Billy plans pilgrimage to mark his 70th year

Billy Garrett, who now lives at Belfry View, Whitehouse, was born in 1941 in the back room of a holiday cottage that his mother and grandmother rented in the village.

He was christened in nearby St John’s Church on September 20 that year, and is now planning to make a return visit to the church to mark the anniversary of the occasion.

The 70-year-old, who previously lived in the Shankill Road area of Belfast, said he is making the pilgrimage for “sentimental reasons”.

Although the cottage has long since been knocked down, Mr Garrett still loves going back to the village to recall and relive memories of the times he and his family spent there.

“I was born in a wee cottage at the top of the Hillhead Road and was christened in St John’s. I love Ballycarry. I have great memories of the place and I still drive through it just to look at the place and remember the great times we had there.

“I’m going to the service at the church on Sunday - that’ll be 70 years almost to the day from when I was christened.

“It’ll be a very special day,” he told the Times.

Mr Garrett worked as a diesel fitter for the Belfast Corporation and enjoyed a successful football career during which he played for Cliftonville, Crusaders, Distillery and Islandmagee.