From the pages of the Down Recorder, July 1, 1975

From the pages of the Down Recorder, July 1, 1975

1 July 2015

PORTAFERRY — The light from one of Portaferry’s bright spots — the proposed aquarium — dimmed somewhat recently when two Government departments declined to contribute to the cost of a feasibility study for the project.

This angered public figures in the area and now North Down MP Mr Jim Kilfedder may be called in in an attempt to add weight to the case for the scheme

Preliminary plans for the project had been drawn up by Ards Borough Council and had received the support of tourist authorities, while the Portaferry Development Committee also welcomed it enthusiastically.

The idea of the aquarium — possibly a series of glass tanks kept fresh by pumping water in from the sea — would be to provide an interesting display of life in Strangford Lough. The original proposal was to build the aquarium next door to the Queen’s University marine biology station, thus bringing an education dimension to the idea.

Portaferry councillor Mr Brendan McPolin termed the answers from the departments as “totally short sighted” and he thinks both should be made to review their decisions.

DOWNPATRICK — A young Downpatrick group have just returned from a pop fan’s dream holiday — with the Bay City Rollers in Scotland.

In fact, you might say that the Downpatrick lads — The Young City Stars — merely went visiting another city’s young stars. The City Stars are of course Damian McKee (lead singer), Ian Mitchell (lead guitar), Colin McKee (bass guitar), Terry McKee (drums) and Alfie Kelly (rhythm guitar)

In Scotland they teamed up with Glasgow’s famous quintet — Woody, Alan, Derek, Les and Eric — and their manager, Tam Paton. “The Rollers are all fantastic guys to know and we all thoroughly enjoyed our holiday,” Damian said.

KILLYLEAGH — A tandem, four legs and two voices start out tomorrow on a punishing scheme in an effort to rid the province of two its common  diseases — spina bifida and cancer.

The tandem, with the Rev James Harper and David Henderson, both from Killyleagh, on board, sets out in the early afternoon  from Killyleagh Castle on a sponsored 82-mile trip to Larne as part of their project.

They will cycle to the old Presbyterian church of Larne and Kilwaughter where the minister, the Rev Robin Williamson, should have completed more than 12 hours of his 50-hour sermon.

Yes, that was 50 hours you read, but he won’t be on his own all the time. The Rev Robert McKee, of Killinchy, will be there to help him.

The scheme began as an idea to mark the 350th anniversary of the Larne church. Then Mr Williamson, who suffers from spina bifida, thought he could help the research work carried out by the charities. When Mr Harper heard about the idea he took up the challenge and tracked down a tandem owned by Mr Ronald Patterson, of Monabot, Downpatrick.

Mr. Harper and Mr. Henderson plan to cycle to Larne, spend the night with Mr Williamson as he preaches and then return to Killyleagh. The combined aim of the men is to raise £10,000 for the charities.

CASTLEWELLAN — An undisclosed sum of money was taken from the Ulster Bank in Main Street, Castlewellan, after an armed hold-up on Friday morning. Four or five masked men  burst into the bank and held up safe and customers, forcing them to lie on the floor before making off with the money.

The get-away car, a stolen Ford Escort, was found abandoned several hours later in the Clarkhill area.

CROSSGAR — Crossgar and District Community Association are determined to see their town at the top of the pile when the awards for the 1975 Best Kept Small Town competition are announced.

in fact, even to install civic pride in the townspeople they even organised their recent Tidy Town Week which culminated on Thursday night with a packed house of parents and children attending the grand finale and prize giving.

The chairman of the Association, Mr William Cochrane, said each individual could help to make the district more pleasant by acting responsibly. He even coined his own phrase, ‘Do not mar Crossgar,’ and said that if Crossgar people lived by that slogan they would have the best kept town in the North of Ireland.

NEWCASTLE — Candy floss, ice cream and noise came back to Newcastle with a bang this week as the first of the season’s tourists settled in with the sun shining.

And July’s tourists can look forward to a happy stay if the Meteorological Office report is anything to go by. For they say that the first week of the month is to continue mainly dry and sunny with most district having warm weather. The middle of the month will see a lot of sunny and dry weather, although a cool spell could set in.

Weather prospects at the end of the month are a little less bright with some thundery showers forecast. Overall total rainfall is likely to be below average, although areas like the Mournes may have their average fall.

It is expected to be sunnier than usual in all districts following on from the driest and sunniest June since 1949 when there was a total of 255 hours of sunshine.

BALLYGOWAN — Lucky patients in one of Northern Ireland’s hospitals are assured of constant care in the future if 16 year-old Hilary Stevenson joins the staff. For in her eleven years at school, Hilary did not miss a single day.

Colds, a bad toothache a few months ago and even a distinct lack of buses during the days of the Ulster Workers’ Council strike failed to keep her from the classroom. At that time Hilary walked all the way from her home in Dixon Park, Ballygowan, to lessons at Saintfield Secondary School on quite a few occasions.

Her feat has been recognised by the South Eastern Education and Library Board who have awarded her with a certificate of attendance. However, the happiest days of there life are now behind her and she is thinking of starting her working life in the hospital service.

KILLOUGH — The Killough Accordion Band, under its musical director, John McClean, are regular visitors to Downshire Hospital where they have entertained the patients at ward level. By popular request this highly talented group of youngsters embraced a wider section of the community when they played to a capacity audience in the Great Hall on Thursday evening.

With the effervescent Alph Graham as compere, the band opened the proceedings with a selection of popular tunes that aroused appreciative foot-tapping, especially when Match of the Day set the ball rolling. Other contributors on the night were Mary Laird and Denise Rooney, Patricia and Seamus Laird, Regina Russell, Pauline Rice, Angela McClean, Christine Laird and Betty Laird.

COMBER — Comber short story writer Sam McAughtry has won first prize in the Lewis Wright short story competition run by the Society of Civil Service Authors.

Sam, who works for the Department of Agriculture at Stormont, is the first Northern Ireland civil servant to win the award. His entry was entitled ‘Aunt Annie — her leg.’ Not content with short stories, Sam is now working on a full length book which deals with the sinking of the Jervis Bay in a famous wartime naval action.

SEAFORDE — Mr. George Shaw, of Tannaghmore Road, Seaforde, received a surprise on Sunday when he found four stray goats on his land. At the moment the goats have not yet been claimed.

BALLYKINLAR — The Ballykinlar GFC tournament for the John Connolly Memorial Trophy ended on a high note for Loughinisland on Sunday evening when they proved too good for Kilcoo on a score of 2-15 to 1-8.