From the pages of the Down Recorder, July 3, 1973

3 July 2013

DOWNPATRICK — The fire that destroyed the Downpatrick District Scout Hall on Sunday night is believed to have been started by vandals who have frequently paid visits to the scout headquarters.

The alarm was raised by Downpatrick Scout leader, Mr. Sandy Reid, who raced from his home in Roughal Park to Downpatrick police station after a neighbour had pointed out smoke rising from behind Down Cathedral.

He told the Recorder: “Luckily there was nothing in the building. All the equipment had been cleared away on Sunday afternoon, but I was worried that the fire would spread to the small outside hut where there was a few gas cylinders. But I managed to get there in time and pull them away.”

Mr. Reid then watched the fire eating up his scout premises from a seat on one of the gas cylinders. “It wasn’t very nice sitting there helpless and watching several years’ work go up in smoke.”

The hall, used by scouts from Downpatrick, Killyleagh, Inch, Strangford and Ardglass, was given to the Downpatrick district on a three-year lease from the Quoile and Downpatrick Tennis Club. It was their pavilion.

Mr. Reid said: “Next time we’ll build a bigger and better structure. We have had many offers of help from other youth organisations in the district and subions are already coming in for the rebuilding fund.

CASTLEWELLAN — Six teenage girls were taken to Downe Hospital on Monday after a cart crash at Bunker’s Hill, about half a mile from Castlewellan. They were travelling to a barbecue in Newcastle when their car was in collision with another car. It then hit a concrete wall and burst into flames.

The girls were rescued from the wreckage by Newcastle firemen, who were on practice duty in Castlewellan. They were detained in Downe Hospital where a spokesman said yesterday that they were all comfortable.

DRUMANESS — As the doors of Drumaness Mills Primary School close this afternoon, they will turn the final pages in more than a century’s history of flax-spinning in the village.

When the sixteen pupils who are all that remain of a once-thriving school attendance leave for their summer break, it will be for the last time. In the autumn they, along with children from Magherahamlet, will travel to the new primary school being built at Spa.

But they will take with them the heritage of coming from a school which can lay claim to being one of the first integrated schools in Northern Ireland. More than half a century ago, Mr. William James Hurst owned not only the old flax-spinning mill, but also the houses around it and the schools too. And Mr. Hurst’s word was law.

So when pupils from the nearby Roman Catholic school wanted to join the staff of the mill on a half-time basis, as many children did in those days, Mr. Hurst made it a condition that they continued their education his school. For many years the enrolment of Drumaness school was fully integrated as a result of this measure.

NEWCASTLE — Newcastle’s townsfolk decided on Monday night to give their full support and co-operation to the acquisition of youth club premises for a group of young people who are “fed up with the lack of youth facilities in the town.”

At a public meeting called jointly by Newcastle RUC and Down County Education Authority, held in Newcastle Technical School, Chief Inspector Smith outlined the grievances of the youth to a group of teachers, businessmen, welfare officers and interested citizens.

He said he had been approached by a number of young people, “not all of them angels”, asking for help to find premises for a small youth club.

Mr. Colman Hanna, chairman, who assisted Inspector Smith in the search for suitable premises, said: “There is a real need for a club to bring the youth together and give them an object, but there must be premises available.”

TECONNAUGHT — The annual children’s sports and parish seven-a-side tournament were held in glorious sunshine at Teconnaught last Sunday.

The programme began with the children’s races. Most races were keenly contested with Seamus Mulholland prominent among the six year-old winners, Brian Smyth in the primary three and four class and Seamus Magoran and Hugh Kerr best of the ten and eleven year-olds. The fathers’ race was won by Paddy Madine, from Crossgar, while the mothers’ race was won by Mrs. Rice with Mrs. McGurnaghan the runner-up.

One new feature of the sports was the Irish dancing competition. Schools from Drumaroad, Downpatrick and Teconnaught took part and the prizes were fairly evenly distributed among all three.

SPA — Over 600 people attended Spa Young Farmers’ Club’s annual barbecue and barn dance, which was held on Friday night on the farm of Mr. T. Clements, Cumber House, Ballynahinch. Young and old joined in the fun and dancing to excellent music supplied by the Cameron Clan.

INCH — The special speaker at Inch Parish Church Children’s Day service was Dr. Donald Brownlie, of Livingstonia Hospital, Malawi. The church had been beautifully decorated for the occasion by the children with the help of the Sunday School teachers. The children’s choir, conducted by Mrs. Stella King, with Mr. Bertie Coffey at the organ, sang three pieces. The lessons were read by Sharon Geddis and Alaister Patterson. The collection was taken up by Lynn McKee and Andrew Patterson.

KILKEEL — Tomorrow’s festival at Kilkeel promises to be the biggest invasion of the town for many years and already many hold the view that it should be an annual event.

A comprehensive programme of events has been arranged and in addition to a pipe band contest there will be several aquatic attractions at the new harbour, a parachute jump, a fancy dress competition and much more. The man behind the programme is Commander Patrick Hume, the harbourmaster.

CROSSGAR — The Crossgar Junior Singers, under their conductor, Mrs. R. McKillen, visited Quoile Hospital recently when patients and staff greatly enjoyed their items. Mavis McNeely presented a cheque to the matron, Miss A. Patterson, who accepted same with gratitude and appreciation.

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