From the pages of the Down Recorder, May 25, 1976

From the pages of the Down Recorder, May 25, 1976

25 May 2016

BALLYGOWAN — A 73 year-old Ballygowan farmer was beaten, kicked and tied up in his bed in a two-hour ordeal late at night.

The mugging began shortly before midnight when Mr Sammy Millar was getting ready for bed at his cottage at The Brae. Three men, heavily disguised with masks, began beating at the door with their fists, demanding to be let in.

“They were swearing and shouting and thumping at the back door, so I had to open it,” Mr Millar said. “When they came in they asked me where the money was. I told them I didn’t have any — only a few quid — but they didn’t believe me and started wrecking the house.

“They pulled out all the drawers and even smashed a grandfather clock because they thought there was money in it. When they didn’t find anything they started beating me. I think one of them had a stick.

“They told me to lie on the bed. They were swearing and the language was terrible. They tied my legs and feet and told me if I didn’t give them the money they would shoot me. But I don’t think they had any guns. They also asked what religion I was.”

Eventually, after ransacking Mr Millar’s five-room cottage, the raiders made their way to the gateway, leaving their victim, battered, bruised and tied up on his bed.

“The men who beat me looked very young, about 20 years old. If I had been a bit younger they wouldn’t have got away so soft,” he said.

NEWCASTLE — Anyone who finds themselves in the unfortunate position of requiring first aid in Newcastle need not worry unduly

The town’s St John Ambulance Brigade’s nursing cadets are among the top divisions in Northern Ireland. The local division was represented at the province finals at the City Hospital, Belfast, recently and easily came first in the nursing and first aid competitions.

The division, represented by Niamh Bradley, Lesley Mackie, Moira Dougherty, Tina Cairns and reserve Kim Mooney, also lifted the Lockhart Trophy for Northern Ireland.

The Superintendent of the Newcastle division, Mrs Mary K Rice, was naturally pleased with the team who put in a great deal of hard work to capture the trophy.

KILLOUGH — Down councillor John Ritchie made a scathing attack on Government Departments at the annual meeting of Killough Village Committee.

Mr Ritchie launched into his attack at the start of his speech to the audience in St Joseph’s Hall. He told them he was dissatisfied with the treatment meted out to the village by both the Housing Executive and the water and sewage sections of the Department of the Environment.

He cited the shelving of the village’s proposed £45,000 sewage works as a case in point, saying that it first appeared on a Department five-year plan two years ago. The Department had told Down Council that the financial position was so bad that they could only work on a yearly basis as cash became available.

Turning to the Housing Executive, Mr Ritchie said he was disturbed to find that 19 houses in a five-year programme had been put back to 1977-81 and a further ten in the same period on land still to be identified and bought.

Several people in the audience agreed with Mr Ritchie that it was a considerable number of years since the village had any new homes in the public sector. In fact many in the hall were critical that the housing ‘mix’ between private and public dwellings was wrong.

Mr Ritchie added that councillors were aware of the anger and disgust villagers felt about the local pier “being allowed to almost disappear under the Irish Sea.” He said consultations were taking place with legal advisers to work out the implications should the council acquire the pier.

Village committee officials remain unchanged for the coming year. The chairman is Mr Edward Nelson, the secretary is Mr G Wallace-Ash and the treasurer is Mr T Teague.

CASTLEWELLAN — A group of Castlewellan farmers are to block the entrance of a council dumping ground until they get an undertaking that dumping will take place without the pollution of farm land or danger to livestock.

The farmers are angry about the condition of the dump at Burrenbane. They say that maintenance work at the dump is irregular and ineffective. According to them, the machine used to level and cover waste is often moved for a number days, allowing rubbish to scatter over a wide area and causing danger to farm animals. Fumes from burning rubbish are also a constant source of annoyance.

Mr Eddie O’Hagan, of the James Larkin Republican Club in Newcastle, said yesterday that the farmers hd been in touch with him about the problem. He said the farmers would have the support of his club’s members.

DOWNPATRICK — A warning that action may be taken over one of Downpatrick’s most dangerous corners has come from the chairman of the town’s road safety committee.

Mr John Bryce, presenting his second annual report as chairman of the committee, said that if something is not done soon by the Department of the Environment to improve the situation at Collins’ Corner then he would be “forced to take a certain course of action.” Mr Bryce said he was constantly being bombarded with questions and protests about the danger.

COMBER — An open verdict has been returned at Newtownards Coroner’s Court on a baby girl who was found near Comber in February.

The inquest heard that despite police inquiries the mother of the child had not been traced and the child’s identity was unknown. The baby was found in a driveway at Ballyrainey Road.

SAINTFIELD — A special service of thanksgiving to mark the 21st anniversary of the Second Saintfield and Parish Church company of the Girls’ Brigade was held in Second Saintfield Presbyterian Church.

In a separate event more than 130 members, past members and friends of the company attended an anniversary dinner in the church hall. The guest of honour, Miss Enid Minnis, the founder of the company, cut the cake.

CARRICKMANNON — The fight to save Carrickmannon Primary School from closure at the end of the current school year is hotting up after Westminster MP, Mr James Kilfedder, led a deputation to see Mr Roland Moyle, the Minister of State with responsibility for Education.

The plan is to close the school, near Ballygowan, at the end of June and to disperse the 50 pupils to two other schools before September.

Mr Kilfedder said: “This means extra travelling for the children and further outlay by the state. It’s nonsense. I gather the main bureaucratic complaint her is that the lavatories are outside.”

KILLYLEAGH — Killyleagh horse show and gymkhana, which was arranged for June 5, will not take place. The show secretary, Mr E Lennon, said that the committee had decided it would be unwise to attempt a programme this year because of “predictable rising costs and the desire to increase prize values and other matters over which they have little or no control.”

Mr Lennon said they hoped the show would get underway again in 1977. He said the committee appreciated that the show had been well supported in recent years, particularly by young people.

SEAFORDE — £1,100 was raised for Unionist Party of Northern Ireland funds at a garden fete held at the Seaforde home of the party leader, Mr Brian Faulkner.  The fete, which was organised by the Women’s Federation of South Down, was opened by former Convention member, Mrs Anne Dickson.

About 700 people turned up to visit the various stands. In a personal tribute to the organisers, Mrs Faulkner said afterwards that there could be no harder working band of people anywhere in Northern Ireland.