From the pages of the Down Recorder, June 1, 1976

From the pages of the Down Recorder, June 1, 1976

1 June 2016

SAINTFIELD — Saintfield Show is still on — that’s the message from the show president, Dr James McKelvey. The venue is at Ballycloughan, just outside the town.

The change was forced on the committee when they learned ten days ago that the show’s usual site at Saintfield Demesne had been withdrawn.

With only three weeks left until the show on June 19, the committee had to look around for an alternative venue quickly and they were surprised at the response they received. Ten offers to enable Ulster’s third largest show to go on were received from local landowners.

“It’s a tribute to them,” Dr McKelvey said. “It involves a great sacrifice on their behalf as land cannot be of the same value after a show this size has been on it.” He appealed to visitors to obey car park attendants and to leave as little litter as possible on the 27-acre site.

Despite the setback, Dr McKelvey is confident that the show will be the success it was last year. The last two shows were record breakers and entries for this year’s agricultural section are up on last year’s figures.

Meanwhile, the oldest show in Ireland — the Killyleagh, Killinchy, Kilmood and Farming Society’s — will not take place this year. Show president Tom Lyness has blamed the apathy of the younger members of the farming community.

“We have appealed to younger members from the farming community to come in and take a deeper interest in our show. They have not done so,” he said.

ARDGLASS — Another pressure group has thrown mud at Down Council and the local Planners for their handling of the Ardglass playing fields situation. Members of the Ardglass, Dunsford and Saul branch of the SDLP complained bitterly at their meeting that a start had not yet been made on the project. They pointed out that the fields had been scheduled for a February start.

Ardglass councillor Dermot Curran, who attended the meeting, said that the hold-up was due to the Planning Department receiving an objection to the development. Mr Curran said he agreed with the anger about the delay.

DOWNPATRICK — This weekend’s centenary of Downpatrick’s Convent of Mercy will be celebrated with immense enthusiasm and gratitude Apart from being a time to look upon the nuns’ massive contribution to education, it will be an opportunity to measure the magnitude of their charitable work and their contribution to local social and cultural life.

Among the many former pupils to show their appreciation will be Mary Gilmore, who for several years was a principal mezzo-soprano with the Sadlers Wells Opera Company and will be taking part in a series of concerts in the Edward Street school on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights.

The centenary celebrations will begin on Sunday with concelebrated Mass at which the Bishop of Down and Connor, Dr William Philbin, will preside. The address will be given by a locally-born priest, Fr Bill Tumelty.

One must remember that when the Sisters of Mercy came to Downpatrick in 1855 it was a poor town in every sense. Much of the nuns’ achievements over the past 100 years are captured in a commemorative booklet, which contains tributes to their work by Bishop Philbin and Dr Maurice Hayes, who refers to the Sisters as holy, gifted and charitable women.

BALLYNAHINCH — Ballynahinch people read more books per head than their counterparts in Downpatrick according to figures issued for the year ended March 31.

Readers in Ballynahinch borrowed 70,890 books last year compared with the 70,526 issued by librarians in Downpatrick. It’s surprising that a town only half the size of the county town should top the list. 

COMBER — Government cutbacks have caused another king-sized row — this time in Comber. An old folk’s home, which was promised more than six years ago, has been shelved until 1980 at least.

The delay has unleashed the anger of the town’s Elderly Folk’s Welfare Committee, who have launched a campaign aimed at persuading the Government to change its mind. “The decision has come as a major blow to us in Comber,” said Mr Brian Loughlin, committee chairman.

“Because we have no old folks’ home in Comber we have about 30 elderly people scattered in residential centres throughout the country,” he continued. “Some are in Dundonald, some in Newtownards, some in Newcastle and some as far away as Newry.”

This problem would be solved by giving the town its own old folks’ home and in 1970 this was exactly what was the committee was promised by the Down Welfare Committee.

KILLINCHY — Congratulations to Valerie Millington, of Killinchy, who has finished runner-up in the Cook of the Realm finals in London. Valerie, who won the Northern Ireland finals several weeks ago, was pipped for the title, but she collected a handsome array of gifts.

She won £100 in cash, a gas or electric cooker, a Kenwood hand mixer, a £40 voucher for clothes, a mini-holiday weekend for two, choice of £15 worth of wine, a silver-plated hostess dish, Wedgwood oven-to-tableware and Yardley beauty casset.

SEAFORDE — More than 20 students are to take part in landscaping work at the National Trust’s Seaforde’s Alms-Houses project in August. The services of the students, who come from Liverpool, have been obtained through the international voluntary services.

KILLYLEAGH — Meet the Killyleagh girl, who’s a pupil who also teaches. That’s 17 year-old Rosemary Orr and it’s not as Irish as it sounds. Rosemary, a sixth form pupil at Down High School, has just received the Licentiateship of the London College of Music under the guidance of her music teacher, Mr Morton Jones.

And now Rosemary, from Tullyveery, is teaching pupils of her own, mostly ten year-olds, although one or two of them have sat some exams already.

The licentiate is an examination of her ability on the piano, but it seems that Rosemary, who comes from a musical family, had no trouble convincing the examiners of that.

In fact, Rosemary is so far advanced that she is barred from sitting the next part of the examination sequence. To sit the exam to become a Fellow of the London College of Music candidates have to be at least 18 years of age.

The competition was run by Women’s Realm magazine in conjunction with the National Dairy Council and has established itself as the leading competition for amateur cooks in the UK.

CROSSGAR — New uniforms for Wellington Memorial Silver Band were presented and dedicated at Crossgar. Bands assembled at the Square and the parade made its way to the field at Ballynahinch Road.

The band caps were presented by Mrs Nellie Ringland and they were dedicated by the Rev Martin Smyth, who also gave the address. The Rev N W Woodrow read from the ures. A musical selection was given by Ballynahinch Temperance Silver Band and a collection was taken up.

CARRYDUFF — A miniature steam engine was the big attraction at St Ignatius’ Parish Church fete in Carryduff on Saturday with scores of children riding the line from the rectory to the church. It proved to be the church’s most successful fete yet with £858 being raised

PORTAFERRY — The Portaferry Hotel has been bought by Mrs C Peel, former owner of the Grand Prix Hotel in Ballywalter. The hotel was formerly owned by Mr John Lillee.

SPA — Joan Morrow, of Spa Young Farmers’ Club, has won her way through to the first two stages of the annual Homemaker competition organised by the Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster. Along with eight other girls from various parts of the Province she will appear in the final later this year.