From the pages of the Down Recorder, May 21, 1974

From the pages of the Down Recorder, May 21, 1974

21 May 2014

DOWNPATRICK — The Ministry of Agriculture have finally dealt with death blow to Downpatrick races. Ironically, the news, announced after the two-day meeting at the weekend, was broadcast to the biggest crowd seen at the local track since the Queen Mother’s visit there in May, 1961.

The shock announcement came from the club’s executive chairman, Major William Brownlow, who told Saturday’s racegoers: “Today I’ve received a letter which means the end of racing in Downpatrick. The Ministry have now concluded that all resources should be concentrated on the Maze course as it is not possible to maintain both tracks.”

He said on-course bookmakers were unanimous in wanting Downpatrick to remain open, but a special levy, suggested by the Ministry as a lifeline, was refused by SP bookies and it now seemed that the Ministry were accepting fully the report of Jockey Club investigators who said earlier this year that Downpatrick was no longer viable.

Despite the contents of the letter, Major Brownlow was still in a fighting mood and he called on the crowd, grouped around the grandstand, to voice their support at Stormont for the continuation of local racing.

he told them that executives of the local club had visited Punchestown the previous week where Eire trainers and members of the Irish Racecourse Executive Association were unanimous that continuance of racing at Downpatrick would be in the best interests of the sport.

Pledging to continue the fight, Major Brownlow said he would seek the support of Down District Council and urged racegoers to approach their local representatives to help with the fight.

The establishment of a racecourse in Downpatrick in 1685 was by patent of King James II.

DUNDRUM — An assassination attempt on a Dundrum UDR man failed when he escaped a 23-round salvo directed at his car as he drove to work on Monday.

He was on his way to Castlewellan when he was ambushed by at least three gunmen in a hijacked car at Mountpanther at approximately 7.45am. The bonnet and roof of his car were hit, but he escaped uninjured.

The terrorists made off in the Castlewellan direction after the shooting and the hijacked car, a silver-coloured Ford Cortina, was found in a field off the Drumcaw Road near Drumaroad about half an hour later. It appears that the gunmen attempted to conceal the car behind a hedge in the field, but the front wheels became bogged down in mud and they abandoned it in full view from the road.

CROSSGAR — When Downpatrick fire brigade chased to a house fire at Westlands estate, Crossgar, they found they weren’t really needed. It wasn’t that the call proved to be a hoax — indeed Mr. T. Morrison’s house had well and truly caught fire — it’s just that another group of fire fighters had beaten them to it.

With customary haste the brigade had raced to the scene within minutes, but they weren’t prepared for the sight which met their eyes. Two well organised rows of neighbours were doing the job for them.

A human chain, acting as substitutes for the firemen’s hoses, delivered buckets of water to put out the blaze, while another chain salvaged furniture and valuable objects from the burning house.

“It was a fantastic effort by the residents,” said one firemen. “They deserve the highest praise. There’s no doubt that the fire would have been nasty if they hadn’t checked the spread in time.

NEWCASTLE — An 80 year-old invalid was one of two women who narrowly escaped death when a 100lb. bomb blasted Newcastle’s Enniskeen Hotel. The two women were asleep as terrorists planted the bomb in a porch less than ten feet below their room.

Although ample warning was given and they were evacuated to safety, a defective trigger mechanism could have had horrific consequences. The explosion tore a gaping hole in the floor of their room and flung furniture and bedding to the ceiling.

The fire is believed to have started in the living room and because of the neighbours’ quick thinking only moderate damage was caused.

KILLOUGH — Angry townspeople of Killough, determined to help local police in their efforts to curb a recent wave of vandalism that has swept through the village, are talking in terms of forming a vigilante committee.

After weeks of smashed shop and house windows, street lights and signposts, matters came to a head this week when the local primary school was vandalised for the second time and the Catholic Church was broken into and money pilfered from collection boxes.

The school was broken into some time over the weekend and so widespread was the damage that it had to be closed down on Monday while staff cleaned up the mess. Teachers’ desks were ransacked and tracked with knife marks. Keys were stolen from the principal’s office.

Most damage was caused in the dining room where stores of food for school meals were destroyed. The fridge was turned off in the kitchen and dozens of blocks of ice cream, packets of frozen vegetables and quantities of fruit were lost. Many dozens of eggs were smashed against the walls and large tins of peaches were opened and scattered over the floor.

BALLYNAHINCH — A 13 year-old schoolboy from Ballynahinch County Intermediate School was so touched by the visit of an appeals organiser on behalf of the Royal National Institute for the Blind that he felt compelled to do something worthwhile. Lawson Wade, of Windmill Lane, went ahead and organised a successful old tyme dance in the Spa Roadhouse and realised £75.

Mrs. Marie Hutchinson, the appeals organiser who received the cheque, told the Recorder that she thought it was a highly commendable effort by Lawson and that it was nice to see young people engaged in something so charitable instead of throwing stones.

PORTAFERRY — Cooke Street Sailing Club, Portaferry, have just purchased a new rescue boat costing £900. This means that all sailing clubs in Strangford Lough have their own rescue boats which are ready to rush to casualties in the event of an emergency.

DRUMANESS — The wedding took place recently at Christ the King Church, Drumaness, of Miss Margaret Rogan, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ted Rogan, 24 Cumber Gardens, Drumaness, and Mr. Tommy Watters, son of Mr. and Mrs. Brian Watters, 9 Ava Drive, Shrigley, Killyleagh.

RINGHADDY — A call for the provision of a park to accommodate at least 150 cars at Ringhaddy on the shores of Strangford Lough has been made by the local councillor, Mr. J. Cleland. He says the traffic situation at the quay is chaotic at weekends when the owners of hundreds of boats have to park their cars along the narrow winding road.

SPA — The First Spa Boys’ Brigade company held their first ever annual inspection and display on Friday evening in the Arnold Hall. A very large crowd watched as the company, under the captaincy of David Partridge, put on a pleasant evening’s entertainment of physical exercises, sketches, first aid demonstrations and drill downs. The inspecting officer was Mr. B. W. Ord, principal of Spa Primary School, and the chairman was the Rev. C. D. Adams, the company chaplain.

RAFFREY — Rev. J. Carson, who has been minister of Raffrey Presbyterian Church for the past ten years, has received a unanimous call from Oldpark congregation in Belfast in succession to the Very Rev. J. Dunlop, a former Moderator of the General Assembly, who has recently retired.

CARRYDUFF — Local Orangemen will walk at Carryduff for this year’s Twelfth demonstration. Members of the Order from Saintfield, Lecale, Ballynahinch, Comber and Castlewellan will be attending. Other Co. Down venues will be Gilford, Kilkeel and Newtownards.