Roamer's return: Roamer is back (admittedly rather later than we expected)

And before that, many decades of columns of varying timespans were compiled by different Roamers, most memorably Louis Malcolm who recounted his tenure in a wonderful book entitled ‘Around and About – The Best of The Roamer 1988/89’.

The book’s introduction perfectly summarises the real reason for Roamer.

“Most of the stories and snippets of humour needed neither garnishing nor varnishing before making print,” Louis told his readers, adding “day by day I simply passed them on to you as they were told to me”.

And thus Roamer continues – sharing readers’ stories, observations and accounts, about people and places, past and present – here, there and everywhere.

Ideas and contributions are always very welcome at Roamer’s email – [email protected] – or just post them to the News Letter!

The sudden departure at the end of last year was marked by a short announcement – ‘Roamer will return soon!’

Later rather than sooner (there were a few unexpected hitches!) the page is back, appropriately on New Year’s Eve, and weekly hereafter.

It’s an age-old tradition of the press and media to look back on the old year as the new year dawns but as Roamer has been absent until today there’s not a lot to review from the previous 12 months!

I’ll try, but first, an explanation.

Like 300 million people worldwide (expected to increase to 400 million by 2025) I suffer from asthma.

I’ve had it since childhood and always managed to keep going but for the first time, probably due to ageing, a severe asthma attack last year completely floored me and I had to stop working.

It was an absolutely terrifying experience – almost asphyxiating whilst waiting, home alone, for an ambulance.

This occurred during a high level of Covid infection, with the health service stretched to its limits, initiating my long and traumatic wait for an ambulance.

When it arrived, two medics equipped with hi-tech kit, extensive experience and limitless compassion coaxed vital oxygen into my body and rushed me to a very packed emergency department for yet more dedicated care and attention from hugely overworked nurses, doctors and hospital staff.

Overburdened as they were, and are, and with 20 years of health reforms and specialist reports virtually ignored by our politicians, the care that I received that night from every single member of the hospital, ambulance and call handling staff, at every level, was absolutely outstanding.

With impeccable aftercare from my GP, asthma nurse and community pharmacist, I’ve learnt much more than I ever knew about asthma, including its profound link with Northern Ireland’s politics!

Yes, it seems that King Billy had asthma – and a very famous battle almost had a different outcome because he had a bad attack of breathlessness!

Previously unaware of such a vital piece of our history, I checked it out with Dr Jonathan Mattison, curator of The Museum of Orange Heritage.

“William was quite a weak child,” Dr Mattison confirmed, “and there were some genuine fears that he would not survive, with some suggestion that he had developed what we would now regard as asthma.”

In adulthood this didn’t seem to hold him back and on the battlefield “the young Prince of Orange often led from the front,” Dr Mattison added, “which endeared him to his soldiers but worried his generals greatly.”

Jonathan also cited historian Marion E Grew who noted that “bad weather in England during the month of November 1688 aggravated William’s asthma as he advanced on London”.

Upon reaching Salisbury, Prince William lodged in the Bishop’s Palace, recently vacated by James II.

Here, according to Ms Grew, William’s secretary “found him with a severe attack of the cough which so frequently troubled him, especially in this country”.

Two years later, at the Battle of the Boyne, the newly enthroned King William III’s horse got stuck in the mud and “there is some suggestion”, Dr Mattison continued, “that during his attempts to free the animal William may have aggravated his asthma, with some witnesses reporting him as being out of breath”.

He was subsequently carried to the riverbank by a member of the Inniskillings before “regaining his composure and continuing the advance,” Jonathan explained – and the rest is history!

More details are at www.orangeheritage.co.uk and the first Roamer of 2023 is here next Saturday.

Happy New Year.