From the pages of the Down Recorder, June 29, 1976

From the pages of the Down Recorder, June 29, 1976

29 June 2016

NEWCASTLE — Saturday’s cavalcade to launch Newcastle’s eight-week summer festival will need only sunshine to complete the picture of seaside merry-making. Lots of town committee members have been joined by helpers from every dimension of community life to make sure that all systems are go.

For two of them, chairman Bill Martin and festival director Dick McColgan, the working week has been more of Newcastle’s than their own. And helping to the utmost has been Down Council’s tourist and recreation officer, Mr Bryan Coburn.

The parade will begin at the Annesley Mansions with salutations to the United States as a token of goodwill to mark the American bicentenary. A US Naval colour party from Eglinton will be accompanied by Warrenpoint Silver Band and the salute will include the playing of the American National Anthem. The commentator for the occasion will be Newcastle’s very own Sean Rafferty.

The band will lead the colour party to the bus station where they will be joined by a crowd to be counted in the thousands, at least four bands and 30 or more floats representing many aspects of the town’s social, cultural, commercial and sporting life.

MOURNES — The 62 year-old man who died in the Mournes early on Thursday morning was Mr James McCay, of Bangor. Mr McCay, the assistant general manager of the Belfast Co-operative Society, had been practising for Sunday’s Mourne Wall Walk.

He had taken Wednesday off for a practice hike and set off with his daughter, a 22 year-old medical student. They lunched together before heading for the Hare’s Gap. Miss McCay then returned to their car, but her father continued along the wall.

When her father did not turn up at a rendezvous spot by 8pm Miss McCay contacted the police. After a full scale search Mr McCay was found lying on the Brandy Pad at Slieve Corragh.

KILLOUGH — Structural Ceramics Ltd, the Killough brick-making firm, are to close for a four-month period at the end of July to install new plant. News of the temporary closure was given to the Recorder yesterday in a prepared statement after reports that a number of workers had been laid off at the weekend.

The message was brief. It said that the closure was to enable the firm to install plant to make a new type of block. This means a changeover for the firm, which came into business last October at the site of the former Killough Brickworks plant.

DUNDRUM — The Dundrum Regatta and sports festival, which has gained tremendous popularity in recent years, will take place over four days from July 14-17. The regatta and sports committee published details this week of the exciting programme for the longest ever event.

Events over the four days include five-a-side football, a match between the Parkhouse Inn, Drumaness and the Bay Inn, Dundrum, a cricket match, tug-o-war, a donkey derby, a duck derby, a pram race and a fancy dress parade, as well as the regatta itself and the regatta dance.

DOWNPATRICK — The Mini-Olympics at Dunleath Park on Saturday was voted the big hit it had been expected. Hundreds of schoolchildren participated in many events and were cheered on by a large section of spectators.

Mr Eddie McGrady, Down Council’s chairman, welcomed Ronnie Delaney, the last Irishman to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Melbourne in 1956, to officially open the games. Mr McGrady also welcomed representatives from the Coca-Cola Company and thanked them and their company for their generous donation of prizes.

Mr McGrady paid tribute to the teachers of all the schools in the Down district, without whose work and full participation the event would not have taken place. It proved to be a real community venture in every sense of the word and it was even more pleasing because of that, he said.

“It is not surprising that the response from the children was so great because not to many years ago this area produced an athletic meeting at least every weekend during the summer months and perhaps this is the forerunner of a revival of athletics in the Down district,” he continued.

Mr McGrady added a final word of thanks to the indoor staff of the council, in particular to Mr Frank Cunningham, who was in charge of the event, and to the outdoor staff who made the rather limited resources up to good standard.

KILCLIEF — The Denvir Sisters folk group from Kilclief can be heard this Saturday night on Downtown Radio’s Country Ceili. The sisters, Una, Bridgeen, Aine and Marie, have been playing together for eight years. They delighted the show’s producer, Pat Brady, and sound man Pete Lloyd, who said their harmony was very professional and they have a most pleasing sound.

COMBER — Extensive damage was caused by a fire at one of Comber’s top licensed restaurants on Monday. Three appliances from Newtownards raced to Highwayman Inn on the Killinchy Road after broke out in the kitchen just after midday. Extensive damage was caused to the kitchen and smoke and water damage was caused to part of the restaurant.

BALLYNAHINCH — ‘Tunes in June’ was the title of a special end of term concert performed by the pupils of Ballynahinch Primary School in the school’s open night. The evening was a great success enjoyed by the pupils and the spectators and a retiring collection which amounted to £48 was made.

An international flavour to the night was added to the evening with folk dances from France and Holland, after which P5 children sang a group of American folk songs under the title of ‘Salute to 76.’ Closing the evening, the principal, Mr Hughes, thanked everyone involved.

CARRICKNAVEIGH— The pupils of Carricknaveigh Primary School, near Saintfield, presented their principal, Mrs Aiken McClelland, with a gift of chinaware at a special function to mark the closure of the school.

The school dates back to 1813. From September children will attend the new primary school in Saintfield. The present building, the fourth that has been used during the life of the school, was built in 1948. At the end of the present school year there were 25 pupils on the school role.

Mrs McClelland, who was presented with the chinaware by Miss Julie Hanna, has been principal of the school since 1967. Mrs Anne Hughes, assistant teacher at the school, was formerly principal of Tullywest Primary School which closed last year.

CROSSGAR — The young people of Lissara Presbyterian Church collected £129.50 in the Crossgar area during Christian Aid Week. This is a 60 per cent increase on last year’s figure.

KILLYLEAGH — First Killyleagh Presbyterian Church held its annual children’s day services on Sunday. Large numbers attended both the morning and afternoon services when the Rev James Harper officiated.

In the morning service the infant son of Mr and Mrs D McKelvey, of Castle View, was baptised and Mr Harper explained to the children what Baptism meant.

At the afternoon service two young people, Rosemary Clarke and Mark Spratt, the church organist, gained ten-year awards for unbroken attendance. Award for five years’ full attendance were made to Elizabeth Hutchinson, Margaret Carse and Tracey Hunsdale.

Among several new ideas announced was the plan to have a separate account for the young people’s department to show them how much they have contributed to the church.

SAINTFIELD — Almost £235 was raised in the annual house-to-house collection during Christian Aid Week in Saintfield. This will be added to the £87.78 raised at a concert given by Crossgar Choral Society and the £94.25 raised in the Ballygowan house-to-house collection.