From the pages of the Down Recorder, July 15, 2000

From the pages of the Down Recorder, July 15, 2000

15 July 2020

BALLYNAHINCH – Senior Roads Service officials have this week been asked to play a key role to improve safety standards for people attending the weekly market in Ballynahinch.

Councillor Anne McAleenan has expressed her concern for the safety of people who are regular visitors to a number of stalls which skirt the outskirts of the Department of Regional Development’s Windmill Street car park in the town.

The weekly market now operates at the car park and the town square and Mrs McAleenan said many elderly people who make their way to this area for their weekly shop have to watch out for cars and Post Office vans making their way to a local depot.

The local councillor said Road Service officials are responsible for road safety matters and must take whatever action is necessary at the Windmill Street area to protect local residents, in particular the elderly.

“Roads Service officials must put more effort into this area. Many old people attend the weekly market and they have a right to be able to do their shopping in safety,” she said.

Mrs McAleenan said part of the Town Square, the traditional home of the weekly market, was given up to allow work to begin on the town’s new one-way traffic system.

“As a result, it now operates at two sites and the Department must realise it has a duty of care to protect shoppers at the Windmill Street area,” she added.

Mrs McAleenan also urged Roads Service officials to join forces with Down Council officers and members of the Ballynahinch Regeneration Committee to come up with a suitable venue for the traditional weekly market.

KILLYLEAGH – Demolition work to pave the way for one of the biggest housing developments ever proposed for Killyleagh is currently underway.

Developers Hagan Homes have begun demolishing buildings at the former Killyleagh Yarns factory on the Downpatrick Road where it plans to develop 106 new homes at the sprawling five acre site.

It is over a year since the housing firm bought the site for £1.4m at a public auction and a mix of new homes is to be constructed over the coming months.

They include semi-detached houses, cottages and apartments and the developers are confident the new homes will help regenerate that area of the town.

They are promising to provide homes and apartments which boast high quality design, particularly as part of the development site falls within Killyleagh’s designated conservation area.

But not all the former mill buildings will be bulldozed to make way for the new homes. A number will be retained and developed into apartments to ensure the character of the conservation area is retained.

Several old buildings, including the old engine house, will be converted into flats and surrounded by semi-detached homes and cottages.

NEWCASTLE – Crime is on the increase in the Newcastle area, according to recently published police figures.

Latest statistics reveal a particularly sharp increase in incidences of burglary, criminal damage theft and, more specifically, theft from vehicles.

A total of 784 criminal damage offences were recorded in 1999/00 compared to 571 the year before, while the number of recorded thefts has increased by 156.

Also growing in number are reported cases of frauds, forgery and drug offences committed in the seaside town and outlying areas.

Over the past three years, there has been a marked sea-change in the quantities and types of drugs seized by police in the Newcastle area.

Whereas cocaine and cannabis accounted for the majority of narcotics hauls in the 1998/99 period, the past year has seen a greater prevalence of amphetamines seizures.

DUNDRUM – The sun shone down brightly for the official opening of Down District’s latest tourist amenity.

An £825,000 holiday development, aimed at addressing the dirty of tourist accommodation in Dundrum, has been completed after seven years of preparation.

The tourist centre, funded by the International Fund for Ireland, Down Council and the Department for Social Development, and initiated by the village’s regeneration committee, has been hailed by tourist chiefs throughout the district as an “undisputed boost” to the local economy.

It is hoped the development, which includes a restaurant, tourist centre sand eight self-catering holiday homes, will encourage tourists to spend their holidays at the village.

The Tonn Ruray restaurant, a circular building with stunning views over the bay, is now open for parties, seminars and small weddings, while reservations for the holiday homes have already taken off.

BALLEE – Members of Ballee Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church took to the roads recently to visit a number of other Non-Subscribing churches.

But Saturday’s journey was one with a difference, and took place with members in the back of a tractor.

The 300-mile event was organised to raise funds for the restoration of the church hall.

Clough, Killinchy and Templepatrick were just some of the towns and villages passed through during the 16-hour hike, during which nine members took turns at the wheel of the tractor.

Church members extend their thanks to Allan Chambers for supplying the tractor and to others who helped throughout the day.

STRANGFORD – Roads Service officials have this week been praised for carrying out work on a scheme in the Strangford area.

Local councillor Peter Craig said he and local residents were delighted work to repair a bank between The Links and Fairways has been completed.

Mr Craig said a number of flagstones have been laid in the area and hopes other safety improvements are in the pipeline.

DOWNPATRICK – A former teacher at St Patrick’s Grammar School made a welcome return to the Downpatrick school recently.

Brother Anthony Furness, FSC, who taught science at St Patrick’s in the 1950s, was back in County Down after a long absence.

He now lives and teaches in South Africa, but returned to Downpatrick to meet some old friends, in particular Mr Brian Magorrian, the school’s vice-principal, who retired last week.

Mr Magorrian, who was one of his first A-Level students at St Patrick’s in the Fifties and was taught by Bro Anthony, who also taught at St Patrick’s Boys’ Primary School before moving to the ‘Red High’.

A graduate in chemistry, he taught science and went on to introduce A-Level physics at the high school.

During his visit Bro Anthony saw some of the school’s new facilities and enjoyed reminiscing about his years at the school. His other former pupils included Dr Jim Hamill, Michael O’Cleary-Clarke, Jim Curran, the former head of science at East Down Institute of Further Education, and Tony Rice, who went on to study engineering.

CROSSGAR – A local Women’s Institute branch is casting off the traditional image of jam making and flower arranging by launching its very own site on the Internet.

Announcing the news of the Crossgar Women’s Institute site the group’s secretary, Sheila McMurray, explained how the idea of a website came about and how the 60 members of the Institute aimed to dispel the stereotypical image of the organisation.

“It started with the idea that we should do something to mark the Millennium. After much debate the committee decided that since this is very much the information technology age we should develop our own website,” she said.