From the pages of the Down Recorder, October 16, 1979

From the pages of the Down Recorder, October 16, 1979

16 October 2019

DOWNPATRICK — Downpatrick’s new swimming pool will go into operation shortly, facing a running loss that could be as high as £1,707 per week.

Estimates have just been drafted for the new pool, which is expected to cost £110,650 to run during its first year with only £35,500 being recouped by income.

The nett loss of £75,150 doesn’t take into consideration repayment of loan charges, which is thought to be in the region of £13,000 to £14,000 per year.

The annual losses will be paid for by ratepayers through their local council district rate.

Already the owners of the pool, Down District Council is faced with a dilemma about school use. To allow school use of the pool the running costs would jump from £110,650 to £144,650 and receipts would only normally be expected to rise by £4,700, leaving an additional deficit of £29,300.

Negotiations are currently in progress with the South Eastern Education and Library Board but councillors are clearly determined not to allow school use unless the Board agree to pay the additional £29,300 deficit.

If the Board agree to pay for school use the pool will open each morning, otherwise it will be open only in the afternoons and evenings.

The council’s recreation committee has already accepted a timetable for pool openings and have agreed to open doors from 2.30pm to 9.30pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursday and Fridays.

On Wednesdays it will open from 2.30pm to 5.30pm for public use and will re-open between 6.30pm and 9.30pm for the use of recognised swimming clubs.

BALLYNAHINCH — Ballynahinch Business and Professional Women’s Club have written to South Down MP Enoch Powell in connection with the proposed changes in immigration procedures.

The club, having been informed through the United Kingdom Federation of B and P Clubs, who were told by Baroness Lockwood of the Equal Commission, want action taken before the proposals are passed by the government.

The proposals, that British women wishing to marry foreigners will have to live abroad whilst British men will still be able to marry foreign girls and live in Britain with them, were discussed at great length by the meeting, before it was decided that the secretary should contact Mr Powell.

The guest speaker at the club’s recent meeting was Mrs A Nixon, who gave a talk on ‘How to be a Good Hostess’.

ARDGLASS — Ardglass Castle has been put on the market and the asking price is around £65,000.

The castle, which is believed to have been built in the 17th century, has 14 bedrooms and it is thought that one of its guests was the famous songwriter and painter Percy French.

Many believe that the talented Frenchman painted several views of Ardglass harbour from the Castle.

Other interesting guests, this time more recently were an order of monks who stayed in the castle in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

The current landlords, Sean and Bernadette Tracey, and their three children are sorry to be leaving the castle. Sean had ideas to convert it into a hotel and restaurant and there is already planning permission for such a venture.

The Fermanagh-born hotelier is moving his interest to another establishment although this time he is tight-lipped about its whereabouts.

Sean is aware that most castles are expected to have at least one respectable ghost and he admits that there are many stories locally about ghosts in the castle but during his time living there he never heard had any experience of them.

“Although the premises are licensed for spirits — I think they are of a different kind,” he quipped.

This ideal location for anyone interested in building an unusual hotel and and restaurant is currently on the books of Osborne King and Megran, 14 Montgomery Street, Belfast.

BALLYGOWAN — Ballygowan goat enthusiast Jim Gibson has begun a campaign to improve the standard of Irish goats.

Jim has started his pedigree herd with the importation of British Alpines from the herds of Mr and Mrs AE Hall and Mrs AEW Hunter, of Norfolk.

“There are no other Alpines in Northern Ireland at the moment, yet I believe them to be the best breed of goal, and I am making plans to import other early in the new year,” said Jim.

“These will again be different bloodlines as a follow up to the making of a small but very well bred herd.

“Crossed with our own native goals they will produce a very tough healthy race of goats capable of yields upwards of two gallons, which is certainly well worthwhile.”

Jim’s present stud goat, Swaffham Salvador, was a reserve champion out of an entry of 250 goals at the Royal Norfolk Show.

Jim has also imported a Soanen male whose dam was a Q Star goat breed champion.

His other stud is a British Soanen bred over a gallon of milk with a minimum fat content of 4% in less than 24 hours.

“One of the big markets has come from the growth of health food shops who are creating a demand for goals milk,” said Jim.

In charging £10 stud fees, Jim believes that it is a reasonable charge — when you take into consideration he is bringing in the animals at a cost of £250 a goat, including quarantine fees.

DUNDRUM — Outspoken Castlewellan councillor Ethel Smyth was involved in another head-on with local councillors this week over the controversial player fields at Dundrum.

Mrs Smyth has raised the Dundrum site at numerous council meetings and has repeatedly attacked the attitude of councillors and of chief public health officer, Mr Frank Nixon.

The site has been used for indiscriminate dumping and Mrs Smyth has called many times for council action because of a public health nuisance.

On each occasion she has met with protest from a number of councillors, notably Dundrum councillor Mr Jarlath Carey, who has repeatedly defended Mr Nixon’s role and also that of Dundrum Sports Committee who own the site.

Monday’s debate differed little with Mrs Smyth repeatedly her allegations and with councillor Carey, joined by councillor Paddy O’Donoghue, defending the moves which have been made to clean up the site.

It also ended like so many others with councillors voting to stop the debate and move onto other business — and with Mrs Smyth attacking councillors’ “disgraceful” attitude.

KILLYLEAGH — The Killyleagh Players have began rehearsals for their latest pantomime, which will be staged early next year.

The Players, anxious to follow up the resounding success of last year’s production of ‘Aladdin’, have chosen the old favourite ‘Cinderella’ this year.

The lead role will be filled by Alex O’Prey with Jocelyn Sullivan and Margaret Murray as the Ugly Sisters. 

Other principal actors include Heather McMurray as Prince Charming, Fred Hamilton as the Baron and Zena McAllister as the Baroness.

Sammy Kirk will act the hilarious role of Buttons wile Marjorie Gibson weighs in as the Fairy Godmother.

NEWCASTLE — The biggest fish caught in the Shimna River at Newcastle this year was lifted by a Craigavon fisherman last week.

Mr W Graham took a magnificent 14.5lb salmon on a worm bait, and this catch is to be entered for the Department of Agriculture’s heaviest fish competition.

But Mr Grahm did not have all the big catches to himself, for five other anglers landed big catch.

Mr P Harrison, of Castlewellan, caught three salmon weighing 8lb, 6.5lb and 7.5lb, a salmon daughter by Mr JT Lemon, of Comber, weighed in at 4.5lb, while Mr M Baird caught two at 8lb each.

All the anglers took their fish on a worm, including Mr W Trimble, of Rathfriland, who landed a 7.75lb specimen sea trout.