From the pages of the Down Recorder, May 22, 1973

From the pages of the Down Recorder, May 22, 1973

DOWNPATRICK — Lord Windlesham was told yesterday that reorganisation of local government and other services in Downpatrick amounted to an assassination of the town’s administrative strength.

A deputation representing the urban and rural councils put before him the effects of recent decisions which would rob the town of more than 80 people involved in administration and create only 20 jobs.

The deputation consisted of Mrs. R. Kelly and Messrs E. K. McGrady, T. McKee, J. Doris, H. Millar, all representing the urban council, and Messrs E. McVeigh, W. J. Cochrane, J. J. Patterson and P. Stewart, of the rural council.

The deputation stressed that local feeling was running high because of repeated breaking of what had appeared to be promises of work coming to the town. Local government workers were frustrated by getting information about their future long before it came through official channels.

Afterwards the deputation expressed qualified optimism about the future of services in the town. They were told that as soon as money was available a new Crown building to accommodate several departmental offices would be built in the town, most probably on the proposed County hall site a News Bridge Street.

They were also assured that in the long term there would not be any loss of local government jobs and that the Chief Electoral Officer would be asked to review his choice of Comber as the location for the electoral office.

SEAFORDE — Seaforde has been chosen as the site for the first project by a new housing association set up at the beginning of this year. HEARTH — the Historic, Environmental and Architectural Renovation Trust for Housing — has acquired from Mr. Patrick Forde three groups of buildings.

The first group consists of six former almshouses and a former courthouse built in 1828. The second and third groups are of two terraces, each of four two-storey houses. Nine are at present occupied by tenants, but several have been condemned and all are likely to be condemned in the near future unless rehabilitation work starts soon.

BALLYNAHINCH — An unlucky sparrow-hawk found the hottest seat in Ballynahinch when it landed on an electricity transformer in meadowland behind Dromore Street on Tuesday evening. The bird is thought to have been the cause of a short-circuit about 5.30pm which cut electricity supplies to a large part of the town for over half an hour and to the Dromore Street area for over an hour.

Electricity Service officials worked all through the night to replace the transformer. Said a spokesman: “We did find a dead sparrow-hawk beside the transformer and we think it probably caused the short circuit and blew the fuses.”

CASTLEWARD — Test flights over Northern Ireland by Concorde are suspected to have caused some damage to the roof at Castleward National Trust property. Speaking at the annual meeting of the National Trust held at Castleward on Saturday, the Earl of Clanwilliam, chairman, said that the engineering department of Queen’s University had monitored effects of test flights at Castleward and at the Temple of the Winds at Mount Stewart.

Even with the sophisticated equipment used, it was impossible to say if the flights had an adverse effect on the buildings, but it was suspected that two or three of the flights did some damage to the buildings.

KILLOUGH — A party for the senior citizens of the parish was given by the Legamaddy and Killough branches of the St. Vincent de Paul Society in St. Joseph’s Hall, Killough, on Tuesday evening. Over 90 guests enjoyed a meal served by the ladies’ parochial committee and this was followed by a concert compered by Mr. W. McStay. Miss Lilian Lundy led the audience in community singing.

Others who participated were Father S. Rogan, Father G. MacLaverty, Mrs. A. Millar, Sean Redmond, Messrs J. Irvine, J. J. Graham, R. Higgins, J. Branniff and John Foy.

KILLYLEAGH — Killyleagh Parish Scout Troop made local history for the Downpatrick Scout District at the County Flag competition held at Mourne Park, Kilkeel, last weekend. The patrol from Killyleagh Parish won the flag outright in fierce competition with almost 20 other patrols from the county. The members of the patrol are Maurice Bridges, Alan Marshall, Alan Patterson, David Moore, Glenn Houston and William Bennett.

CASTLEWELLAN — The opening of a new car showroom by D. Prentice & Sons Ltd. in Castlewellan on Monday marked the latest venture in a firm which began in a small garage in Portadown at the end of the last war. The new showroom is the fifth in the Prentice chain and is a new building constructed on an old site. This latest venture is their first in East Down.

KILLINCHY — Eighteen year-old Terence Taylor, School House, Killinchy, was one of a number of boys from Northern Ireland who travelled to London recently to receive the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award. Terence, a pupil of Regent House, Newtownards, has been working for the award for just three years. His hobby is sailing and he has set his sights on a career as a doctor.

CROSSGAR — Another page in the history of Lissara Presbyterian Church was turned on Thursday when the Rev. Samuel A. Matthews was installed as minister of the Crossgar church. The service was conducted by the Moderator of the Down Presbytery, the Rev. W. D. Bailie. The sermon was preached by the Rev. William Trotter, of Ardglass and Strangford. The charge to the minister and congregation was given by the Rev. C. D. Adams, of Spa.

At the reception in the church hall, the welcome on behalf of the congregation was extended by the session clerk, Mr. T. J. T. Hewitt.

ARDGLASS — The county’s premier basketball club, Ardglass Sharks, have just completed the most successful season in their 15-year history. They finished second in the Ulster League behind Collegians, equalling their best previous performance in 1967 when the great Gary Fuller was in their ranks. In cup competitions they fell to Collegians in the semi-finals, while two players, Kevin Smyth and Paddy O’Hare, were selected for Ulster and the Ireland training squads.