From the pages of the Down Recorder, July 14, 1993

From the pages of the Down Recorder, July 14, 1993

12 July 2023

CROSSGAR – The Ulster Wildlife Trust has unveiled new access facilities at its Crossgar centre.

Costing £5,000, the new facilities include the building of an access ramp from the walled garden to the centre’s Victorian conservatory and the production of interpretive and educational materials.

The latest additions to the centre, which were officially launched at a reception last Wednesday, were totally funded by the Bass Wildlife Action Fund. The £300,000 fund was set up last year as part of a three-year sponsorship deal between Bass Plc and the Royal Society for Nature Conservation.

The Crossgar centre was one of nine applicants to the fund to receive £5,000 in the first year of the scheme, and was the only recipient in Northern Ireland.

DOWNPATRICK – DUP moves to debate the visit to Downpatrick by Irish President, Mrs Mary Robinson, failed at Monday night’s monthly meeting of Down Council.

The leader of the council’s minority party, Mr William Dick, tried to raise the matter of the 60-minute visit under chairman’s remarks, but he was ruled out of order.

Council chairman, Miss Margaret Ritchie, who was keen to defuse a potential row between Unionists and Nationalist politicians, said that during her term of office, chairman’s remarks would be solely for her and not other members in the chamber.

Earlier, Mr Dick was joined by fellow DUP councillor, Mr Billy Alexander and a number of party officials outside the gates of the council’s Strangford Road headquarters for a token protest at Mrs Robinson’s visit.

However, during her opening remarks Miss Ritchie did not refer to the president’s visit to Northern Ireland which caused controversy at local and national levels.

And after refusing permission to Mr Dick to address the chamber, she said she would try and be as fair and equitable as possible during her term at the helm of the local authority.

BISHOPSCOURT – Plans to hold a mini rock concert and motorbike drag racing event at Bishopscourt race circuit last weekend were scrapped by the owners of the track, it has been revealed.

Downpatrick councillor, Mr Jack McIlheron, told members at Monday night’s meeting that the owners had pulled the plug because they were concerned about plans to have a bar at the track.

“Alcohol and motorcycle racing do not go together and that was one of the main reasons why the event was cancelled. The owners were also weary of incurring the wrath of local residents,” he added.

News of the event had angered local residents who were furious that they had not been informed or consulted about the plans to hold such an event.

The Ancestors Motorcycle Club was to have staged its annual ‘chicken run’ meeting last Friday and Saturday and had also planned to provide live entertainment.

Local residents also believed that the event could have provided a similar scenario to recent controversial rave parties in the area.

CASTLEWELLAN – The RUC has issued an appeal for public vigilance following the theft of a Post Office van in Castlewellan at the weekend.

The Ford Escort van was stolen from a garage in Mary Street sometime between Friday night and Monday morning and police fear it could be used by criminals.

The van is one of the older models and the RUC is asking local people to be on the lookout for anyone suspicious driving a Post Office van. Police are also warning of the possibility that the van may be resprayed.

A police spokesman said all stolen vehicles remain a concern to the RUC until recovered.

NEWCASTLE – The Rose of Tralee pageant may soon be held in Newcastle if a bid by the Chamber of Commerce and Down Council is successful.

The town played host to the Co Down final last month, and chamber President, Mr Peter Law, is to meet the council’s tourist officials to work out a package to attract Ireland’s premier beauty and personality contest.

“We have spoken to the organisers and it’s apparent that the town has a very good chance of getting the summer heat of the Down Rose. It this goes exceptionally well, we’ll get the Ulster Rose final in 1995,” he said.

There was little advance publicity for the Co Down finals, held a month ago in the Slieve Donard Hotel. Mr Law said: “This is the first time the Co. Down finals have been held outside Belfast and it was obvious they did not get the right publicity factors going.”

He said the occasion was “poorly marketed” despite what was called the “remarkable potential” and large prizes presented by the organisers, and notably less successful than the old “Sweetheart of Down” competition, which was also held in Newcastle.

PORTAFERRY – Celebrations in Portaferry yesterday marked the 25th anniversary of the founding of St Cooey’s Oratory in the town.

The Oratory was first blessed by Bishop William Philbin on June 29, 1968. The Portaferry Parish priest at the time, Fr Morgan, chose St Cooey as the patron saint for his new Oratory and brought foundation stones from Temple Cooey, Tara Bay, for use in its construction.

From scant historical detail, it appears that St Cooey lived at Temple Cooey at about the end of the seventh and the beginning of the eight century. 

The fact that there are five or six place names in the locality associated with St Cooey indicates that he was a person of quite some repute and importance in the Upper Ards.

The site for the Oratory in Portaferry was originally acquired by Fr Patrick McAlea. Two shops in the Square were bought at a cost of £450 and a house in Church Street at a cost of £180. The site was completed by donations of rear gardens by Jeannie Convey, Gerard Baird and Jean McCarthy,

DOWN DISTRICT – Down District’s general practitioners have overwhelmingly rejected any suggestion that they would operate a maternity unit in Downpatrick.

In a special survey published this week, the doctors have emphatically revealed they would not be willing to provide obstetric cover if consultants are removed from the Downpatrick Maternity Hospital.

Ninety eight per cent of all the doctors involved in the survey were opposed to a suggested General Practitioner Maternity Unit which, it is believed, is one of the options currently being considered by the Eastern Health Board.

The survey, conducted by the Down Community Health Committee, also revealed that not one general practitioner would be prepared to undergo training to enable the staffing of such a unit.

Most doctors interviewed revealed they have had no obstetric practice since they were house officers, while those who had considered themselves to be uninformed on present techniques.

All the doctors said they fear the consequences of the removal of consultants from the maternity hospital, while many added a worry that a spate of home confinements could not be fitted into the present form of general practice.

DOWNPATRICK – Plans for a £250,000 shop and office development at Downpatrick’s St Patrick’s Avenue, have been lodged this week with senior planning chiefs in the town.

The attractive Georgian style development will be located at the former Audio Times electrical shop and if planning permission is granted, the developer says he is in a position to move on site immediately.

The plans for the two-storey scheme, which covers some 2,000 square feet, details three separate shops, with equivalent office accommodation above and two separate entrances.