EDWINA Stewart was a communist and civil rights activist from the radical Protestant tradition.

OFTEN in moments of desperate need, especially if we are in a strange place where we do not speak the dialect, and we need a pharmacy or chemist shop, we look for a flashing green cross or the symbol of a snake wound around a standard or chalice-shaped cup.

THE final journey of Gerry Higgins to Milltown Cemetery in west Belfast was very much a coming together of the St Gall’s GAA family and local community.

WHEN James O’Keefe was asked why he became involved in starting Bredagh GAA club in Belfast in 1971, he replied simply that he had “played and enjoyed Gaelic football growing up in Newtownbutler and wanted to give the same opportunity to his five sons to play our national games”.

GERALDINE Garvey's friendly demeanour, infectious laugh and famous hugs meant she stole the hearts of everyone who met her.

CLIFDEN Fair, Winter by Cecil Maguire was the first painting bought by President Michael D Higgins, from his first salary at University College Galway.

SAMMY Bickerstaffe's shop on Main Street, Glenavy had all the produce that the local householder required, from toothpaste to teapots, cereals to china sets, paraffin to potatoes, Chlorendo to Condor tobacco, feather dusters to the Financial Times, Victory Vs to Victoria plums, delph to dairy products, and of course Sprott’s bacon cut to your preference with the infamous Asco slicer.

A few weeks before she passed over into eternal life, a past pupil of Sr Ultan Smyth wrote to her from England and said: “I never liked school but the two years I spent with you were different because you made us all feel so special.