From the pages of the Down Recorder, November 8, 1917

From the pages of the Down Recorder, November 8, 1917

8 November 2017

DOWNPATRICK — Chaotic parking problems in the Scotch Street area of Downpatrick will be the subject of top-level talks with the Department of the Environment and, hopefully, the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society.

Within hours of a decision reached at a rain-swept open-air protest meeting of traders yesterday morning, Mr Eddie McGrady confirmed that the Department of Environment is prepared to meet a deputation of traders.

The meeting was arranged by the Downpatrick Chamber of Trade and was attended by representatives of the DOE, the police, Down Council and 16 traders.

The traders are angry that promises made some years ago to provide urgently required off-street car parking accommodation behind Scotch Street and Irish Street have not been kept. They argue that time is running out at too fast a rate if the off-street parking plans are to be meaningful.

The Ulster Architectural Heritage Society’s listing of buildings recommended for preservation is being seen as stifling development plans for the English Street-Scotch Street-Irish Street area.

BALLYNAHINCH — There is no room for non-churchgoers in the church graveyards of Ballynahinch, local councillor Mr Eddie McVeigh told Down Council this week.

In order to find a place for them to rest Down Council is considering extending the old Magheradroll graveyard at Crabtree Road near the town.

The need for a public cemetery in Down District was raised some time ago and the council clerk, Mr Seamus Byrne, was directed to investigate the possibilities.

Mr Cecil Maxwell said that the land which the council hoped to acquire to extend the graveyard belonged to a local farmer, who had protested strongly because it was some of the best land on his farm.

The council’s planning application is for a further seven-and-a-quarter acres of land to be added to Magheradroll cemetery. Mr McVeigh said: “Anyone who thinks we need seven-and-a-quarter acres has another thing coming.”

ARDGLASS — One of the oldest buildings in Ardglass, King’s Castle, will be opening its doors to paying guests next summer. The owner, Mr Sean Treacy, who bought the castle three years ago for £50,000, has decided to turn it into a hotel.

Mr Treacy waited a long time before receiving permission to turn the castle into a hotel last week. Now he has got the go-ahead he has started laying plans to turn it into what he hopes will be a hit with tourists.

The castle has 16 bedrooms, of which Mr Treacy, his wife and three children have been the sole occupants for the last three years.

Although the date of the castle is unknown, it has been listed by the Historic Buildings branch of the Department or the Environment for preservation. Overlooking Ardglass harbour, it has an impressive exterior with crenellated parapets, a tall tower, turrets and a projecting porch, all in dark stone rubble.

“They don’t build houses like this any more,” said Mr Treacy, whose Fermanagh hotel was wrecked by bombers in 1972.

Like those aristocrats who occupied the cattle over the years, Mr Treacy has his own stable of racing horses and he hopes that the racing business will prove as financially rewarding as the hotel one.

CROSSGAR — Three sheep have been slaughtered and many more injured in another outbreak of sheep worrying in the Crossgar district.

A stray Alsatian dog, possibly the same animal that killed and injured sheep in the Ballynahinch area last month, has been attacking flocks of sheep over the past week.

Mr William Greer and Mr Robert Hamilton, neighbours in Church Road, Kilmore, lost two and one sheep respectively in a series of attacks on their flocks. They had many more injured, some seriously, as the Alsatian made repeated attacks.

Mr Ivan Mejury, of Tullynacree Road, Crossgar, also had some sheep injured and it is thought that at least one other farmer in the area had sheep injured too.

BRIGHT — The removal of the Post Office telephone kiosk at Bright caused the air to ring with complaints at Down Council’s meeting this week.

Local councillor Mr John Ritchie recommended that the council write to the Post Office expressing dissatisfaction wit the removal of the kiosk. “There are still many people who cannot afford a phone,” he told councillors.

Mr Ritchie said that while the Post Office had tried to find an alternative site without success, they should have consulted local councillors and residents before removing the kiosk.

Mr Sean Quinn and Mr Cecil Maxwell supported Mr Ritchie’s remarks and Mr Maxwell commented that vandalism, contributory to the removal of the kiosk, was becoming a worse problem everywhere.

STRANGFORD LOUGH — The body of a Newtownards man who disappeared while out duck shooting on Strangford Lough has been found.

Mr John Dorrian (23), of Market Street, was last seen alive on Hawk Island late on Friday night, but his body was found on Monday on the foreshore between Comber and Newtownards.

Mr Doprrian and two wildfowler friends had left their homes on Friday for a weekend duck shoot on the shores of Strangford Lough.

DUNDRUM — Mr William Keown, from Dundrum, who earlier this year launched an appeal fund on behalf of the NI Orthopaedic Council, has praised the generosity of the public in their response to his call.

Mr Keown said the enthusiasm for the appeal had been tremendous and he said the fund stood at almost £3,000 after only seven months’ campaigning.

Originally Mr Keown set a target of £10,000 to be collected in five years, but he said this looked like being achieved inside two years.

Mr Keown has been handicapped all his life and decided to launch the appeal after he won a prize at the Great Britain Spastic Achievement Awards earlier this year.

KILLINCHY — Members of Killinchy Women’s Institute have told Mr Ray Carter, the Minister for the Environment, of a number of danger spots on the Killyleagh-Comber Road.

At their monthly meeting the secretary, Mrs E Moore, read out a letter she had written on behalf of the branch and the people of the district about the road’s condition.

In the letter she pointed out to the Minister that several fatal accidents had taken place on the stretch of road and asked him to take action to remedy the situation.

NEWCASTLE — Blustery weather conditions and large crowds ensured an overwhelming success of the first ever Northern Ireland Sand Yachting Championships on Newcastle beach at the weekend.

The event was organised by the local sand yachting club, the Sandpipers, and was sponsored by the vodka company, Smirnoff.

Sandpipers member, Larry McEvoy, said: “The response from the public was magnificent. The club has only been in existence for one year and interest in sand yachting is growing rapidly.”

In Class 3 the championship was shared by Billy Ogle, from Newcastle, and Malcolm Goodman, from England, after a hard fought struggle ended in a tie. In Class 4 the overall winner was British champion Kenny McCullough, from Newcastle, John Magowan, from Crossgar, was second and John Irwin, from Comber, was third.

In the Ladies Class 4 championship Patti Speedy, from Newcastle, was the winner and Rosemary Allen, from Cookstown, was second.

PORTAFERRY — A Portaferry man has proved he is something of an expert when it comes to taking photographs. Mr E Elliott was the winner of a black and white photograph competition at Dundalk recently in which 900 other entries were considered. Mr Elliott is secretary of Portaferry Camera Club.

COMBER — The Andrews Memorial Hall in Comber was packed to capacity on Saturday for a bird show organised by the Comber and District Cage Bird Society.

The society has attracted 42b members since its formation 25 years ago and support for it is ever increasing. On Saturday eight judges were confronted with the difficult task of selecting the winners from hundreds of entries.