By Willie Drennan
Strange times we live in. We now live at a time when we import much of our basic needs from far out across the globe. We live in a time of global dependency on modern technology: in a world where a global economy is controlled by a global hierarchy. When that global system breaks down the people of the globe are in trouble. Fortunately a group of hardy folk down a wee country road in the middle of County Antrim are on to it. Solutions are at hand.
Head out of Ballymena towards Randalstown and once you go down over the Irish Hill there is a wee road to the right. You might miss it. If you arrive at Slaght Corner you'll know you've gone too far and you'll need to turn back.
Tullygarley Loanen.
Many
moons ago I attended Tullygarley Primary School, which is now a roundabout. After school
I would zoom down the Irish Hill, past that wee road, on the
handlebars of my granda's bicycle. My older brother would be sitting,
somehow, at the rear of the bike clinging on to my granda with his arms around his waist. I assume that would be illegal today. The wee narrow road
was known locally as the Tullygarley Loanen or the Tullagh Loanen.
It's probably called something else nowadays. But anyway, a short
distance down that wee road on the left you will find the Tullgarley allotments: where you can enter another zone of lush gardens and tranquillity.
