From the pages of the Down Recorder, July 17, 1975

From the pages of the Down Recorder, July 17, 1975

15 July 2015

NEWCASTLE — Booming Newcastle is back in the tourist business in a big way with thousands of visitors descending on the resort at the start of the traditional Twelfth fortnight.

Hoteliers and caravan site owners have reported a big increase on last year’s business. Traffic jams of up to a mile long were witnessed on Monday as crowds flocked to a fete in Donard Park.

At the Slieve Donard Hotel, manager John Toner reports a significant increase in bookings over last summer season. He is certainly happy with the way things have turned out and he hopes they continue in the same vein. 

Mr and Mrs J. Hamilton, the owners of the Arkeen hotel, told the Recorder that business has been better than they had expected. They will hang their ‘house full’ sign in the window until well into August.

Mr Christopher Bonny’s caravan site at Tullybrannigan Road has room for a few more caravans, “but only at a squash.” And this will be the pattern from now until August.

Mr Bonny thinks the Newcastle town committee have played a major part in enticing the tourists back. The summer programme this year is the best for some time, he thinks.

The economic crisis forcing people to stay at home may have had an effect on the tourist market. One thing is for certain — very few people in Newcastle are complaining this year.

COMBER — An estimated 30,000 crowd lined the streets of Comber when the Twelfth demonstration returned to the town in a big way after a five-year absence.

On this occasion, big seems the operative word as more than 60 bands, 70 lodges and 3,500 Orangemen from the five East Down districts participated in the parade. The demonstration field on the Killinchy Road also proved to be one of the biggest, its 40 acres reputed to be the largest in use by the Orange Order.

A police spokesman told the Recorder that the day had gone off very well and that there were no incidents to report.

CASTLEWELLAN — A row is brewing over the proposed erection of a sub-station by the Northern Ireland Electricity Service at Castlewellan.

Local people feel very strongly about the proposal and one worried that it will be an eyesore, Mr Seamus Fitzpatrick told councillors recently.

Mr Fitzpatrick, the local councillor, said the sub-station will also have an adverse effect on television reception in the area and he couldn’t see why the building could not be erected elsewhere.

“With a little bit of give and take it could be moved to a place where no-one could object, adding that planning permission should not have been given for “this monstrosity.”

Mr Jarlath Carey said that the Electricity Service had “a lot to answer for” in the siting of sub-stations throughout the country and accused them of using “a certain amount of blackmail.”

Urgent talks are now to be arranged between local councillors, NIES officials and representatives of the planning service to discuss the site.

CROSSGAR — The new Miss Ulster TV looks very like Miss Newcastle 1975. For the two beauty queens are one and the same person — Lean Herron, a 19 year-old typist, from Crossgar.

Lean won the television title at UTV’s Havelock House studios on Monday night and now goes on to represent the region in the Miss TV Times contest.

DOWNPATRICK — It was a case of first good news, then the bad news when 1st Downpatrick Girl Guides met for the last time this season.

The good news surrounded Helen Kelly, who received the Queen’s Guide badge, the highest award for a guide. The bad news came when it was announced that Jennifer Simpson, the captain, would be leaving the Guides to get married.

Jennifer received a gift in appreciation of all she had done for the company and every good wish for the future was extended to her.

ARDGLASS — Ardglass Golf Club captain Cathal Mooney was host to almost 200 members and guests on his Captain’s Day.

It was shirt sleeve weather and after the prolonged drought of the past two months the casual visitor could be forgiven for mistaking the rolling fairways for sand dunes. Only the greens, thanks to recent watering, were like emerald isles in a sea of brown.

Match secretary Jack McEvoy had assembled the usual efficient team of starters, scorers and helpers, and the organisation of the competition proceeded without a hitch.

The captain’s prize went to Brian Denvir, who, playing steadily from tee to green, finished with 41 points. Wm. McStay won the past captains’ prize with 36 points and J. Milligan had the best gross with a 70.

DRUMANESS — The Drumaness youth League held their biggest ever sporting night when over 450 adults and youths attended the presentations in the Millbrook Lodge Hotel, Ballynahinch.

League chairman Herbie Cranston was MC for the evening and introduced the various managers who made the presentations to their players.

The Player of the Year award went to Black Kinghts striker Des Campbell. John Morrison, of Killyleagh Juniors, received the Down Recorder’s top goal scoring trophy from sports editor Graham Hamilton. John scored 72 goals in all.

MARSHALLSTOWN — You have to be a pigeon fancier to realise just how much a pigeon means to its owner. But in the case of a Marshallstown father and son, their birds mean something extra special.

For in a four-year period the loft of Sam and Peter Quinn has accumulated 43 trophies, having won club races from all points from Gormanstown in Ireland to Dinard in France.

Sam, a member of Bright HPS, has always been a pigeon fancier, but it has only been recently that he has chalked up considerable successes with his racers.

BALLYCULTER — The faithful parishioners of Ballyculter and Kilclief have had to rely on their watches to get them to the church on time recently – because the bells at both churches are out of service.

Unfortunately, the early morning alarm will continue to be a feature of their Sunday mornings as there does not seem to be any likelihood of speedy repairs being carried out.

Ballyculter bell went off the air last month, joining the bell at Kilclief which has been out of action for some time. Metal and wooden supports in the bell towers at both churches are corroded and if the bell was rung it is likely that permanent damage could be caused to the buildings.

The matter presents a problem to the Rev WE Kennedy, although the summer time may allow him to organise some sort of voluntary labour. In the meantime it looks as if it will be a summer of silence.

HILLSBOROUGH — A total of 21 senior clubs and seven junior clubs attended the Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster’s 11th Down County rally at the farm of Mr William Fullerton, Orrfield, Hillsborough, on Saturday.

After a day of competitive fun Hillsborough were awarded the Rally Shield. Legacurry YFC took second place.

GAELIC FOOTBALL — Downpatrick have been faced with possible relegation all season, but in the championship game at Ballykinlar the large crowd witnessed the other side of the coin as the produced a display which equalled the present spell of weather.

Opponents Bredagh produced the shock of the first round when they defeated the mighty Bryansford and the second round eclipse of Newry Mitchels, it was thought Downpatrick would bite the dust.

But a Jackie Fitzsimons-inspired green and whites hammered Bredagh 4-11 to 0-11 with comparative ease. The town side entrusted the full forward spot to Jackie and his craft and experience were the main contributors in the laying off of two brilliantly executed goals by Willie Walsh and Mac Bryce. And he also showed his undoubted skill when he added his name to the score sheet with a superb goal.