From the pages of the Down Recorder, January 15, 1974

From the pages of the Down Recorder, January 15, 1974

15 January 2014

POWER CUTS — Members of Down District Council will come to the boardroom next Monday night carrying oil lamps. They have a long-standing engagement with the Housing Executive and are not going to allow even the power crisis to put them off.

Last Monday night two paraffin pressure lamps were substituted for 38 electric bulbs that normally light the boardroom, and a couple of portable heaters kept the temperature tolerably above freezing point.

The clerk, Mr. Seamus Byrne, said the Department of Commerce told him that while they could have light on Tuesday, Thursday or Friday evenings, they couldn’t have it for meetings on Mondays. Furthermore, the temperature in the building was to be no greater than 63 degrees.

When Mr. Byrne asked if the council wishes to cancel next Monday night’s engagement, several councillors emphasised that it should go on.

Mr. P. J. Smith said: “We have sought this meeting for a very long time. Let us carry on. We know the things that we have to say to them off by heart.”

Mr. Byrne said that council staff had tried to purchase additional lamps all over the countryside, even as far as Lisburn, but without success.

DOWNPATRICK — For thirty Downpatrick senior citizens at least, 1974 brought a welcome change. They were guests at a party organised by the Quoile Ward Tenants Association in Down Parochial Hall.

An hour of musical entertainment was provided by a group of six primary school boys accompanied by Mr. P. Madine, Mr. B. McCreanor, Mr. F. Fitzsimons, Mr. A. Kearney and his young daughter Clare, Mr. G. Kelly and English recording artist Mr. Gerry Aiden. The M.C. for the evening was Mr. B. McKinney.

MINERSTOWN — Reported sightings of red flares caused a dramatic situation on the storm-lashed East Down coast at Minerstown on Tuesday.

One and a half miles out in Dundrum Bay, a massive oil rig and ocean-going tug were sheltering from south westerly winds which were recorded as reaching hurricane force in the gusts.

The Coastguard received reports from local residents and the police of red flares being seen and Newcastle lifeboat, local lifesaving crews and a RAF helicopter were alerted, though none was activated.

Through the rain squalls the tug, named the Pacific, was seen to come close inshore and roll heavily. Eventually Coastguards made radio contact after what appeared to be the firing of a number of flares.

The Coastguard pointed out that red flares cause distress organisations to activate services. The tug is understood to have replied that she was attending the rig, that neither was in any danger and that they were signalling to each other.

When a further rebuke was made, the tug is stated to have denied firing flares, adding that what was seen was merely sparks from the funnel when engine revolutions were increased.

The rig was reported to be on passage at three knots to the continent via Land’s End and had been heading to the east of the Isle of Man when bad weather caused it come to Dundrum Bay.

ARDGLASS — A stick of gelignite was found in coal by an Ardglass householder on Wednesday. An alert woman was just receiving a new delivery when she noticed the gelignite weighing about a quarter of a pound. It was weeping and dangerous condition.

Police say there is nothing sinister in the find, but warn householders to check their coal bunkers. The gelignite is believed to have come from a colliery.

NEWCASTLE — The alertness of a part-time policeman’s wife probably saved her life when she spotted a booby-trap bomb under her car outside her Newcastle home on Friday morning. If the woman had got into the car and driven off the sensitive 10-15 lb. device would almost certainly have exploded.

The woman, whose name is being withheld for security reasons, was about to get into the blue Hillman Avenger outside her home at Shimna Road to drive to her work. As she walked up the driveway towards the car she noticed a suspicious object underneath it She alerted her husband, who was inside the house at the time, and the security forces were called in.

Hundreds of pupils were evacuated from two nearby schools as an Army expert moved in to investigate. Using a small charge, he blew the detonator off the bomb, which had been placed under the bottom of the vehicle’s steering column. Then, crawling on his back, he edged under the car and eventually removed the bomb.

SAINTFIELD — Col. M. C. Perceval-Price is the new president of the Northern Ireland Association for Mental Health. Col. Perceval-Price, who has been involved with the work of the Downshire Hospital for many years, is an active founder member of the Downpatrick branch of the Association.

STRANGFORD — The Strangford ferry will be taken out of service for a week after its last run on Saturday night. It needs a major overhaul of one of the highly complex propulsion units.

The work will be carried out in Strangford by the local maintenance team aided by specialist technicians from Germany.

A Roads Executive spokesman said the replacement was long overdue. In fact, it had taken 12 months to obtain the parts and he hoped that the other unit would not give trouble.

“It’s one of the snags of trying to run a service on one boat,” he said. “The trouble is that the service becomes undependable and the public lose confidence in it.”

The spokesman said that the ferry suffered a number of breakdowns unknown to the public.

BALLYHOSSETT — General Sir John Anderson, of Ballyhossett, Downpatrick, has been appointed the office of High Sheriff in County Down for 1974. Sir John was appointed Colonel Commandant of the UDR when it was formed in 1969. He was commissioned in the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards in 1930. He was educated at Winchester and New College, Oxford.

ANNSBOROUGH — On New Year’s Night Annsborough Women’s Institute held their monthly meeting when Mrs. English welcomed the guest speaker, Mr. Albert Colmer, and his assistant, who gave the first part of his pictorially illustrated discourse on Irish history.

Later during the evening, several competitions were held and the most attractive Christmas card, judged by Mr. Colmer, was won by Mrs. Wilson. The birthday gift went to Mrs. Smart and the ballot to Mrs. Radcliffe.

KILLOUGH — Plans to repair the crumbling sea wall at Killough harbour took a step nearer completion at Monday night’s district council meeting when it was decided to see if the property could be acquired and at what cost. The council already have before them an estimate of £25,463 for carrying out the work.

Some weeks ago members of the council, accompanied by Messrs. E. Nelson and W. McStay of Killough Village Committee, met departmental officials and consultants at Killough.

At Monday night’s council meeting Mr. John Ritchie said he understood the owner was prepared to sell the land. He would like this matter explored at a matter of urgency and thought the council should acquire the wall and adjoining land as a valuable amenity.

KILLYLEAGH — Mrs. Elizabeth Watt, Killyleagh, retired at the end of the year from her lecturing post as sister tutor in the pre-nursing courses in Downpatrick Technical College which she had held for over 13 years.

Before her marriage, Mrs. Watt was sister-tutor in Belfast City Hospital, a position she filled with distinction, and during the war she served with the Queen Alexandra Royal Army Nursing Corps.

At a function in the technical college, Mrs. Watt was presented with a cut glass decanter and matching glasses by Mr. J. E. Ellis, vice-principal, on behalf of the principal and staff. Her pupils also presented her with a silver tray and matching servers.