From the pages of the Down Recorder, November 23, 1994

From the pages of the Down Recorder, November 23, 1994

20 November 2024

DOWNPATRICK – Underground tunnels discovered on the site of a new science and technology block at Down High School last week are 160 year-old drains, DoE experts have revealed.

The network of tunnels was uncovered below the site of the school’s former swimming pool by workmen digging foundations for a new £1 million development.

After an initial inspection by workmen and officials from Down County Museum many thought that they were used to transport prisoners to the nearby courthouse, but the DoE dismissed these suggestions this week, confirming that they are drainage culverts.

A spokeswoman said that the drains ran below the site of the town’s former gaol, which stood on the site of the present Down High campus.

She said experts from the Department of the Environment’s historic buildings and monuments branch, who had examined the tunnels, believed they were built between 1826 and 1830.

The spokeswoman added that building work at the site would cause minimal disruption to the tunnels.

BALLYNAHINCH – Football-crazy pupils from St Colman’s High School in Ballynahinch managed to secure an exclusive interview with the Republic of Ireland’s manager, Jack Charlton, last week.

The group, including the principal, Mr Francis Duffy, and teacher, Mr Paddy Cowan, met the colourful manager at the team’s headquarters in the Nuremore Hotel, Carrickmacross, on the eve of the Republic’s match with Northern Ireland.

They spent 30 minutes chatting to their idol who answered questions relating to his boyhood, playing career, managerial experience and his future plans.

Before leaving, Jack and his team autographed a football, which will be raffled for the BBC Children In Need event.

CASTLEWELLAN – Plans to build a new multi-million pound school in Castlewellan have been given the go-ahead by planners.

But it is still unknown whether the Department of Education will provide cash to build the £8 million development at St Malachy’s High School, based on the town’s Dublin Road.

The 35 year-old school, which has 980 pupils, is the largest in the district, serving a wide catchment area.

Over the years it has expanded and has currently 17 mobile classrooms, but according to its principal, Mr Des Farley, it is too small to cater for its pupils efficiently.

But he is hopeful that the Department, which has long recognised the need for a new building at St Malachy’s, will provide the much-needed cash injection.

If funding is provided, work will begin on the green field site behind the campus.

The proposed 12,230 sq ft development, which will include a schools meals block, will house first class facilities to meet the needs of the Northern Ireland common curriculum.

NEWCASTLE – The upgrading of Newcastle and the building of the St Patrick’s Visitor Centre in Downpatrick are essential if Down District is to successfully compete for tourists, a council official has warned.

Tourist officer Angela Gilchrist has highlighted the growing number of major attractions in other parts of the province as evidence that other local authorities are getting on the tourist bandwagon which Down District cannot afford to ignore.

In her review of the 1994 tourist season in the district, Mrs Gilchrist said the popularity of centres such as Exploris in Portaferry, the Navan Centre and St Patrick’s Trian in Armagh, the Dunluce Centre, in Portrush, and Bangor’s Pickie Pool, was continuing to grow.

KILLYLEAGH – The lack of development at the Down Council-owned Delamont Country Park outside Killyleagh, has this week been severely criticised by politicians, some of whom have warned that the project must not be written off.

The council bought the site at Delamont in 1987, and it was officially opened five years later, but since then there has been a distinct lack of progress.

Councillors are concerned at the lack of effort made to attract people to the area to “sample the delights of Delamont” and have called for a more rigorous publicity campaign to be put into operation.

Many are also concerned that no structured management plan is in place, but that could change within the next few weeks as the council’s senior officers aim to drive the project forward, under the watchful eye of councillors.

CLOUGH – The Department of Environment has unveiled plans to ease traffic congestion in Clough, by providing a new filter lane at the Castlewellan turn-off.

Initially, the plan was kicked into touch by local residents who were concerned that moves to reduce the size of the existing footpath would pose a threat to young children in the area.

But, following some diplomatic moves by local councillors, Mr Patsy Toman and Mr Jim Cochrane, Roads Service chiefs agreed to meet their concerns and draw up an alternative plan.

Traffic congestion in Clough is particularly bad in the summer months and one of the main problems is the tailback of vehicles towards the roundabout, which is caused by cars waiting to turn right towards Castlewellan.

Villagers say they agree with the principle of the new filter lane but are concerned at the loss of footpath space outside their homes.

Mr Toman, who was in the village last Wednesday for a meeting between local residents and Roads Service officials, said the issue was amicably resolved after much discussion.

BALLYNAHINCH – A stage-struck Ballynahinch schoolgirl is currently treading the boards at the Belfast Festival at Queen’s.

Maria Nolan, who is a fourth former at St Colman’s High School, is appearing in Martin Lynch’s play “Dockers”, set in the Belfast docks in the early 1960s.

Although she had been coping with rehearsals every day for two months, Maria has been enjoying the experience and hopes to take up acting as a future career.

Transport to and from rehearsals was provided by the play’s director, Chrissie Poulter, who lectures in drama at Trinity College, Dublin.

Her influence has given Maria a taste for the stage and she hopes to attend drama school when she leaves St Colman’s.

Vice principal, Mr Michael Boyd, who is curriculum co-ordinator, praised Maria for her enthusiam.

DOWNPATRICK – Veteran hospitals campaigner Sean Quinn is to publish his memoirs in the New Year.

The Downpatrick man, who has had a colourful and varied career as a clinical nurse tutor, local politician and hospital campaigner, plans to publish a book about his life.

‘The Councillor’, which is expected to hit the streets in January, will chart Mr Quinn’s early childhood in Irish Street as the son of a local tailor and his education at the school in St Dillon’s Avenue, before moving to the ‘Red High’ – St Patrick’s Grammar School and the ‘Tech’.

According to Mr Quinn (62), the book’s subtitle will be Voir Dire, a legal term used as a prelude to see if a case can be substantiated.

He said that although he could have gone into a great deal more depth, he wanted his memoirs to be a light-hearted, yet philosophical look at what had happened in his life.

STRANGFORD – Plans by the Environment Service to redraw the boundary around two local areas of outstanding natural beauty, are being viewed with caution by Down councillors.

Local politicians say they do not want to give their blessing to preliminary moves to extend the boundary around parts of Lecale and Strangford Lough, if it means future development will be stifled.