Bellanaleck: Busy ‘tight-knit’ village is growing all the time

The residents lucky enough to live in the picturesque location know how special it is.

Bellanaleck Village.

Many of them drop into the hub of the village, the local Costcutter, each day.

Owned by the Cathcart family, who have a long history in the village, it has been serving locals for almost a century.

Malcolm Cathcart.

“If I make it another five years, the business will be here 100 years,” said Malcolm Cathcart.

“My father started in 1929 when he was 18. We’ll have to have a big party if I make it,” he laughed.

He commented on the “close-knit” community and the facilities in the area: “There are nice facilities here with the lakeside walk and you’re never far from the town.”

He noted that the increase in housing in the village has been positive for his business with new developments springing up more than 20 years ago.

He says it has taken many years for Bellanaleck to gain the sizeable population it has now: “If you go back to the 1911 census, there were probably only about 50 people in it in total.

“Looking at the old 1911 census figures, Bellanaleck had a lot fewer people than the likes of Ross, Drumslane and particularly Arney, Skea-Arney and so on. There is a lot of remains of old houses up there.”

“The big drop in population was the famine, there was a huge drop in population, it has taken it to now to recover.”

Residents say there is a great demand for housing in the area, and that new developments are planned.

“There is planning permission for 78 homes over there,” Mr. Cathcart says, pointing, “78 down by the lake and another bunch there – I don’t know if they will come about.”

June Clements and Hazel Stinson.

June Clements, who worked in the Moorings Restaurant just outside the village, quoted a famous son of Bellanaleck when asked about what she thinks of her village: “God’s own country, as Father Brian D’Arcy would say.

“I was born here, I’ll die here and they’ll throw me across the graveyard. That’ll do me. They’ll never get me going anywhere else. I’m 68 years here and I’ll hardly move now.”

Mrs. Clements said the best thing about Bellanaleck “is the people” and explained how she has “great neighbours and friends”.

“The Thorntons have all been reared in Bellanaleck so we’ll hardly move now, but mind you it’s a big change from 50 years ago. All these houses and all, you’d hardly know the neighbours but there is a great community here.”

Both Mrs. Clements and her friend, Hazel Stinson, marvelled at some of the amenities in Bellanaleck and those that had returned after a break.

“We have the new coffee shop,” said Mrs. Stinson.

Mrs. Clements added: “And we’ve got the chip shop back. The Moorings is still going, and listen, you couldn’t bate the shop. When the lockdown was on, it was the saviour of Bellanaleck.”

On the demand for housing here, Mrs. Clements said: “Bellanaleck must be good, people are looking to buy houses. They are no time on the market and they are sold. There were three sold there, and there are two more for sale in The Corn Mill.”

Paddy Flanagan, Sales Manager, Oakfield Car and Commercial Sales, Bellanaleck.

Elsewhere, Paddy Flanagan spoke of the success of Oakfield Car Sales. The car and commercial vehicle business owned by the Cheshire family from Letterbreen will next week celebrate its first anniversary.

“This is a nice little community with good businesses – ourselves, McCullagh’s, Gault’s trailers, Raliegh and so on.”

He said if you want anything “from tractor services, car parts, buying a car, or something in

the shop, there is a little bit

of everything.

“For a small village, there is a thriving community and growing business hub within the area. We are thankful for the support of local people since we started a year ago.”

He added: “We have a lot more space for our cars, so we can hold stock but it’s a very busy road so we get a better profile and a lot more passing trade.”

He noted the speed of the traffic: “The speed cameras love it here, it is a 30mph zone, but people tend not to slow down till they get down to the corner which is a bit of a pity.”

Business owners note that customers are very supportive of what is available in their area.

Sammy Cheshire, SC Valeting.

“80, 90 per cent of my customers are Bellanaleck, Florencecourt, Letterbreen area,” said Sammy Cheshire, of SC Valeting.

She said there is a need for a hot food offering in the village.

“We need a hot food counter or somewhere with fries, there are a lot of lorries passing by,” Miss Cheshire said, gesturing to a lorry driver who was taking his break in a lay-by facing her business as she made

the point.

She continued: “Even ones from Dublin and all come past here and it would be handy for them to stop.”

Miss Cheshire echoed residents when she spoke of the beauty of the area: “The wee walk around by the water is gorgeous, and the wee Mill Lough is nice and scenic – we’d take the cars down there for pictures for advertising purposes.”

Elsewhere, Callum Timlin was fitting tyres, helping complete the full package at the busy roadside store.

LONG SERVICE

Eric Doogan, who is 50 years with Erne Marine, Bellanaleck.

Down on the shores of Lough Erne, Eric Doogan was on a coffee break at Erne Marine.

“I’ve worked here for 50 years since I was 16. I went to Sunday school and church here and when I got married I moved in closer to the town. I was in the Tech when Marion Cathcart (Maxwell) got me the job here. She said there is a man down there looking for a worker and I’m here 50 years,” he said.

Mr. Doogan added he is now “the longest man working in the same place on Lough Erne”.

He recalled the bombing of the Lakeland Hotel in 1972 and how Erne Marne was evacuated during that time.

In between the day job, he said he has been feeding a robin, which he has named Berty, for seven years: “There is my friendly robin, he is looking fed, he comes into the shed.”

Berty enjoys a biscuit during the summer months and porridge oats in the winter.

Berty the Robin.

Kneeling and crumbling a biscuit, Mr. Doogan said: “If Berty doesn’t get fed at coffee time, the humour

is bad.”