From the pages of the Down Recorder, December 11, 1979

From the pages of the Down Recorder, December 11, 1979

11 December 2019

BALLYNAHINCH — Downtown Radio disc jockey Hendi switched on the Christmas tree lights at Ballynahinch Square on Friday evening in front of almost one thousand people.

The townspeople had gathered in their hundreds to see the official switch-on and the presence of cartoon characters, Ballynahinch Silver Band and the choirs from several local schools added to the occasion.

The new £5,000 Christmas lanterns had been on view earlier since the street lighting went on and with the town’s shops open for late night shopping, the scene was set for a night to remember.

Mr W Irwin, chairman of Ballynahinch Chamber of Commerce, which had been the driving force behind the new lighting scheme, introduced Hendi and Mr Redvers Garnham introduced the various items, including the short programme of carols by the choir from Assumption Grammar School, Ballynahinch High School and St Colman’s High School, accompanied by Ballynahinch Silver Band.

The children were amused by the arrival of cartoon characters Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, who mingled with the crowd. Hundreds of free balloons were distributed and a liberal quantity of free lemonade, donated by Cantrell and Cochrane, was handed out.

The night’s activities were organised by the Chamber of Commerce to launch their Christmas shopping drive. With the help of a grant from Down Council and a share of the Swimming Pool Project Fund, most of the traders of the town had given generously in response to the Chamber’s plea to reach the £5,000 target needed to purchase the new lanterns for the lighting scheme.

ARDGLASS — Sub aqua divers are hunting for a Norwegian gun-running ship which sank off the Ardglass coast, carrying with it a number of cannons.

However, members of the Craigavon Sub Aqua Club are being thwarted in the search because they have been unable to pinpoint the exact spot where the vessel went down.

One of the members said: “On three occasions we were shown different locations by people claiming to know where the ship went down,but each time our drivers found nothing.”

The club members are still keen on diving for the vessel and they are appealing to anyone who may know where it is lying to contact them.

Last week several club members found a  heavy anchor at Bangor, which could be as much as 200 years old, but they have now reached a point where they are running short of diving sites.

NEWCASTLE — Newcastle Technical College’s hopes of making extensive use of facilities at the former factory on the town’s Castlewellan Road have been severely hampered by the massive cutbacks in government expenditure.

The college’s principal, Mr James Ellis, told guests, parents and pupils at the annual presentation of certificates that the cutbacks mean work may not be carried out until early next year.

Mr Ellis also spoke of other difficulties caused by cutbacks. These included the non-replacement of clerical staff who resign and lengthy delays in the supply of equipment necessary for class use.

Mr Ellis also slammed a proposal to impose a charge for school transport and labelled it as “clearly unfair”.

He stressed that he was not taking the negative attitude that all cuts are bad. Extravagance should be eliminated, he said, but the sudden imposition of cash limits had placed education boards in an impossible position at a time of high inflation.

DOWNPATRICK — A 29 year-old Downpatrick school teacher has won national poetry competition which attracted 27,000 entries.

Mrs Maeve McGuckian, of Springvale Drive, who teaches English at St Patrick’s College, Knock, won the top prize of £500 in a competition which was organised by BBC2’s Poetry Society.

Her winning poem, entitled ‘The Flitting’, is a lyrical look at life. Maeve has been writing poems since she left school and has had several published in magazines.

Maeve entered the competition in its inaugural year, in 1978, but wasn’t placed — so she was stunned to find she had won it outright this time.

She was interviewed on BBC2 on Friday and received her award from Robert Robinson.

CASTLEWELLAN — A legally held shotgun and a Colt Celeste car were stolen last Thursday when three armed and masked men burst into a Castlewellan house.

The men entered the house in Bunkers Hill and after demanding the shotgun and the keys they made off in the car, which was found the next morning blocking a lane near Bryansford. An army technical officer was called, but nothing was found.

COMBER — Comber is to get a massive new £300,000 recreation and community centre and work is expected to begin early next year.

Final plans for the scheme, which will include a community hall, were given the stamp of approval by Ards Borough Council this week. The blueprint now goes to the Department of Education for approval.

The centre will be located at the rear of Castle Street and is intended to put a new heart back into the town. The council are expected to apply for a vesting order for some of the land needed.

Mr John McKnight, the council’s assistant recreation officer, said he was “delighted” to see the scheme going ahead.

“This scheme will go a long way to meeting the lack of recreational facilities in the town,” he said.

He felt the facilities would prove popular and said he was pleased that the area could become a top spot for sporting activity.

SHRIGLEY — The Kampuchea Relief Fund got a welcome boost this week from an unlikely source — the savings accounts of employees at a local factory.

The money came from members of the Ulster Leather Company at Shrigley and instead of using the £180 they had saved up for their holidays they decided instead to give it to people in the country formerly known as Cambodia.

The Killyleagh and Shrigley Friendship Club and the De La Salle boys’ home at Kircubbin will also benefit from the gesture.

TYRELLA — Pupils at Tyrella Primary School have raised £477.87 for the Blue Peter Cambodia Appeal Fund. The pupils raised the money from a monster sale in the school on Saturday, which was attended by Santa.

BALLYCRUTTLE — A special disco organised by Ballycruttle Youth Club has raised £50 for the Blue Peter Cambodia Appeal Fund. The disco was held in the club premises and the music was provided free of charge by Double K Disco.

CROSSGAR — Crossgar are the new Down Boys’ Brigade Battalion volleyball champions. The Crossgar company defeated 1st Downpatrick in a repeat of last year’s final and so gained revenge for that defeat. 1st Killinchy were third and 1st Drumgooland fourth.

The finals were held in Dromore High School and the standard was high throughout. Both Crossgar and Downpatrick will represent Down Battalion in the Northern Ireland heats.

KILLINCHY — Over 90 members of Killinchy Women’s Institute were in festive mood when they met for their Christmas party in the Bishop Hall.

The president, Mrs Ann Savage, welcomed all present who then enjoyed a delicious fork supper prepared by Mr Thomas Newell, a young Killinchy man, who has recently commenced an outside catering venture.

BALLYWALTER — Plans for a fete at the house and grounds of Lord and Lady Dunleath at Ballywalter have been announced.

The fete is to be organised by the Church Missionary Society of Ireland and the proceeds will go to help in the Third World.