped out of
the truck and ran to help them . As he did he was being shot at by a
sniper .
The bullets missed him but he was wondering when the next volley of
shots would come .
Completely ignorant of the danger the family ran to greet the truck
driver .
The Father stopped pushing his cart and reached out his hand and said
,
"Hello there . We are the McGuigans from East Belfast "
"Hello . Nice to meet you . Bo-Bo's my name." said the truck driver to
Mr McGuigan .
They both shook hands and Bo-Bo said .
" Right then lets get all this stuff on the back of the truck. "
Bo-Bo jumped up and stood on the back off the truck as the McGuigans
threw up all the items hastily . Very soon they were tied down securely
.
Bo-Bo ignoring the danger of the sniper on a rooftop told everyone to
get into the truck .
As Bo-Bo opened up the door a single shot ripped through the front
cabin of the truck . Another and another shot was fired as Bo-Bo
started up the truck.
He tore off down North Queen Street and shouted,
"For God sake somebody say a prayer."
He turned the truck and did a u-turn to avoid a large crowd who were
running towards the truck with petrol bombs in their hands .
He thundered down back down North Queen Street and threw the truck
around Carylse Circus .
Two men emerged from a hall holding sub-machine guns and suddenly a
gunfight erupted on both sides of the Crumlin Road .
The small truck ran through the gauntlet and after the ordeal they all
emerged without so much as a scratch .
Bo-Bo was in such a state of shock that he forgot where he was going
.He just kept driving at full speed until it was quiet and darkness had
fallen . The truck sat on the side of the road with all the household
goods now getting soaked in the rain .
"Where are we Bo-Bo?"
said Mr McGuigan .
Bo-Bo replied ,
"God only knows but we're alive . Lets all get some sleep and see how
things look in the morning. "
Bo-Bo got up early and shook the McGuigans . The sound of cows and
crows shattered the silence and Bo-Bo pointed to a distant farmhouse
.
He said ,
"I'm going over to the house there and see if I can get some directions
. Stay here . I'll be back soon. "
The McGuigans all looked at each other .
Bo-Bo ran off towards the farmhouse .
It seemed like hours passed when all of a sudden the rain stopped and
as Mrs McGuigan got out to change the babies nappy they were suddenly
surrounded by six or seven cars and trucks .
Men jumped out from the trucks holding bundles of clothes .
Bo-Bo jumped out and smiled at all the McGuigans and some women got out
and opened the boot of the cars.
It was a new day all right .The women produced warm scones and flasks
of tea . There was milk for the babies . One of the group handed an
envelope to Mr McGuigan .
The man who handed over the envelope had hands as big as shovels . His
arms were as thick as a tree trunk and his shoulders were as wide as
doorway. On his face he wore the kindest smile as he softly spoke to
the all McGuigans, who stood there in stunned and in shock .
" Bo-Bo was telling us about your trouble and all of us local farmers
bunched in what we could afford , and we would like you to have this .
Its not much but it will get you all on your feet and in a new home
".
He pointed to a field in the distance and continued to speak ,
"Bo-Bo told us he was a builder and he has a lot of helpers who will
come here to build you a home . So its all been settled . You will stay
with us until your new home is built ."
Suddenly there were tears of joy and laughter .
There was such happiness there in a presence filled with genuine love
that it is hard to put into words .
When everyone had eaten and changed into some new clean clothes thanky
you's were passed around .
The all the country folk get into their cars and trucks .
"Follow us ."
One of them said .
"Ok then I'll follow you then"
Said Bo-Bo .
The small truck loaded with some household items slowly made its way
down the road with Bo-Bo and all the McGuigans .
Prayers of thanksgiving were being rattled off at great speed .
It was about seven years later on that the new housing estate was
finished .
Three hundred houses were built all around the field promised to the
McGuigan family .The estate accommodated thousands of people who were
burn out of their family homes and at no cost to them they were able to
pick up the pieces of their shattered lives and make a new start
.
Sometimes things have to go wrong before they can ever go right again
.
The End
By Paul McCann
