From the pages of the Down Recorder, February 25, 1975

From the pages of the Down Recorder, February 25, 1975

25 February 2015

NEWCASTLE — Newcastle hoteliers may have received what could be interpreted as a reprieve e from heavy financial loss during the tourist season because of a decision by Down Council to rejec the formation of a new tourist development association.

The association has been proposed by a North Down study group to promote tourism within the two council areas, but they draw a line at Dundrum — which would mean the exclusion of Newcastle.That idea certainly didn’t go down well at Down Council’s meeting on Monday and was described by one member as a means of using the assets of Down District for the benefit of Bangor’s hoteliers.

Mr. Bryan Coburn, the council’s tourist officer, thought that if the association was formed then the potential tourist would use the amenities of the new overall area, but would be encouraged to reside in Bangor.

Mr. E. K. McGrady said he could not agree with a scheme to “use the assets of Down District” and thought that the hoteliers of Newcastle should be the people to benefit from the assets of the town.

CROSSGAR — Mr. Osborne King, of Crossgar, is to be chairman of the independent radio station, Community Radio Services Limited, which will serve the Belfast area from late 1975.

Mr. King, a former High Sheriff of County Down, is a committee member of the Northern Ireland Game Trust. He became a Deputy Lieutenant of County Down in 1968.

CLOUGH — The two-hour ‘siege’ of Clough last Friday morning by members of Farmers’ Action Group gave local motorists their first taste of what should be more widespread and concentrated demonstrations of opposition to the feeds supplement scheme.

Even as barriers lifted and the long queues of cars, lorries and buses began to filter through, farmers present were calling for future road blockades, possibly lasting for four hours at a time. Other that doctors, nurses and ‘special cases,’ no-one was allowed to drive through Clough for that two-hour period on Friday and not unnaturally there were incidents.

One driver was reported to have made an unsuccessful attempt to force his way through the barricades, although a lady motorist had better luck when she nipped smartly through as the barricades were being raised for an ambulance.

For most drivers it was a case of ‘grin and bear it.’ Despite repeated pleas by a number of people, the farmers were adamant.

DOWNPATRICK — Work has started on rebuilding the damaged sections of the roof and stand at Downpatrick racecourse in preparation for a meeting in March.

Despite the threat of closure, the racecourse club also intend to rebuild the cafeteria and bar. The course registrar, Mr. Barry Ross, said this week that the club hoped to kep the course “alive” for several years, by which time attitudes over a closure might change.

CASTLEWELLAN — An RAF squadron leader who wants to build a bungalow in Castlewellan, where he has been living for a number of years, has been “sorely harassed” by planners, according to local councillor Mr. Paddy O’Donoghue.

Squadron Leader E. G. Holmes, who is stationed at Bishopscourt, had a planning application refused last year and a subsequent appeal to planning commissioners was dismissed. Now he has applied again and once more has met with a rejection from the planners. His case was taken up by Down Council’s meeting this week when planners were asked to review their decision.

Mr. O’Donoghue thought the application had put up a good case and should be given permission on social grounds. Squadron Leader Holmes’ wife was in the health and social services field it was necessary that she should live in the area, he said.

Mr. Seamus Fitzpatrick told members that the RAF man lived for a number of years in the Upper Clarkhill area of Castlewellan. However, his house was too big and he moved out and into a caravan pending an application for a new home.

TULLYCORE — The closure of Tullycore Primary School, near Killinchy, last year was recalled recently when a presentation was made to the former principal and his assistant.

The principal, Mr. A. McDowell, moved to a new post at Downpatrick and his assistant, Mrs. R. W. Harris, moved to Killinchy Primary School.

The parents and former pupils felt that the occasion should not pass without some recognition of the valuable services rendered to the community by Mr. McDowell, Mrs. Harris and Miss Martha Stevenson, the caretaker of the school.

Mr. McDowell received a silver tea services. Mrs. Harris was honoured with a cut glass table lamp and Miss Stevenson with a silver candelabra. It was felt by all that these presentations marked the end of an important era in the community life of the townland of Tullycore.

BOARDMILLS — Police have appealed yet again for dog owners to keep a tight control on their animals. This follows more attacks on sheep, particularly in the Boarmills area where two ewes were killed at the farm of Mr. Thomas McDowell, Carrickmaddy Road.

ARDGLASS — A proposal to erect a sewage pumping station at Ardglass has met with stiff opposition from local councillor Mr. Dermot Curran, who, has been campaigning for the scheme for more than two years.

it’s not that the Ardglass public representative has changed his mind — in fact he is perhaps more concerned now than ever about the “unsightly pollution of local beaches” — but he feels that the proposals should be redrafted.

Mr. Curran says the siting of the proposed works is on the same site in Bath Street which he has earmarked for a picnic area. He feels that the station should be underground or, at worst, at the original proposed site at North Dock.

BALLYKINLAR — The Adjutant General, General Sir Cecil Blacker, spent Monday evening with the 3rd (County Down) Battalion of the UDR in Ballykinlar.

After hearing about the work of the battalion from their commanding officer, Lt. Col. C. D. Craigie Halkett, the general attended a battalion welfare committee meeting. Lady Blacker joined the wives at a show of films and colour slides taken by members of the battalion depicting an eventful year in their history.

RAFFREY — The minister of Raffrey Presbyterian Church, the Rev. R. T. Anderson, will be installed in his new post tonight. This is Mr. Anderson’s first senior post. He was called to Raffrey from his post as assistant in Emmanuel, Belfast, but he previously ministered in Down as assistant in Mourne.

In the short time he has been in Raffrey he has formed a high opinion of the area and hopes for a long ministry among its people. He succeeds the Rev. James Carson, who was called to Oldpark, Belfast.

Mr. Anderson is a nephew of a former minister of Lissara Presbyterian Church, the late Rev. Sam Finlay. He and his wife, Dorothy, have two children, Charis (2) and Nigel (6).

COMBER — Over £20 worth of tools were stolen from the boot of a car owned by Mr. George Doonan, Datton Park, Comber, on Saturday night. On the same evening an antique clock was taken from a vacant house in Ballykeigle Road.

SAINTFIELD — There was a good attendance at Saintfield Women’s Institute’s meeting in the Parish Hall when Mr. Carson, from the Belfast Steamship Co., gave a talk on travel. Mr. Carson showed interesting films of the West Country and Wales. The competition for the most unusual stamp was won by Mrs. Williams.

KILLYLEAGH — Mr. Roy Spence gave a talk on how to produce cine films to members of Killyleagh Camera Club at their meeting on Monday night. Mr. Spence showed some of his own productions.