From the pages of the Down Recorder, August 15, 1978

From the pages of the Down Recorder, August 15, 1978

15 August 2018

NEWCASTLE — A crowd of over 50 people turned out for a public meeting in Newcastle to discuss the new street widening scheme which starts in the resort at the weekend and in general they showed themselves to be enthusiastic towards the proposals.

Details of the scheme, which will create a wider thoroughfare along the seafront were given by Mr John Magowan, from the Department of the Environment’s Roads Service division, while Mr Brian Cunningham, head of the firm which will be carrying out the scheme, was also there to explain exactly how they would be tackling the work.

Chief Inspector Symington, of Newcastle police, gave information on the diversions which will operate while the contract is being carried out.

There was a lively question and answer session afterwards as local residents pressed the experts to find out how the scheme would specifically affect them.

Mr Paddy O’Donoghue, the Newcastle councillor who organised the meeting, said later that he thought it had served a useful purpose by allowing people in the town to meet the men doing the work.

Work on the scheme is due to start this weekend and is scheduled to finish next summer. The main thoroughfare from the Presbyterian Church to the Glen River is to be completely realigned with parking lay-bys and new footpaths.

The contract includes complete new services, including GPO telephone lines, water mains and underground electricity cables. All electricity poles will be removed and the new street lighting poles will be the only ones remaining in the street.

Today signposts are due to be erected showing widespread diversions and changes to traffic flow which will be in operation while the work is being carried out.

DOWNPATRICK — Seven years ago 29 year-old Downpatrick solicitor Edmund Quiery lay in a kidney dialysis machine hoping and praying that someone, somewhere, would give him the chance to live.

For fourteen hours a day, twice a week for 12 months, Edmund lay attached to the machine before he received news that he could get a kidney transplant. Today Edmund is married with a 16 month-old daughter and expecting an addition to the family soon.

He is a three handicapper at Downpatrick Golf Club, plays squash and is heading off on Sunday to participate in the Transplant Olympicds in Portsmouth.

Edmund’s new-found lifestyle has been made possible by an unknown person who donated his kidneys in the event of his death.

“If people only realise what good they could do by donating their kidneys they would hesitate, Edmund said. “For people like myself, a new kidney means the chance to live.”

KILLYLEAGH — Killyleagh scout leader Clive Scoular is to lead a 36-strong party to the 15th World Scout Jamboree in Iran next July.

Clive has been leader of Killyleagh Parish scouts for over ten years and apart from his local scouting responsibilities he is the international assistant chief commissioner.

He is well experienced in camping abroad and has been four times on the continent in the last nine years with his scout troop.

Gordon Jackson, patrol leader with the Killyleagh Parish troop, has also been chosen to attend the Jamboree and will represent Downpatrick district.

Gordon came to live in Killyleagh two-and-a-half years ago, having been in cubs in Castlewellan. He has already been at three summer camps, including the 1976 camp in Luxembourg, and he is the holder of a large number of scout proficiency badges. Although only 14 years old, he is a very experienced scout and attends Down High School.

Clive has already chosen his three assistants and they have had meetings with the scouts who will represent Northern Ireland. They come from as far paart as Enniskillen, Newry, Coleraine and Ballymena.]

The 15th Jamboree will be held in Neishaboor in north eastern Iran and there will be about 25,000 scouts attending from all over the world.

BALLYNAHINCH — Agents for the Ker Estate in Ballynahinch have denied allegations that it is neglecting property in the town.

The allegations came recently in a sweeping attack from Ballynahinch Chamber of Commerce who said the trustees of the estate had allowed the town square to deteriorate and were neglecting the Fair Green — a piece of land on the outskirts of the town which is used for car parking.

However, a spokesman for the state claimed this week that plans were “already in hand” to resurfaced the square and he said plans for the future of the Fair Green were being considered by the council.

COMBER — Comber traders are taking ambitious steps to launch a late-night opening programme in the town. If everything goes according to plan, many shops could be staying open late on Friday nights from September.

At a meeting in the town this week traders discussed ways to win back customers who have been lured way to late opening hypermarkets in Newtownards and Bangor.

“Late night opening is something which we should think very seriously about,” said Mr Robert Finlay, chairman of Comber Traders Association. We are going to have to counteract the flow to Woolco in Newtownards if we are ever going to get this town off the ground.

“I think it would be a marvellous thing for Comber if we could get a lot of shops to open late. With good advertising we could build up an incredible atmosphere here.”

KILMORE — A scheme to build eight new houses in Kilmore has been narrowly rejected by the Planning Appeals Commission. However, further development in the village has not been ruled out.

Local planners argued that the site on the outskirts of the village should not be developed because it represented a “ribboning” in the village.

CARRYDUFF — There was a very special family reunion in Carryduff on Thursday night — for the people involved had travelled over 20,000 miles to be together.

The reunion was in the home of Mrs Marian Dunlop when eight of her uncles got together again for the first time in 50 years. They were all members of the Castles family who half a century ago spread out across the provide across the world.

Included in the reunion was a strong Canadian contingent, with Mr Wesley Castles, from Winnipeg, Mrs Nora Forbes, from Vancouver, and Mr William Castles, from Victoria. Another brother, Mr Sam Castles, was there from Singapore.

“We had a bit of a celebration and then they all went back to their different parts of the world,” Mrs Dunlop said. “It was great to have them all home again, even if it was only for a short time.”

STRANGFORD — Mrs Martha Sharvin, of Strangford, passed away at the weekend. Born in Seaham, Co Durham, she was the widow or Mr Senan Sharvin, who, until his death 14 years ago, was a leading figure in local business circles and public life.

Mrs Sharvin lived quietly, but in an unassuming way she set a remarkable pattern for simple, yet wholesome practical community life. Neither age nor infirxmity 

reduced her vivacity or her concern for other people. 

Public sympathy is extended to her sons, Brendan and Jim, and to her daughter, Mrs Anne Ellis. Her eldest son, Jack, was killed during wartime service with the RAF.

BALLYGOWAN — Two Ballygowan sisters, Christine and Deborah Brown, were successful in recent nursing exams. Christine qualified as a State Registered Nurse at Belfast City Hospital and  Deborah, already qualified as an SRN, recently obtained her Midwifery certificate from the Royal Victoria Hospital. Both are past pupils of the Pre-Nursing Course at Downpatrick Technical School.

SAINTFIELD — Vina Lyons, from Saintfield, riding Mr Gibson Peak’s pony, Pebble Wall, won the 13.2 championship at the Royal Dublin Show at the weekend. The same combination won the championship at Balmoral in May this year and they hope to jump at Hickstead later this month.