From the pages of the Down Recorder, February 3, 1976

From the pages of the Down Recorder, February 3, 1976

3 February 2016

DOWNPATRICK — Workers at Downshire Hospital, who are threatening militant action over a meals dispute, will meet today to decide whether to go through with a walk-out. The trouble has been brewing for more than a week and affects hundreds of nursing, domestic and laundry staff.

A branch meeting of the Confederation of Health Service Employees will meet later today and it almost certain that unless their grievances are answered the wards at the hospital will be left with only a skeleton staff to supervise.

Branch secretary Michael Mills said serious complaints had been made to his branch by many of their members about the content of the meals served at the hospital. For more than a week there have been cutbacks on meat portions at breakfast and evening meals.

Mr Mills also drew attention to a long-standing complaint that there is little choice of menu for weekend staff.

“This situation has been constantly raised by us, but we have never had satisfactory answers,” he said. “It’s not good enough that weekend staff should be left with little food because of poor choice and inevitably there have been many complaints.”

Mr Mills said militant action now looked unavoidable, but he was confident the welfare of patients would in no way be affected.

BALLYKINLAR —  A late night call from a fishing vessel off the Isle of Man coast helped alert Downpatrick firemen to a gorse fire at Ballykinlar on Saturday night. The call came at 11pm and firemen rushed to the scene where they fought a three acre blaze.

DUNDRUM — Dundrum’s Main Street, described as the worst main street in Ireland — will not be levelled until at least April. That’s the answer Dundrum Development Committee will receive when they write to the Roads Service in Downpatrick.

The matter was raised at a meeting of the committee this week. After some discussion it was agreed to write to the Department of the Environment. Members claim they were told work was due to start on the scheme last September, yet no work had been done.

A spokesman for the Road Service said the Department had run into a problem over land acquisition in relation to the project. This has now been sorted and the scheme, which involves levelling the street, will be fitted into the programme beginning in April.

One of the members of the committee described the village’s main street as “the worst in Ireland.”

Meanwhile, the committee have written to Mr William Keown, a local businessman, to congratulate him on being awarded the MBE in the New Year’s Honours list. The committee say Mr Keown has brought honour upon the village.

KILCOO — A Kilcoo UDR man killed in a Provisional IRA ambush in Newry in November, 1974, was to have been married a fortnight later, an inquest heard last week.

Private Thomas John McCready (34) was shot in the chest as he ran for cover in an alleyway. His Land Rover patrol had come under fire from flats in North Street as it turned the corner into High Street.

A lance-corporal to the corner, Mr Noel Anderson, that his mobile patrol was acting as a back-up to a joint UDR-Army foot patrol operating in the town. He estimated that about ten shots were fired in succession.

As he ran into the alleyway Private McCready was behind him. On the entering the alleyway, the private ped to his knees and said he was shot.

NEWCASTLE — A dozen Electricity Service workers based in Newcastle worked a 20-hour shift on Monday to restore power to many parts of Mid-Down.

Some of the men finished work at 5am on Tuesday and returned to the office a few hours later. They had been working on electricity lines throughout the night trying to trace faults which blacked out many homes.

Clough village was without power for most the day. Parts of Newcastle, Dundrum and Ballynahinch were also without electricity for long spells.

The faults are throughout to have been caused by brine on the lines. Salt brought in by the dry winds settled on the lines and was moistened by recent snowfalls. In turn this put many of the insulators on the line out of action.

KILLYLEAGH — The new Church of St Mary, Star of the Sea, Killyleagh, was blessed on Sunday by the Bishop of Down, the Most Rev Dr William Philbin.

A large congregation packed the new church to hear concelebrated Mass at which Dr Philbin presided. The principal celebrant was Rev D P McHugh, PP, Kilmore. Rev Hugh O’Hagan, CC, Killyleagh, was the MC.

Two choirs took part in the service — the choir of St Mary’s Primary School, under Mrs Beth Stewart, and an adult choir under the direction of Mrs Mary Morrow. The organist was Sister Dorothy, of Convent of Mercy, Downpatrick.

The new church, of modern cruciform design, has been erected beside the old church, which it is now hoped will be converted into a parochial hall. The total cost of the new building was more than £180,000. The main contractor was Denis Magee & Sons, Downpatrick,

PORTAVOGIE — The captain of the South Rock lightship is being treated in Ards Hospital for a heart condition after being rescued from his vessel off the Down coast this week by Portavogie lifeboat.

The lifeboat put to sea in high winds after Captain Daniel Hawkins, who is aged about 60, was reported ill. The boat, with a crew of seven, made the eight-mile round trip to the lightship in just over an hour and a doctor and ambulance stood by at Portavogie harbour to await its return.

After Captain Hawkins, who lives at Holywood, was carried ashore he was rushed to hospital where he is said to be comfortable. With a force seven gale blowing, the sea was so rough that Captain Hawkins had to be strapped to a stretcher.

STRANGFORD — Sheep worrying continues to be a worry to local farmers after a recent outbreak in the Strangford area. One sheep was killed, three were badly injured and several others received minor injuries after an incident at Kilclief on Sunday.

SPA — Spa Young Farmers’ Club held their annual meeting recently in the club hall. Margaret Campbell, club secretary gave a comprehensive report of the past year’s events which highlighted the success of the club members at Northern Ireland level.

Hazel Wallace, Karen Brown and Robin Wallace, who gained first place in the 16-18 year age group, and Margaret Campbell, Norma Martin and John Knipe, who gained third place in the 21-25 age group, at the group debating competition were all congratulated.

The following were elected to office for the coming year: club leader, Robert Patterson; assistant club leader, David Dodd; secretary, Margaret Campbell; treasurer, Desmond Rutherford; assistant treasurer, Noel Sufferin; PRO, Norma Martin; catering officer, Betty Young; entertainment officer, Malcolm Foreman.

CASTLEWELLAN — Newcastle firemen answered a call to Savage’s public house in Main Street, Castlewellan, on Monday evening when the premises caught fire. It is thought the fire which caused the damage was started by a central heating fault.

DRUMAROAD — There was a very high standard of competition at the finals of the East Down Scor 76 in the parochial centre, Drumaroad, on Friday night. A reasonably large crowd, on a bitterly cold night, had four hours of top class entertainment provided by GAA club members from as far apart as Carryduff and Ballycran.

The MC was Harry McEvoy and at the conclusion of the evening the East Down GAA chairman, Sean Magorrian, presented the trophies to the winners and wished them and the runners-up every success in the county finals.