From the pages of the Down Recorder, April 6, 1976

From the pages of the Down Recorder, April 6, 1976

6 April 2016

DOWNPATRICK — Downpatrick teenager Ian Mitchell will make his first public appearance with the Bay City Rollers on Top of the Pops tonight. For Ian, of Ardmeen Green, it is a once-in-a-lifetime break.

Ian, now on his way to stardom as replacement for Rollers guitarist Alan Longmuir, who is quitting the group, was first spotted by the Scottish group’s manager, Tam Paton, when he played with Downpatrick group the Young City Stars as support to the Rollers in Belfast 18 months ago.

His father, Mr Alan Mitchell, revealed that Ian has been rehearsing with the Rollers for the last few weeks.

His big chance came when the Young City Stars were invited over to Scotland by Mr Paton. It was decided a few months ago that Ian would be the ideal replacement for Longmuir.

Seventeen year-old Ian’s career began when he played a few notes on his sister’s guitar. She then gave it to him a a present and he began practising. A few months later he entered a talent contest and came second. One of the judges told him that he practised hard he could become famous.

Meanwhile, the Young City Stars have already found a replacement for Ian and played their first venue without him in Donegal last weekend.

SAINTFIELD — An armed gang held up staff at the Northern Bank in Saintfield and escaped with a sum of money. Police say that four armed people, two of them armed, took part in the raid.

The gang — one of them may have been a girl — escaped in a car which was later found abandoned a few miles outside the town.

CASTLEWELLAN — A group of Castlewellan farmers are complaining bitterly that a council dump on their lands is causing them financial harm and polluting the local environment.

Already the farmers have met Down District Council officials to demand immediate action at the dump at Burrenbane and an improvement in the area has been promised.

Several months ago the farmers made a number of demands to council officials. These included that burning of refuse be discontinued in a dumping area so close to dwelling houses; that refuse be covered with gravel or soil after dumping to prevent scattering by seagulls; that the council arrange for the cleaning of fields thickly covered with refuse or settle on compensation in lieu.

Deposits of small bone fragments and pieces of metal make grazing in some fields totally impossible they say.

DROMARA — An  incendiary device which started a fire at Coburn’s general hardware shop in Dromara destroyed most of the stock.

The Coburn family, who lived above the shop, were alerted and were able to escape unharmed. One of the family was suffering from toothache and was getting a drink of water when she spotted the fire.

BALLYNAHINCH — A claim that Down District Council failed to take adequate steps to abate a nuisance caused by quarry dust in Ballynahinch has been demised by the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Complaints.

The Commissioner has found, however, that the council must accept some responsibility for the “considerable annoyance” caused to one Ballynahinch resident.

The complaint against the council was made by Mr David Miller, whose home at 15 Moss Road, Ballynahinch, is near the quarry. According to the Commissioner there was a significant dust problem and Mr Miller had genuine grounds for complaint.

PORTAFERRY — Portaferry traders have formed a Chamber of Commerce in the town. The chamber aims to be representative of the interests of the business life of the town and as an action group to resist local or national legislation likely to prove detrimental to its members.

The members also say they will promote trading activities by assisting the expansion of local trade and by keeping people informed on matters of practical importance.

Office bearers elected at their recent meeting were: president, H McD Anderson; secretary, D McCarthy; treasurer, G Smith; vice-president, C Stewart; assistant secretary, G McKenzie; PRO, D K Elliott.

CROSSGAR — Crossgar Choral Society packed the village’s War Memorial Hall for two nights when they presented their fifth annual concert.

The show went ahead despite the hall, which was used for rehearsals, being broken into and the piano destroyed early in the practice season. A new piano had to be purchased and the cast had to move to premises loaned by the secretary, Margaret Rodgers.

The society also wish to thank the musical director, Mr Bertie Rourke, the accompanist, Mrs Stella King, and producer and choreographer, Mrs Angela Bradley for the work they put into making the show a success. Frank Bradley, David Eynon and Bert Taylor were the men behind the stage.

On April 27 the show will visit Saintfield. Two days later the society take the show to the Downshire Hospital and on May 4 the villagers of Killough will have the opportunity of seeing the performance.

NEWCASTLE — Newcastle Round Table increased its activities and raised £445 for local charities last year, members heard at their recent annual meeting. Outgoing chairman Mr Andy Methven also said that the year was marked by a substantial rise in membership.

The Tabler of the Year trophy went to Eugene Small. After Mike Davis, the new chairman, gave his inaugural address the following officers were elected for the coming year: vice-chairman, S Harrison; hon secretary, H Lynch; hon treasurer, N Thomason; convenor of entertainments, F Williamson; convenor of fund raising, S Small; deputy area councillor, B Howard.

KILLINCHY — A Killinchy pig breeder hopes to really cook her bacon next month. Valerie Millington, of Killencian Road, will be Northern Ireland’s representative in a 12-finalist cooking competition to be held in London on May 19-20.

More than 1,500 contestants from throughout the UK entered the competition, sponsored jointly by the National Dairy Council, the Scottish Dairy Council and the Dairy Council for Northern Ireland.

Prizes worth about £9,000 include a holiday of two on Rhodes, a cooker, fridge freezer and clothes. But despite the tempting bait, Miss Millington is treating the competition as a “big laugh.” She said she only entered it for a joke with the holiday as the only real attraction.

KILLYLEAGH — A newly formed playgroup for the Killyleagh and Shrigley will start on April 29. It will operate for three hours on four mornings a week. Anyone who is interested should contact Mrs G Evans, Benowen Road, Killyleagh.

COMBER — A quantity of cigarettes were stolen from several cigarette machines inside Comber Cinema in the town’s Castle Street at the weekend. The thieves gained access through a rear window.

GAA — Down made a dismal start to their new season when they were tamely ousted from the McKenna Cup by a five-point margin, 1-12 to 2-4, by old rivals Cavan at Kingscourt.

This is the first time in almost seven years that Cavan have managed to get the better of their Down rivals and the delight of the Cavan team and their followers was certainly manifest after the game.

This was a game Down could and should have won, but the side was weakened by the absence of midfielder Dan Connolly and half back Anthony King and certainly this pair would have made a vast difference.

HOCKEY — Down Hockey Club held their annual six-a-side tournament at Strangford Road, Downpatrick, on Saturday. The schoolboys had their own tournament in the morning under the supervision of J McClurg, E Malone and E Sweeney. This section was won by the team captained by M Wheeler.