Hang on to Yourself: The Resilience and Recovery of Andrew Strickland

by Nicola Ryan   “I’m mostly fine, but unfortunately, I’m the same person.” Even filming from a hospital bed at the Miller Centre, he’s still the same irreverent Andrew Strickland. In a twenty-minute video beamed across socials, the musician, filmmaker, and father of three offers an update to his friends and followers. Speaking directly to…

Downhome Letters to Santa I

We may not be the North Pole, but we here at Downhome like to think we have a link to the big guy in the red suit. Earlier this fall, our team called on kids and kids-at-heart to submit their letters to Santa, and boy, did you deliver! Our mailbags were overflowing! Stay tuned in…

Honour the Past, Inspire the Future: NL Regiment Hockey

Hockey returns to St. John’s with the Newfoundland Regiment Hockey Club By Dillon Collins   The wind-beaten, rugged coastline of Newfoundland and Labrador has long been fertile ground for hockey fandom. Whether bleu blanc et rouge, bud or bruin, passion for the game runs deep for those who call this place home. From the St….

Iron Skull to Iron Cross

The Story Behind a Remarkable Woman and a Most Unusual Military Artifact By Dennis Flynn Standing on a beach in the hauntingly pretty south coast community of Belleoram, Newfoundland and Labrador, as the waters of Fortune Bay encroach, the hints of long habitation abound. The French were here in the early 1700s, and the famous…

Honouring Newfoundland’s Favourite Folksong

By Nicola Ryan On May 8, 2025, at the 37th East Coast Music Awards Gala, one of Newfoundland and Labrador’s most beloved ballads, “Let Me Fish Off Cape St. Mary’s”, was officially inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. The Irish Descendants performed the evocatively beautiful song during the ceremony, honouring the man behind…

Maxwell J. Bursey: The “Pencil Pusher” Boat Builder

By Kim Ploughman Maxwell (Max) J. Bursey knows a thing or two about boats. On his seaside property in St. Philip’s, with Bell Island shining in the background, seven boats bask in the spring sun. Max estimates he has built over fifty boats, including those gracing the seashore across the road from his house. The…

Wheels on the Rock

By Nathanael Chen It was a cold April evening at the A&W restaurant on Kenmount Road, one of the popular spots where classic car owners gather. An old black Chevrolet Caprice was seen in the parking lot. Car show season is just around the corner. Blair Chaulk is a creator of All Cars Welcome, a…

Teacher, Preacher, Healer, Matcher and Dispatcher

by Lester Green Often, we reflect on times gone by and challenge our minds to think about the earliest settlers, the true pioneers of our province. What would life be like to depend entirely on land and sea? What were the challenges of harvesting a virgin forest and the waters that washed its shorelines? As…