From the pages of the Down Recorder, July 19, 2000

From the pages of the Down Recorder, July 19, 2000

22 July 2020

CASTLEWELLAN — RUC chiefs have this week unveiled plans to increase the number of police patrols in the Castlewellan area in the wake of last weekend’s bomb attack in the town.

They have also appealed to local people to be their “eyes and ears” in the area and confirmed the move to increase patrols is a direct response to the weekend bomb attack on 21 year-old civil servant Colin Laverty.

A booby trap device attached underneath his Volkswagen car exploded outside his Newcastle Road home last Saturday morning with the blast sending large pieces of metal tearing through the floor of the car.

Police chiefs say the former Down minor football star is lucky to be alive because although the device was crude, it had the potential to kill.

The local man escaped with only minor injuries and was treated at the Downe Hospital.

Army bomb disposal experts spent several hours examining the scene of the blast and combed the Volkswagen car for vital clues which could help police identify the group which planted the device. A number of items were also taken away for detailed forensic examination.

NEWCASTLE – Newcastle received its first royal visit in over ten years when the Princess Royal visited the town’s lifeboat station to honour 175 years of lifesaving in the area.

The seaside resort was the Princess’ second engagement of the day. After officially opening the Strangford Yacht Club at Whiterock, she flew by helicopter to Newcastle for her afternoon appointment.

After a short journey from Donard Park to the harbour, the Princess was greeted by Down Council chairman, Mr Albert Colmer, and the council’s chief executive, Mr John McGrillen.

The Lord Lieutenant of County Down, Major William Hall, then introduced Princess Anne to Mr Terence Johnston, the chairman of the Committee of RNLI Management in Ireland, Mr Will Wilson, chairman of Newcastle Lifeboat station and the station’s honorary secretary, Mr Vincent Murphy.

DUNDRUM – A leading local figurehead in Northern Ireland conservation has stepped down after 33 years of service with the National Trust.

But Dundrum woman, Jo Whatmough, is far from ready to leave behind her lifelong interest in environmental science.

Having played a major role within the National Trust as its Regional Advisor since 1985, Jo is looking forward to leaving the paperwork behind and getting back outdoors for some much-loved fieldwork.

Top of her post-retirement agenda, will be the continuation of her favourite areas of biology research, including the study of a very rare butterfly found in Murlough, known as the Marsh Fritillary.

Jo is also hoping to carry out some voluntary work which she says has played a large part in keeping National Trust property in the top environmental condition it is today.

KILLYLEAGH — Planning chiefs have this week paved the way for work to start on a major new waterfront development in Killyleagh.

The harbour area in the town is in line for a dramatic transformation after planners gave the green light for existing quayside buildings to be bulldozed to make way for 33 town houses and 46 apartments.

Work on the new homes is expected to start within the next few months and will be carried out in tandem with a scheme to provide a new seafront walkway which will stretch from Cuan Beach to the Net Walk.

The waterfront proposal has been drawn up by the town’s Development Association with the construction work to be carried out by McLaughlin and Harvey. The scheme is also being backed by Down Council which is providing £88,000 in funding over the next three years.

ARDGLASS – Ardglass will be awash with Vikings this Saturday morning, but do not be afraid because they aren’t planning to come ashore to pillage.

The local village will host the annual Viking Longship races and hundreds of people are expected in Ardglass for the spectacular event.

Organisers say the annual races continue to grow in popularity, with the event being exported to other areas around the province.

Current men’s, women’s and mixed champions have been getting in some last minute practice before the event gets underway this Saturday at noon.

BALLYNAHINCH — A Ballynahinch student has been named as a finalist in the prestigious Daily Telegraph BASF Young Science Writer Awards.

Seventeen year-old Assumption Grammar pupil, Orla Devlin, will now go through to the final round of the competition which is designed to encourage aspiring young science writers.

PORTAFERRY — A Portaferry man will have his services to the RNLI honoured tomorrow, when he attends a royal garden party at Buckingham Palace.

Jackie Harrison, and his wife, Josephine, will be among a group of lifeboatmen, station personnel, fundraisers and RNLI staff from the province, attending the function in the presence of the Queen.

Jackie was invited to London to mark his long and devoted service to the RNLI. He was a crew member between 1979 and 1990, becoming a shore helper in 1990 and then deputy launching authority in 1993.

STRANGFORD — There was a carnival atmosphere in Strangford at the weekend as hundreds of people converged on the picturesque village to take part in the annual regatta and festival.

As the summer sun shone down on the crowds, making it one of the largest festivals in the events history, organisers said they were pleased the event ran according to plan.

One of the highlights had to be the colourful fancy dress parade which snaked its way through the village, led by Hollymount Pipe Band, from The Links playing fields to the Square.

Another key part of the festival had to be the sports, when people of all ages came to the tiny port to compete in various games, as well as a funfair on the Green and an open-air disco – all of which made the festival a great success, with locals already looking forward to next year.

DOWNPATRICK — Downpatrick Railway Museum was the setting recently for the launch of a cross-border project to promote the work of railways in a joint initiative with the Co Kerry town of Listowel.

In what will be the largest ever North/South grassroots project, a total of £1 million is to be raised to enable both towns to establish new buildings for the display of carriages and associated exhibitions. Funding will also go towards increasing the length of the Downpatrick railway line.

KILCLIEF — Downpatrick Roads Service has agreed to further improve footpaths and to introduce a lay-by at the Ballycotton estate.

Two sectors of the three-stage project have already been carried out, and the final work is expected to be completed in the autumn. The finishing touches will include new kerbing and an extension of the footpaths along the road way to the bus stop.

GOLF — Tiger Woods, the world’s number one golfer, arrived by helicopter on Saturday morning for a round on the world famous links of Royal County Down Golf Club.

The US Open Champion has tamed some of the toughest courses in the world, but even he found Royal County Down quite a handful. He shot a one over par 73 and immediately declared that the course had lived up to his expectations.

It was supposed to be a ‘hush hush’ visit, but within a couple of hours the word had spread and hundreds of fans made their way to see the hottest property in world golf.

Woods came to Newcastle as part of his preparations for the British Open which starts tomorrow at St Andrew’s.