From the pages of the Down Recorder, November 12, 1974

12 November 2014

DRUMANESS — One of the last remaining 'friendly' co-operative societies in Northern Ireland is being forced to close. It's the Drumaness Co-op, which is privately owned by shareholders, and will close its doors to customers on Wednesday, November 27, after 63 years of service to the villagers.

The society was formed in 1911 when a group of villagers decided to run their own show. They opened the premises on the Crawfordstown Road, next door to the blacksmiths, and soon had a thriving business. At one stage the society owned their own bread cart, but this practice ended when it was felt the store was having to subsidise its losses. At the moment there are 150 shareholders, who are paid dividends twice a year.

The present seven-strong committee, which comprises the president, Mr. Joe Mulholland, Messrs. Wm. Killen, Vincy Doran, Davy Lowry, Bobby Strain, Miss Ann Thompson and manager Ronan Hanna reluctantly decided to close the business.

Mr. Mulholland explained that shareholder capital had dwindled, leaving the committee little option but to close. Mr. Hanna though that the store suffered after the closure of the mill, but the real killer, he said, was the emergence of cut-price shops which made it difficult for them to compete.

KILLOUGH — The straying of untethered donkeys, which was brought to the notice of local police by members of Killough Village Committee recently, was once again referred to at the committee's monthly meeting.

RUC sergeant L'Estrange reported on this matter, together with the speeding of cars through Killough and the parking of cars on footpaths.

He told the committee about the positive action being taken to improve safety conditions for pedestrians and conscientious motorists in the locality and suggested that two reserve policemen, recruited from Killough and working there, could undoubtedly assist the community to build up confidence in the practical application of law and order.

ARDGLASS — It's not every day you find an aeronautic man giving up his plane to take up a life with boats, yet that is what Ardglass man Paul Prior has done — only in his case he is dealing with radio-controlled scale models of the real thing.

Just over a month ago Paul put his first boat in the water. Up until that time he spent his spare time working with models planes, and he is still a member of the Ulster Model Aircraft club. Nowadays he goes down to the North Dock at Ardglass and tries to perfect the performance of the boat.

The boat, which he constructed himself, is a three-foot fibre glass hull powered by a 10cc engine. It can reach speeds of up to 10mph. At the moment Paul is one of the most popular men in the town with children who seem fascinated with his boat. However, the one thing he really longs for is competition.

There is no club in town — the nearest is in Ballynahinch — and so he is very much out on his own. This many soon change. Several of Paul's friends have promised to set things right with models they hope to buy at Christmas. So in the new year Ardglass could have its very own mini-boat club competing with the more traditional trawlers for attention.

In the meantime Paul and his crew member, Robert Wills, continue to pioneer the hobby in the town.

DOWNPATRICK — Mary Peters' radiance of personality and warmth of friendship captivated the hundreds of Down High School pupils and their parents at the school's prizegiving.

She certainly made Glenn Major's day when he arrived on stage to collect his A Level art certificate. Mary admired the smart white chrysanthemum set in fern in his lapel buttonhole. She promptly turned him round so that his fellow pupils and their parents could see it too. They did, and they gave the biggest round applause that had been given so far.

It wasn't long before Glenn was back — this time for the Ann Bailey Cup for art — and Mary gave him a kiss. A body-sized blush and a smile to match were his extra prizes. "My best day here for seven years," he said afterwards. "She just made it for me."

CARRYDUFF — The new UDR centre, which was opened at Carryduff on Saturday by the Earl of Clanwilliam, means the men and women of 'A' company of the Co. Down Battalion have finally found a permanent home.

The Company, which was formed on April 1, 1970, was originally based at Ballykinlar, but this was unsatisfactory as most of the men were drawn from the northern part of the battalion area. Late in 1971 the Company moved to temporary accommodation at Saintfield and about two years later the Ministry of Defence purchased Clontonakelly School at Carryduff, which has been converted into the new centre.

The company draws its men from the Carryduff, Drumbo, Comber, Saintfield and Ballygowan areas. Anyone interested in joining should contact any member of the Company or pay a visit to the Company centre.

Major E. R. Sandford, a former Royal Marines officer, who has commanded the Company since it was formed, said: "The Company is now about two hundred strong and recruiting is going very well."

CASTLEWELLAN — Social awareness is the theme of school life these days for the boys and girls of St. Malachy's Secondary School, Castlewellan. It's an added dimension in the schemes pursued by schools in the wake of the new school leaving age — and it's one which is working smoothly.

Just over four years ago the school was formed by the amalgamation of the former separate boys' and girls' schools in the area. Then it was quite an adjustment for staff and pupils moulded together into a bigger unit, with a wider range of subject material. Inevitably this sort of thing takes time and the operation was still in its infancy when the raising the school leaving age was thrust upon them

NEWCASTLE — The grandson of the founder of scouting, Lord Robert Baden-Powell of Gilwell, was the principal guest at the Northern Ireland Scout Commissioners' conference in the Slieve Donard Hotel, Newcastle, at the weekend. About 150 commissioners and office-bearers attended the conference.

Mr. Justice M. W. Gibson, chairman of the Northern Ireland scout council, presided at the dinner on Saturday evening and Mr. and Mrs. Bertie Shields acted as hosts. On Sunday morning the commissioners attended the parish communion service in St. John's Parish Church where they were welcomed by the rector, Canon F. N. Warren.

BALLYNAHINCH — Ballynahinch and Drumaness Apostolic Workers held a very successful sale of work in St. Patrick's Parochial Hall, Ballynahinch, on Saturday afternoon. Thanks to the generous support given to the organisers, approximately £160 was raised.

KILLYLEAGH — More than 80 friends of Killyleagh parish scouts enjoyed a parents' evening held in the parish hall. It was a highly successful evening of entertainment and various aspects of club scouting. The Rev. R. E. Conn opened the programme.

SAINTFIELD — Babes and beggars was the title of a talk given to the Downe Society by Mr. John Lewis-Crosby on the history of Saintfield. The members heard questions taken from the minutes of Saintfield Parish Council proceedings by Mr. Lewis-Crosby, who was appropriately dressed as council clerk of the time — part of the 18th and early 19th centuries.

Babies which were born illegitimately and abandoned by their mothers came under the care of the parish. Sometimes an individual was charged with caring for the infant and was paid from parish funds. More frequently the babies were sent to the Foundling Hospital in Dublin where most of them died in infancy due to disease and neglect.

Beggars were also maintained out of parish funds. The poor were separated into five classes: those in the first class received the most help and those in the fifth class least. Beggars were given badges to indicate that they had been given permission to beg in the parish.

BANBRIDGE — The soaring cost of living, continuing food shortages and pressure to rectify social injustices are all evidence that mankind is fast approaching the end of the world as it is known today. That was stressed at a weekend Jehovah's Witnesses conference in Banbridge, which was attended by members of the Downpatrick congregation.

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