From the pages of the Down Recorder, February 1, 1995

From the pages of the Down Recorder, February 1, 1995

29 January 2025

DOWNPATRICK – Urgent calls have been made to find a new site for Down Academy in Downpatrick because of an increasing squeeze on classroom space.

Education chiefs have been urged to investigate overcrowding at the school, following a plea by a leading cleric that it is too small for the growing number of pupils.

A school governor, the Rev Tom Craig, who is also a member of the South Eastern Education and Library Board, told officials that the Old Belfast Road complex had accommodation problems and a new site was needed as a matter of priority.

Down Academy was established in 1991 following the rationalisation of secondary sector education in Mid-Down. Around 250 pupils are currently on the books, but this figure is expected to increase to 280 next year.

Rev Craig said there had been a degree of scepticism about its viability when its doors first opened, but staff have confounded criticism and the school is growing rapidly.

Extra numbers, coupled with the demands of the new curriculum, have already led to the installation of five temporary classrooms, he continued.

NEWCASTLE – Radical plans to revitalise Newcastle as Northern Ireland’s top tourist resort have been given the seal of approval by the province’s Environment Minister.

During a visit to the seaside town on Friday, Mr Malcolm Moss, described the plans as “remarkable” and pledged his support to any measures which would stimulate economic development and job creation.

Mr Moss, who met local politicians to discuss a number of issues, including roads, housing and hospital services, said there were some positive proposals in Down Council’s tourism study of Newcastle, which was unveiled last summer.

The £12m scheme has been billed as the development programme for the seaside town for the next 60 years and involves a number of major changes, which would dramatically alter the physical appearance of the town and provide vastly different facilities for visitors.

ARDGLASS – Businessmen in the Ardglass area have a vital role to play in the development of the town’s £1.34m marina project and can make sure the scheme gets off the ground next year.

That was the message given to a group of people from the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall, who were in the village last Friday afternoon as part of a fact-finding tour.

The Cornish group who visited a fish processing factory in Ardglass and spoke at length with the owners of the S & P Milligan plant, before leaving to speak with representatives with the Seeconnell community initiative, outside Castlewellan.

But it was the visit to Ardglass which was the highlight of the tour and the visitors were more than impressed with the high level of community input and support for the boat-park scheme.

The 66-berth marina project, which is being driven by Phennick Cove Developments Ltd, has already received major funding from the Rural Development Council under the LEADER programme, and the International Fund for Ireland.

DOWNPATRICK – Impatient motorists are putting the lives of young children and the elderly at risk, the Downpatrick and District Road Safety Committee has claimed this week.

The problem area is at the town’s Folly Lane, which links St Patrick’s Avenue and Stream Street, but which is not permitted to be used as a through road.

But since a temporary one-way system was introduced at Market Street to allow work on a £100,000 environmental improvement scheme to take place in tandem with a new watermain laying scheme, the 

number of drivers using the road has risen sharply.

The Folly Lane is used by local children attending the Convent of Mercy nursery school and many elderly people also use it on their way to morning mass at St Patrick’s Church.

The road is also used by visitors to the St Michael’s Centre, but the lives of all those who travel along it every morning are being put at risk by “thoughtless and impatient” drivers, says the committee.

NEWCASTLE – A student at St Patrick’s Grammar School has won a major award for a prizewinning essay on the role of women in engineering.

Sinead Gorman, who lives in Newcastle, is studying for her Maths and Science A-levels and she received her prize during a recent glittering ceremony in London.

The student gets to keep £300 of the prize fund with the rest of the cash going towards organising an event which will enhance girls’ participation in engineering.

The presentation was held at the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre in London and Sinead was joined by her parents and school headmaster, Dr Fergus McArdle.

Her prize was handed over by Mr Robert Huhes MP, the Minister responsible for Science with the Department of Education and Sinead beat off the challenge of 1,800 competitors between the ages of 14 and 18.

Her essay was about why Britain needs more women engineers and how to attract women to the profession.

DOWN DISTRICT – A major seminar aimed at addressing the concerns of people living in rural areas is to be held later this month and is being spearheaded by the RUC’s Community Relations Unit.

Senior police officers have been working on the scheme for the past six months and the seminar will address a number of issues which were highlighted during a series of public meetings last year.