ST Michael’s Youth Club on Finaghy Road North is celebrating its 50th anniversary this month, after half a century of working with children and young people in the Andersonstown area.
Sitting down with the Andersonstown News the club’s current leaders, Eddie Neeson, Rachel French, Kathleen Doherty, Damien Grant and Emma Devine, as well as founder Tommy Devlin, spoke about the history of the club which was formed as an outlet for kids during the worst days of the conflict in the city.
The club was formed in late 1971 by Tommy Devlin, Raymond O’Neill, Gerry Kilfeather and Paddy Crossan in response to the killing of 17-year-old Francis McGuinness on 9 August 1971. Francis McGuinness was shot by the British Army during rioting on Finaghy Road North during the introduction of internment, no-one has ever been charged with his killing.
COMMUNITY: Eddie Neeson said it was a great honour to help keep young people safe and keep them entertained throughout the troubles.
Tommy Devlin recalled the day he was asked to help set up a youth club, to protect the young people in the area and get them off the streets.
“I received a call, and was asked to set up something for the kids to do after young Francis McGuinness was shot," he said. "We were all very worried about the young people in the area, and the anger they would feel over Francis, and we were worried there would be more violence, and more young people getting hurt or killed, so myself and Paul McKee arranged to take some kids swimming. We didn’t have any facilities in those days, not even any wooden huts, so we had to start off with nothing and build from there.”
The youth club began hosting activities in wooden huts out the back of St Agnes’ Church in Andersonstown. Eddie Neeson, who has worked with St Michael’s for 50 years and is still involved to this day remembered how he began to help the club at the same time as several local football teams also began to take part.
Rachel French another longtime member and worker at St Michael’s also recalled how regular discos for young people were held at the back of St Agnes’ and were very popular, often attracting hundreds each week. As the list of activities put on by St Michael’s grew, so did the membership of the youth club.
Tommy Devlin recollected organising the first running competitions, where members would race each other in the street. “We were the first club to get the girls out running, and they won medals too!”
The youth club quickly became a place of fun and safety for hundreds of local young people, who could enjoy themselves, take part in activities with their friends and forget about the conflict which was raging on their doorsteps.
Eddie Neeson said: “It was fantastic, the excitement was incredible and we knew we were protecting the children. Parents would trust us with their children, and we were young people who wanted to give our time to help them.
FUN: Eddie Neeson has been involved with the club from the beginning
"In those days adults shouted a lot at kids, and they got it everywhere. They got shouted at in school by teachers, shouted at by the army, everywhere they went they got an ear ache, so when they came into us, we took them away from all of that, and let them enjoy being themselves. We have around 100 kids with us at the moment, but years ago we would have around 400 to 500 attending.”
Rachel French recalled: “It was brilliant, we went on walking trips up the Mourne mountains, you were with your friends, and away from your mummy and daddy, and you had some freedom.”
The youth club eventually moved to its current location, after the old huts were destroyed in a fire in the late 1970s. The current building has been in use by the club since 1980, but was officially opened in February 1981. The building had been used for several activities such as football and Irish dancing before that.
After moving into the new premises, the club applied for a grant from the Education and Library Board, which allowed the club to receive funding, as well as some funding from Down & Connor Diocese.
To celebrate 50 years of the club, a big celebration is planned at The Devenish on Saturday 17 September. All past members are welcome to join, and the organisers are looking forward to seeing familiar faces attend.
The club is currently open three days a week, but used to be open every night of the week. Tommy Devlin said the secret to running a successful youth club is in putting on events which young people enjoy, and not what adults think they will enjoy.
“You give the kids what they want, not what you want. You have to make it fun or else they won’t want to go.”
St Michael’s has seen its funding cut in recent years, partly due to the government’s austerity measures which have seen youth services decimated, and also the changing security situation in the North, when it was deemed the safer political environment meant that not as much money is needed to be put into youth services.
However, despite this, St Michael’s still does everything it can to hold fantastic events for young people, and provide entertainment. Today’s leaders in St Michael’s take inspiration from leaders in the past such as Harry and Alice Walsh, Pat Butler, Angela McKeown, Jenny Carville, Margaret Brady and Fionnuala McGinn and many more who have influenced and helped the club throughout the years.
What is clear from speaking with the leaders of St Michael’s is that this is a youth club which was formed to bring some hope, and joy to young people in some of the darkest moments in Belfast's recent history, and in that it certainly succeeded. The team today remain dedicated, and involved in carrying out the spirit in which the club was formed 50 years ago.
Tickets flying out for St Michael's Youth club's 50th anniversary bash https://t.co/F0c1cZh9ae
— Andersonstown News (@ATownNews) August 2, 2022
Anyone wishing to attend the 50th anniversary celebrations should get their tickets from the club this Friday, 2 September from 6pm to 7pm. Tickets will cost £15.
