From the pages of the Down Recorder, September 23, 1975

From the pages of the Down Recorder, September 23, 1975

23 September 2015

KILLOUGH — Angry residents at West Point, Killough, have been assured that the unlaid road, which has caused them problems for almost two years, will be surfaced within the next week.

Mr Patrick Healy, one of the dozen householders affected by the unlaid road, told the Recorder than many of the people are fed up waiting for the workmen to move in and finish the job.

According to him car tyres have been ruined, children have hurt themselves falling on the ground and one elderly man has fallen because of potholes in the ground.

His son, who lives 30 yards down tyne street, now has to pick him up in his car to take him to church as he is frightened to cross the road.

The contractor explained that the delay was due to the fact that the firm he subcontracted the work to have been busy for some time now.

DOWNPATRICK — Downpatrick Trades Council are dissatisfied with the progress of talks on industrial training in the area. So much so, that they are to enlist the help of South Down MP, Mr Enoch Powell, to lead a deputation to Minister of State, Mr Stan Orme, and to raise the matter at Westminster.

The council say that when they met government officials at Stormont in August they were told that a statement regarding the outcome of the talks would be forwarded within seven days. Mr James Curran said that he had been told that the minutes of the talks had gone to Mr Orme.

The council say they are dissatisfied with what they term “these delaying tactics” and as Mr Orme had previously refused to meet them they are to ask Mr Powell to attend one of their meetings and then lead a deputation.

KILLYLEAGH — Houses presently under contraction in Killyleagh will not go to people from outside the area. Vanguard Convention member for South Down, Mr. Cecil Harvey, received a letter this week from Mr Don Cocannon, the Minister responsible for housing, allaying the fears of local residents.

Mr Harvey wrote to the Minister recently expressing the fears of Killyleagh people that the houses nearly completed in the town would go to outsiders, particularly applicants from Belfast.

In his reply the Minister told Mr Harvey that 80 applications had been received for Nelson’s Field houses. However, only eight of these are from people presently living outside the town.

Mr Concannon said that on the basis of these figures alone there is unlikely to be any significant influx of new tenants from outside the Killyleagh area. The 60 houses in the Killyleagh complex are due to be allocated soon by the Housing Executive.

BALLYNAHINCH — Although the Plessey telecommunications firm warned at the weekend that it is to axe 2,000 jobs, a spokesman for the firm said that it was unlikely there would be any lay-offs at their Ballynahinch factory.

Plessey employ about 450 workers at Ballynahinch, the majority of them women, Much of their work is involved in making equipment for telephone exchanges.

In their weekend statement, the firm blamed cuts in Post Office orders for the possible redundancies. At Ballynahinch, however, they are hopeful that the increase in exports will outweigh any cutback in orders from the Post office and maintain the present number of jobs.

KILLARD — Two yachtsmen setting off on a trip to the Isle of Man had a narrow escape at the entrance to Strangford Lough when their craft almost overturned in choppy water. Apparently the tiller broke on the craft and it struck on old disused lighthouse at the bar mouth off Killard Point.

The alarm was raised by Mrs McCormick, Shore Road, Kilclief, who contacted the police after her son saw a red flare coming from a yacht. Rescue operations began with Portavogie lifeboat and an air sea rescue helicopter going to its aid.

However, a small ferry boat from Strangford, manned by William Swail and John Murray, was first to the scene and towed the boat back to calm water.

COMBER — The young policeman accidentally shot dead recently at the home to SDLP Convention member, Mr Austin Currie, originally came from Comber.

Adrian Johnston was on guard duty at Mr Currie’s home at Donaghmore, Dungannon, when a colleague’s gun discharged accidentally, wounding him in the head. It was reported that the other constable was cleaning his gun when the accident happened.

SAINTFIELD — The part played by the Price family in the early growth of Saintfield and their strong links with the town were outlined at the first meeting of the winter session of the Saintfield Historical Society on Saturday night.

The speaker was the society’s chairman, Col Michael Perceval-Price, the ninth generation of the family to own the estate. He told the meeting that General Nicholas Price acquired the Saintfield property in 1709 and so began his family’s connection with the town that stretches back for 266 years.

CASTLEWELLAN — Northern Ireland’s horticultural industry produced and sold two and a half million plants in 1974.

One of two types of tree which the Northern Ireland trade has recently introduced on the market is the ‘Castlewellan’, a new and fast growing conifer which was a chance seedling found by Mr John McKeown, a gardener at the Annesley estate, now the property of the Forestry Division of the Department of Agriculture.

ARDGLASS — Twenty five fishermen faced a fresh southerly breeze when they lined up at the start of the sea angling competition organised by the Ardglass Angling Association at the weekend.

The competition, which offered four prizes, was run as an end of season contest by a club which has been dormant for a while. Now that they have burst back into life they holt to stage several competitions throughout the year.

Most of the weekend fishing was done about two miles off the coast between St John’s Point and Ardglass. Different species caught ranged from cod to ling and pollack.

DARRAGH CROSS — Ballynahinch firemen rushed to Darragh Cross on Tuesday afternoon to deal with a fire in a garage belonging to an engineering firm. The garage, B & M Engineering Works, was gutted and two vehicles inside were destroyed. It is understood a spark from a welding machine set the place alight.

CROSSGAR — Mr Hubert Gabbie, of Ballywoollen, Crossgar, is chairman of the recently formed Large White Pig Breeders Club. The club has been formed to serve the interests of breeders. They are exploring many possibilities and already have arranged a show and sale at Saintfield on November 29.

QUOILE — Two young fishermen produced their strangest ever catch on Sunday afternoon when they ‘hooked’ a set of golf clubs on the Quoile river.

The clubs have been traced to James Magee, of John Street, Downpatrick, who had them stolen along with some golf clothing and his car in Newcastle a number of weeks ago.The car was later found at Rossglass, but the clubs and clothing were missing.

KILLINCHY — A marriage guidance counsellor paid Killinchy Young Farmers’ Club a visit last Wednesday to give an interesting talk to the members. Mrs Hyland asked many questions by the members who received helpful information.

STRANGFORD — As the youth club season gets underway once again, one club determined to start the season on a sound financial footing is Strangford. On Sunday morning over 40 members of the club turned out for a 15-mile walk to raise funds for the club.

First home were John Kerr and Maurice Hynds, who completed the walk — or in their case run — in under four hours. A disco rounded off a very enjoyable day.