From the pages of the Down Recorder, February 24, 1976

From the pages of the Down Recorder, February 24, 1976

24 February 2016

KILLOUGH — Top Housing Executive officials have assured local councillors that plans to build 19 houses in Killough are to be brought forward after a delay of more than six years.

The move follows a barrage of complaints from local people that outlying areas are being starved of housing and that unexpected rush of Belfast people to Downpatrick has aggravated the situation. Now the houses are to be built in 1977 — two years ahead of schedule.

At a meeting this week from which the Press were excluded, the Executive aired their five-year plan for the area. They agreed with local councillors that it was a “disgrace” that land acquisition for building should lie idle for years.

The Killough housing site was acquired by the Old East Down Rural Council in 1970, but following the first phase of local government reorganisation the land passed to the Executive in 1971. Since then nothing has been done.

The first hint that things were progressing came three weeks ago when Mr Edward Nelson, chairman of Killough Village Committee, visited the site and saw surveyors running their rule over it.

Some will see this latest assurance as a climbdown by the Executive from what many have thought to be their policy of centralising the area’s housing resources in Downpatrick and neglecting the outlying districts.

It will be thought in many circles that the rush of over three hundred Belfast families into the Downpatrick area has done much to make the Executive reconsider their policy as the influx has worsened the housing situation in East Down.

ouncillors are known to be pleased with the decision and see it as an attempt by the Executive to correct the errors of its ways.

BALLYNAHINCH — Ballynahinch townspeople will be given the chance to see their first ever fireworks display in the town in May. The hard-working Civic Week committee have drawn up plans for a display to help open the festival, which is scheduled for May 8-15.

It is hoped that the display will take place on the opening Saturday, but final dates will not be released until later. Meanwhile, the committee continue to draw up the programme, which includes five-a-side soccer, a complete sports day, clay-pigeon shoots and many other activities.

DOWNPATRICK — Downpatrick Women’s Institute had a special treat recently when the Gi-Gi hairdressers demonstrated the latest spring styles at their meeting.

Margaret McCauley, the boss of the bunch, explained to the packed audience that the secret of a well groomed hairstyle is to have a really good basic cut. It is the secret of being able to go home, set your own hair, put a comb through it and look good.

“Most people have the ordinary graduated cut in which the hair is the same length all over the head,” Margaret said. “The modern trend is to have your hair styled into a ridge or step. The ridge may be curved or straight and comes to a point in the middle.

“The great advantage of this cut is that it is so easy to look after. Just shampoo and blow dry. You see how light and bouncy it leaves the hair. You don’t need lacquer any more.

There were some hilarious moments when a brave Mrs Mele Mitchell, a founder member of Downpatrick WI, modelled the latest in rollers. They give gentle, natural waves to the hair and leave it easy to manage. With the new rollers there is note body and bounce than was ever possible with pincurls.

NEWCASTLE — A cheque for £150 was handed over to the Deirdre McMullan Fund as a result of a dinner dance organised by Newcastle Old Tyme Dance Club in the Slieve Donard Hotel. Gerry Toner, one of the four trustees of the fund, received the cheque from Mrs Peggy Martin, treasurer of the Old Tyme Dance Club.

Deirdre McMullan is the daughter of Mr and Mrs John McMullan, of Newcastle. She received brain damage when she was four years old and needs continual help.

KILLYLEAGH — It was first time lucky for 60 year-old Andrew Morrison in the Belfast Telegraph’s Find the ball competition last week. For Andrew, from Killyleagh, had never entered the competition before.

“It was a complete shock to me to hear that I had won £750 in Find the Ball,” he said. “My wife Catherine and son Andrew have been sending in their entries for years now. So this week I told them they would never win the way they were doing it.

“They had been putting their Xs all over the picture, so instead I filled mine in smaller squares and was lucky enough to win.”

So what does Andrew, a building foreman with a Belfast firm, intend to do with his prize money? “i intend taking a good holiday, but I have not yet decided where to go.”

CASTLEWELLAN — Two cars belonging to Castlewellan people were stolen on Friday night in separate incidents, but each was recovered several days later.

The first car, a Morris 1000 owned by Ciaran Crilly, of Bunkers Hill, was stolen from the Circular Road, Castlewellan, but was recovered in the garden of a nearby house on the Newcastle Road.

The other car, a Mini owned by Patricia Malone, of Ballymagreehan Road, was stolen from Main Street, Dundrum, and was recovered later in a nearby car park. Two handbags were missing.

TECONNAUGHT — A special sermon was preached in the Holy Family Church, Teconnaught, on Sunday by Father Nicholas, CP, when 35 people were presented with their gold and silver jubilee badges and certificates of the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association.

In his sermon Fr Nicholas said it was refreshing in this materialistic age to meet people who were still prepared to make an act of self-denial in order to give good example and make some reparation for the sins of intemperance.

The Church rarely praises people for good works when they are alive, said Fr Nicholas, but  he was pleased to honour members of the Pioneer Association who had given either 50 or 25 years’ fidelity to their original pledge.

Before giving Benediction, Fr McHugh, newly appointed parish priest of Kilmore, said although himself a lifelong Pioneer, this was the first time he had been at such a ceremony and congratulated the Teconnaught Pioneer Council under the direction of Fr Coppinger, CC, and hoped the Association would continue to grow in the parish.

RALEAGH— A wheel was stolen from a Mini car parked in the Windmill Street car park in Ballynahinch on Sunday night. The car belonged to Mr Raymond Cochrane, of Creevyargon Road, Raleagh, Crossgar.

PORTAFERRY — The Portaferry firm of Weatherly Yachts, Northern Ireland’s main yacht construction concern, are to unveil their most exciting craft yet at Easter. It is a 33-footer with three-quarter ton specifications and those presently fitting her out for a hectic 1976 season, who have in-depth knowledge of modern inshore racing, are looking forward to big things this summer.

TEMPLE — A Volkswagen saloon was burnt out after it caught fire at the Temple crossroads between Ballynahinch and Carryduff in the early hours of last Thursday morning. The car, which belonged to Sheila McGreedy, of Drumee Road, Castlewellan, caught fire as a result of an electrical fault.

DOWNTOWN — Stereo broadcasting has begin for the first time in Northern Ireland from the studios of Downtown Radio at Kiltonga, near Newtownards. The broadcasts are test music tapes in preparation for the opening in early March.

KILKEEL — Mr Patrick Sausmarez Carey, MA, who was headmaster of Grange preparatory school for boys, Kilkeel, has died. Aged 62, he had been in failing health for some time. Mr Carey served in the 1939-45, retiring with the rank of Captain.