From Derry Journalof November 1992

The Department of the Environment has announced that a site exploration was carried out at the weekend by archaeologists from the Department’s Environment Service into recent finds of bones and other artefacts in the garden of the former St. Augustine’s Rectory at Bishop Street in Derry. According to the D.O.E. the butchered animal bones included cattle, sheep and pigs. Further specialist analysis will be required before the presence of any human bones can be confirmed.

The statement went on: “The other artefacts include 17th century clay pipe fragments and a lead medallion.

“Such remains are common in historic town centres when ground is excavated and there is no evidence to indicate that a burial or grave had been distrubed.”

Ballyarnett dumping condemned

The director of the Ballyarnett Racecourse Society, Mr. John Thompson, has hit out at what he described as “indiscriminate and dangerous” dumping in the area.

The Society is currently involved in developing the old Ballyarnett Racecourse as well as assisting Derry City Council in development the Ballyarnett Country Park. But Mr. Thompson said dumping in the area was “undoing” the “good work.”

Old railway addiction unit opens

The old railway station in the Waterside is the unusual home for a new Community Addiction Unit, one of the most innovative services of the Western Health and Social Services Board’s Area Mental Health Unit. The new unit is the first of its kind in Northern Ireland and will be open for clients between 9 a.m. and 5.30 p.m.

Unit General Manager, Dr. Kate Gillespie, who will formally open the unit said: “Our overall addiction service has been in place since 1987, but this move to the old railway station means that we now really have a community service based in the community.”