From the pages of the Down Recorder, February 6, 1973

6 February 2013

DOWNPATRICK — Detective Constable Ian Forbes and his nine year-old daughter, Wendy, who were shot at their Downpatrick home on Wednesday night, are off the danger list at Downe Hospital.

The shooting occurred as Constable Forbes, his wife and his mother-in-law were entering their hall door just before midnight. Constable Forbes had just opened the door and was following his wife and mother-law into the house when he was hit by two bullets. He shouted to them to get down and they pushed him into a front bedroom. Then the gunmen fired through the bedroom window.

Wendy was asleep in a rear bedroom. She was hit in the chest and thigh by two shots which had penetrated her bedroom door at the back of the hall.

Neighbours quickly came to assist and Mr. Forbes and his daughter were accompanied on their way to Downe Hospital by a nurse who lives near them.

Mr. Forbes’ father, also a policeman, was killed during troubles in the mid-1940s. Mr. Forbes has been stationed in Downpatrick for 14 years and has been a detective for about three years. He and his wife have another daughter, Jean, aged 12.

CROSSGAR — A town committee will be formed in Crossgar within a few weeks. A public meeting was held in the local War Memorial Hall, and it was so well attended that after all available seating in the minor hall had been taken, it was found necessary to move to the main hall.

Mr. William Cochrane, the local representative on East Down Rural Council and the prime mover behind the setting of a town committee, introduced by Ted Malone, Down County Welfare Committee development officer, who suggested, as a first step, that a steering committee should be set up. This was agreed on the proposal of Donal Flanagan, seconded by Robert Green.

The members are: Donald Morgan and Honora Bell, representing youth activities; Henry Tate, Robert Green and Paul Teggart, sport; Canon W. C. Larkin and Rev. H. B. G. Forde, religious denominations; Donal Flanagan, social; Mrs. Williams, Mrs. K. Bell, women’s organisations; Gerald Irvine, Teconnaught, Wm. Ellison, Kilmore, Dr. F. J. Harrington, W. Cochrane and R. Dickson. Crossgar. Mr. Neil McKillen was appointed to act as convenor.

SAINTFIELD — For some time hopes of preserving Saintfield railway station in an unaltered state hung in the balance due to a road scheme planned for the area. The Belfast and County Down Railway Museum Trust put forward a strong case for the retention of the station in its entirety and it would now appear that the battle is over.

“The proposed Saintfield bypass scheme will leave the station property practically unaltered”, states Trust secretary Bob Pue.

The Trust’s venture will involve the raising of £600, the amount needed to purchase a diesel locomotive from Northern Ireland Railways. It is the last remaining locomotive to have been in the service of the BCDR and is the last example of diesel traction from the workshops of Harland & Wolff in Belfast.

KILLYLEAGH — Mr. Joseph Dub, who until his retirement last October had been production manager at United Chrometanners, Killyleagh, is on the move. This week he leaves Killyleagh to take up residence in Bangor, but he will not be settling down there until later in the year.

“I am leaving soon for Nairobi, in Kenya, where I will be engaged in consultancy work in connection with leather for some months,” he told the Recorder.

“My wife is coming with me and we are both looking forward to seeing our daughter who has been in Kenya for 15 years.”

A native of Czechoslovakia, Mr. Dub saw service with Canadian forces during the last war. He came to Northern Ireland afterwards and had been employed at United Chrometanners where he was highly regarded in field for over 20 years.

KILLOUGH — Mr. Desmond Boal was among five new Queen’s counsellors called to the Northern Ireland Bar at the weekend. Mr. Boal, who is aged 42, lived at Killough. He was called to the Bar in the Hilary term of 1952 and was educated at Foyle College, Londonderry, Portora Royal School and Trinity College, Dublin. He was formerly Member of Parliament for Shankill at Stormont.

Another new Queen’s counsellor is Mr. Thomas Vincent Cahill (38), a member of the well-known Teconnaught family and a nephew of the late Canon Denis Cahill, parish priest of Drumaroad. He was called to the Bar in 1957 after being educated at St. Malachy’s College and Queen’s University.

NEWCASTLE — Followers of pipe bands and Highland dancing packed the main hall of the Slieve Donard Hotel on Friday night for the second annual Highland evening of the County Down section of the Scottish Pipe Bands Association.

A display of Highland dancing was given by a team from Dumfries, Scotland, under Mr. Bill Clement, who is official piper of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society. Taking part in the piping were Mr. Harold McAleer, the reigning Ulster solo champion piper, and Mr. Harry Stevenson.

CLOUGH — The Down Battalion of the Boys’ Brigade held its annual junior section PT competition in Clough Presbyterian Church Hall on Friday. Eight teams entered, representing the companies of 1st Boardmills, 1st Clough, 1st Dromara, 1st Saintfield, 2nd Saintfield and 1st Slieve Donard.

The Rev. S. J. Miller, minister of Clough, opened the competition with prayer and the judge was Mr. Will Martin. Mr. F. Adams acted as scorekeeper and the evening was closed by Mr. D. Connolly. Results: 1st Slieve Donard (80 points), 2nd 1st Saintfield (77), 3rd 1st Dromara (73).

BRYANSFORD — The driver of a ferret scout car was taken to hospital for treatment on Friday night after his vehicle fell 20 feet over a ditch on the Bryansford-Kilcoo Road. He had swerved to avoid a lorry.

DOWNPATRICK — Residents of Lower Church Street in Downpatrick who were evacuated from their homes following a bomb scare late on Friday night this week spoke highly of the efficiency of the local police. Over 100 people had to leave the comfort of their homes when a suspect milk churn was found at the Baptist Church nearby.

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