From the pages of the Down Recorder, March 15, 1995

From the pages of the Down Recorder, March 15, 1995

12 March 2025

DRUMANESS – An eight year-old Drumaness schoolgirl has found fame in the USA as a typical example of an Irish colleen.

Red-haired youngster, Louise Melville, who lives in Linnhurst Park, is currently gracing the front cover of America’s top publication devoted to Irish country music.

The Rego catalogue is one of the biggest distributors of Irish country and western tapes and records in the States, and Louise was picked to star on the cover after her picture, taken by local photographer, Bobbie Hanvey.

The photograph, taken by Bobbie two years ago, shows Louise in a typical Irish scene – posing in a barley field with a harp and wearing a green Aran sweater knitted by her grandmother.

The photo was picked up by the publishers of the Rego catalogue and was spotted by Stevie O’Connor, a friend of the family who is married to a Loughinisland girl, Noreen Burns.

The couple live in Delaware, about 100 miles from New York and they were amazed to see the picture of Louise on the front cover of the catalogue when it popped through their letterbox.

DOWNPATRICK – The Department of the Environment is considering making permanent the one-way system traffic system currently in operation to allow major roads works in Downpatrick.

Initial reports indicate traffic flow through the town has significantly improved since the system was introduced in January, to the extent that Roads Service officials are now treating it as a trial experiment for a possible permanent one-way operation.

And in an attempt to ease parking problems in Downpatrick, Road Service is considering seeking private sector investment in a multi-storey car park in either the Irish Street or Market Street car parks.

It has also been suggested that pay-and-display parking may be introduced in the town centre car parks in a bid to discourage all-day parking and assist shoppers.

However, it is the proposed one-way system which will attract most attention in the town, given that many felt before its introduction that it would prove a major obstacle to traffic flow rather than a beneficial aid. 

The scheme, which was introduced to allow regeneration work to take place in the town, allows only one-way traffic in Market Street with motorists coming from Church Street having to make the round trip via Irish Street and St Patrick’s Avenue to reach the Newcastle side of the town.

LOUGHINISLAND – A special memorial is to be constructed in the grounds of St Macartan’s Church, Loughinisland, in memory of the six men who were shot dead in the village pub last year.

News of the proposed memorial came as the trustees of the Loughinisland Appeal Fund revealed that over £70,000 was raised for the relatives of the dead and the survivors of the UVF attack on O’Toole’s Bar.

The money has been dispersed and on Sunday night at a special meeting in the parochial hall, a formal meeting was held to confirm the money had been distributed.

NEWCASTLE  – Newcastle’s bathing waters have been branded a health risk by a new nationwide survey of the UK’s beaches.

The Reader’s Digest Good Beach Guide, compiled by the Marine Conservation Society, says of Newcastle’s bathing areas: “Standards are not sufficiently high – keep out of the water.”

The guide, which only recommends one beach in Down District  – Tyrella – adds that although Newcastle may pass mandatory Government testing, “research suggests that water of this quality may still place your health at risk.

“The Marine Conservation Society cannot recommend such beaches,” it adds.

The main culprit in Newcastle’s health risk waters has been identified as sewage discharged from a secondary sewage system which serves 20,000 people. Treated sewage is discharged into the water some 285 metres below the low water mark at Newcastle.

The guide also records that although Newcastle has passed less stringent Government cleanliness tests for the past four years, it failed the same tests four times out of five in the period from 1986 to 1990.

BALLYNAHINCH – The future of Ballynahinch Chamber of Commerce is in safe hands, following last week’s annual general meeting in the town’s Community Centre.

There was speculation the group could have folded if the business community did not show its support, but around a dozen traders attended the meeting to pledge their commitment.

A number of apologies were tendered and while Chamber president, Mr Graham Smyth, said he was “disappointed” with the overall turnout, he is glad a section of the business community still has the interests of the town very much at heart.

“The business community in Ballynahinch is behind the Chamber and realises that it has a key role to play in the months ahead,” he said. 

“We are a united body and have the interests of the town’s community at heart. We have the support of the traders and that is important to know as we plan for the future.”

CARRYDUFF  – Plans to create a £300,000 all-weather artificial playing field at Carryduff’s Lough  Moss Centre have taken another step forward.

Castlereagh Council’s Leisure Services Committee has recommended the council budget for taking out a loan to cover the cost of creating the pitch during the next financial year.

The recommendation follows a meeting with representatives of Annadale Hockey Club in which club officials said they would no longer be able to develop the pitch in partnership with the council.

The club’s application for a grant from the Foundation for Sport and the Arts had been unsuccessful, and although they have applied for a grant for the pitch from the National Lottery Fund, there is no guarantee that they will be successful. 

Despite the setback, councillors have said that they want to go ahead with the plan. Former council chairman, Mrs Iris Robinson, told the committee meeting that she believes the council should progress with the scheme.

STRANGFORD – The Government has delivered another knock-back to any plans for a bridge over Strangford Lough.

Environmental Minister, Mr Malcolm Moss, has said there are no proposals for a bridge between Strangford and Portaferry at the moment, confirming that such a proposal is well down the Government’s list of priorities.

Mr Moss made his statement in a Parliamentary reply to Strangford MP, Mr John Taylor, who asked if there are any plans for a bridge, what would be the estimated cost of the scheme and what European funding could be available.

The Minister replied: “There are no proposals to build such a bridge, which in absence of detailed costings, is estimated to cost between £15m and £20m.

“It is not possible to say whether European Union funding could be available without first considering a full economic and financial appraisal,” he said.

KILLYLEAGH – Two local primary schools have taken a positive step forward in a attempt to discourage vandalism and underage drinking in their area.

For over four months, St Mary’s and Killyleagh Primary School have been involved in the restoration and renovation of the graveyard at Mary’s Stile.

It is hoped that the pupils’ involvement in the scheme will encourage ownership of the site and prevent the area returning to a state of disrepair.

A number of tasks have been undertaken to restore the graveyard including weed clearing, removal of litter, planting tress, river clearance, restoration of the stile, erecting fences and the repair of the kissing gates.