From the pages of the Down Recorder, April 5, 1977

From the pages of the Down Recorder, April 5, 1977

5 April 2017

BISHOPSCOURT — A Bishopscourt parachutist is lucky to be alive today after a miraculous escape when his parachute failed to open in a free fall dive.

Thirty-five year-old Noel Farrelly fell 7,000 feet and made an 80mph landing in the top of a tree. Astonishingly he lived to tell the tale and is presently in hospital with two broken legs and a fractured jaw.

It is expected that he will be in hospital for up to six months and it may be a year before he cam walk again, but as one ambulance man said at the scene, “It’s a miracle he is alive.

Mr Farrelly, who is single and lives at Bishopscourt with his mother, is an air traffic controller in the nearby airforce base and was in Herefordshire in England when the accident happened.

A member of the Dublin Parachute Club he was practising for the Irish national championships next week. Along with three others, he jumped out of a light aircraft at 7,000 feet to form a star formation.

At 3,000 feet Mr Farrelly tried to open his parachute, but it jammed. He pulled his reserve chute, which also failed to open after tangling with the main one. Luckily he fell into the tree and the branches broke his fall somewhat. He then hit a bank and rolled into a ditch. Airfield staff and ambulance men rushed to the scene expecting to find Mr Farrelly dead.

PORTAFERRY — Police and Coastguards are still baffled about how a 1,400-ton West German coaster, en route from Wales to Sweden, ran aground at Kearney Point, near Portaferry.

The vessel, Anne Catharina, with a crew of eight men, ran aground near Quinton Castle and had to refloated the following day.

One eyewitness, Mr G McKenzie, from the nearby Kearney village, said the boat seemed to be in difficulty and ran aground just after 10pm on the north side of Knockinelder Bay. It was stuck for almost half an hour before managing to reverse clear.

It swung due south and strangely headed across the bay, straight for Quinton Castle. The vessel ran aground for a second time just after 11pm, but this time was unable to get herself free.

CASTLEWELLAN — Education officials are expected to give the go-ahead today for an £86,000 scheme which will renovate Castlewellan’s Market House for use as a new town library.

The project will completely modernise the inside of the Market House while retaining the existing interior. Building work alone will cost almost £72,000 and new heating and electrical installations will amount to well over £14,000.

When complete the new library will be on two storeys, comprising a total of 2,750 square yards. it will also contain a large room which will be available for public meetings and for the use of local societies.

Mr D Wort, Chief Librarian with the South Eastern Education and Library Board’s Central Services, said he was glad that the plans for Castlewellan were so advanced. “The existing library in Castlewellan is totally inadequate,” he said. “As soon as we found we could acquire the Market House we started negotiations immediately.

Down councillors have given a warm welcome to the library plans. Mr Paddy O’Donoghue said he particularly welcomed the choice of site. “The Market House has lain practically useless for years now,” he said.

DOWNPATRICK — A Downpatrick couple and their three young children, who lost their home after a blaze, have been rehoused by the Housing Executive.

Mr and Mrs Alfred Smyth and their three children, aged four years, three years and seven months, lost their home at Meadowlands. Downpatrick firemen fought the blaze, but the living room and kitchen were extensively damaged by fire and smoke. Most of their possessions were lost.

The family were immediately rehoused at McLean House, Downpatrick, by the Executive.

NEWCASTLE — Newcastle is preparing itself for the Easter holiday period and the indications are that this will be a number year for the resort.

The Slieve Donard, Newcastle’s biggest hotel, is already fully booked for the four days and most of the other hotels reported having only one or two vacancies.

Indeed, the range of activities open to the Easter holidaymakers is impressive, with tennis courts, a boating pond, a pitch and putt course and a bowling green all open.

One of the biggest attractions is top comedian Frank Carson appearing in cabaret at the Slieve Donard Hotel on Easter Tuesday night. 

KILLYLEAGH — Sunday morning churchgoing in Killyleagh usually ends up in chaos, according to at least one local resident. The problem is finding car parking spaces in Irish Street where there are two churches.

Mr Hugh Martin, a local man and a Down councillor, said competition for spaces between the members of both congregations usually ends in chaos — and he wants something done about it.

Another Killyleagh councillor, Lt-Col Denys Rowan-Hamilton, agrees there is a problem, but he has been told that the Catholic Church intends constructing its own car park when housing development in Irish Street is complete.

BALLYNAHINCH — People living in Ballynahinch are facing a serious worry. Where are they going to go when they die? Their problem is not the religious one of whether they’ll go up or down. Instead people are concerned about the lack of graves in the town.

Down councillors have agreed in principle to establish a public cemetery in Ballynahinch to help the situation. This follows a request from a local Church of Ireland clergyman, who said the problem was now urgent.

The Rev C W M Cooper told the council that as far back as 1972 it had been decided that a new cemetery for Ballynahinch was a matter of urgency and he was the problem was even worse now.

INCH — Fifty years of hard work for Inch Parish was rewarded with a birthday party and a presentation to Miss Maud Jennings at a special evening in Inch Memorial Hall.

Parishioners and the rector, the Rev Jim Donnelly, looked on as Mrs Sheila McKee presented Miss Jennings with a portable television in token of her many years of work for the church. The evening’s entertainment was a slide show given by Mr E R Sandford on the history of church architecture.

CROSSGAR — Members of 1st Crossgar Boys’ Brigade and Robins had the opportunity to display their talents at a special evening for parents and friends in Lissara Church Hall.

The boys mounted a varied a programme of PE activities, marching, games and short sketches, which the audience of relatives and friends enjoyed. Mrs H Welshman presented the awards to those boys who put up the best performance during the year.

SPA — First Spa Brownies held their annual parents might in the Arnold Hall, Spa. The Rev C D Adams welcomed the large attendance and thanked them for supporting the pack.

Over 30 Brownies and Bunnies laid on a highly entertaining programme under the leadership of Mrs Essie Morrow, Misses Audrey Carlisle, Margaret Jennings and Lorraine and Rosemary Brown.

CRICKET — Ten teams, including two new entrants, will compete in this year’s Downpatrick Trades Cricket League. They are: Bell’s Hill, Downshire, Craigduff A, Craigduff B, Ballykilbeg, Turley’s, Ardmeen, Cochrane’s and newcomers the Dept of Environment and the Two T’s.

A cup kindly donated by local businessman Tommy McGreevy will give added attraction this term.

The officials of the league were re-elected. They are: G Hutton, chairman; B Mills, vice-chairman; E Hayes, treasurer; N McMullan, assistant treasurer; J McCready, secretary; and T Powell, assistant secretary.