From the pages of the Down Recorder, March 18, 1975

From the pages of the Down Recorder, March 18, 1975

18 March 2015

DOWNPATRICK — The weekend leak of a confidential government report on proposals to “concentrate the resources” of Ulster hospitals will almost certainly be seen locally as the end of the campaign for a new district hospital in Downpatrick.

If the proposals are implemented the implications are that the present Downe Hospital complex, although retaining basic medical specialities, would be downgraded and turned mainly into an out-patient and recuperation centre.

The report issued by the Department of Health and Social Services is meant to be a discussion paper for area health boards on future planning of hospital services and gives a clear line on departmental thinking.

That thinking seems now to be against the idea of a new district hospital in Downpatrick. The forecast this week is that the main area hospitals would be in Belfast, Craigavon, Ballymena and Derry, and all major surgery would be carried out there.

The report will almost certainly stun members of the district health committee team. Until this week members were totally unaware of the existence of the report, which was circulated to area boards at the beginning of February.

CARRICKNAB — Mr. Leslie Dawes, of UTV fame, received a cheque on behalf of the Society of Mentally Handicapped Children at the opening night of the new luxurious surroundings at the Four Roads Inn, Carricknab.

The cheque, which was handed over by Miss Lean Heron, the present Miss Newcastle, was the proceeds of the opening night at the new entertainment spot. It will help in the cost of the Newcastle holiday home for handicapped children.

KILCLIEF — It now seems certain that the Government are to go ahead with plans to build a nuclear power station and among a number of sites under investigation are several on the Kilclief coast and Strangford Lough.

when the idea was first mooted and subsequently shelved five years ago the local area was thought to be the ideal location and will again almost certainly figure prominently in present discussions.

At the moment Department of Commerce and Electricity Service officials are investigating about ten sites for the station, but one of the main influences on a final choice will be public opinion in selected areas.

An NIES spokesman told the Recorder yesterday: “If there is an area where local people and the local authority are interested in the project, then that is the area which is most likely to get the site. We would not want to violate public opinion.”

NEWCASTLE — Newcastle festival took a further step towards reality this week when it was announced that a draft programme for the week had been drawn up. The announcement was made by Mr. John Toner, festival chairman, after a meeting of the organisations taking part had been held. However, events will still remain a secret until the ‘Moon Boom Ball’ in the Slieve Donard Hotel on April 1.

Organisations ranging from the Fire Brigade and the WI to Newcastle RNLI and the Canoe Association have declared that they have firm plans laid for their events during the week. Mr. Toner is pleased with the magnificent response he has received from the organisations and he hopes Newcastle is in for a busy week between July 19-26.

CROSSGAR — A Crossgar Assemblyman has promised this week that he will “move heaven and earth” in an attempt to fence off a dangerous river where a four year-old boy almost lost his life last week.

The river is alongside Crossgar’s Lislea Drive housing estate and a less than a mile from the home of Vanguard Assemblyman, Mr. Cecil Harvey.

Four year-old Mark McGreevy had a miraculous escape when he fell into the river and was dramatically rescued by a passer-by. Less than 24 hours later Mr. Harvey was in touch with the Secretary of State, Mr. Merlyn Rees, about the problem and since then has repeatedly phoned Stormont Castle to keep things on the move.

Mr. Harvey told the Recorder this week that the river will soon be made out of bounds to toddlers and he will personally make sure that a piece of unfenced ground beside the river is properly repaired.

ARDGLASS — A Royal Humane Society award to Ardglass man, Mr. Malachy Crangle, will be presented at Down Council’s meeting on Monday by the council chairman, Mr. E. K. McGrady. The award is in respect of a rescue carried out by Mr. Crangle at Ardglass harbour.

RINGHADDY — Of the many and varied problems handled by the group secretaries o the Ulster Farmers’ Union, none can be more strange than that occupying the secretary of the North Down Group centred in Saintfield.

For the past two years a member in the Ringhaddy area has been plagued by wild geese and within the past ten days he estimates that an average of between 300 and 400 geese are grazing on his islands in Strangford Lough.

He estimates that the loss of grass by these birds would equal feeding for 100 sheep and as he has only about 14 days of feeding lefty for his stock, he is not in a position to tolerate the loss.

BRIGHT — The speed at which some motorists were using the Coniamstown Road, near Bright Castle Golf Club, was one of several items brought to the attention of the Downpatrick and District Road Safety Committee at their recent meeting. Police promised to keep a sharp look-out for offenders with a view to taking certain action.

TYRELLA — A record 208 entries have been received for Saturday’s East Down Foxhounds point-to-point at Tyrella. Under the stewardship of J. Glover, master of the East Down Foxhounds, the first of the six races will begin at 2.30pm. The third race, beginning at 3.30pm, will be sponsored by Rea’e Emporium, The Busy Drapers, and Brendan Rodgers, The Supreme Stores (Downpatrick) and, appropriately, is named the Rea’s Emporium and Supreme Stores open race.

BALLYNAHINCH — Not many people can lay claim to being top of their profession, but one who justifiably could is Ballynahinch man Stanley Patterson, who has just taken the runner-up prize in the national final of the top technician competition jointly sponsored by BP Farm Service and Massey Ferguson.

PORTAFERRY — Weatherly Yachts, of Portaferry, run by Billy and Dickie Brown, has won the award for the best designed boat at this year’s boat show in Dublin. The firm got the award for their quarter-ton racing cruiser, Ruffian, which is considered the least expensive craft of its type in Britain or Ireland. It retails at approximately £3,500.

CLOUGH — Traffic was disrupted on many local roads on Monday when hundreds of members of the Ulster Farmers Action Group carried out their threat to close the main arteries throughout the province. One of the largest blockages was at Clough where farmers manned their barricade for many hours.

KILMORE — Kilmore’s Alistair Cairns, Ulster’s No. 1 table tennis player, earned himself an Irish cap at the weekend by defeating Ireland’s joint No. 1, Tommy Caffrey, during the interprovincial tournament in Dublin. Alistair will be a member of an Irish team travelling to Edinburgh for the Scottish Open to be held later this month.

KILLYLEAGH — Killyleagh’s Harry Clarke Cup hopes were dealt a cruel blow on Saturday when one of their top goal scorers, Coliin Watson, was taken to hospital with a fractured leg just before end of his club’s brilliant 4-2 win over promoting-seeking Strangford.

POST — Weights and measures for letters and parcels will go metric on Monday, September 29, the Post Office has announced. All Post Office weights will be in grammes and kilo grammes, instead of ounces and pounds, and size limits in millimetres and metres instead of inches and feet.