From the pages of the Down Recorder, April 27, 1994

From the pages of the Down Recorder, April 27, 1994

24 April 2024

ANNACLOY – One short sentence from an innocent young child as she stood among the charred remains of her beloved classroom said more than any politician’s condemnation ever could.

As she surveyed the work of the arsonists who destroyed the partial hearing unit at her school, the young girl looked questioningly at her teacher and asked: “Where has my hearing aid gone?”

These simple words from the near silent world of one yet wise to the ways of this land reduced the teachers of Teconnauaght’s Holy Family Primary School to tears.

They had tried their best on Monday morning to prepare the children for what they would see in the mobile classroom which sits innocuously at the rear of the Annacloy school but which performs a vital service to children from both sides of the community.

Two nights before men, under the convenient badge of the Ulster Protestant Militia had entered the classroom, started three fires, and ran off knowing full well that the only people who would suffer from their actions would be bright young children who suffer from hearing difficulties, but thanks to the work of this unit are not inhibited by them.

It was the second time this so-called representative grouping had carried out an attack in Down District, having attempted to burn down Loughinisland Gaelic Club two weeks ago, but where the two differed was that this latest attack was aimed specifically at children.

ARDGLASS – The Province’s Agriculture Minister is to lobby for funds to be made available for fishermen in Ardglass to provide them with a new £50,000 state-of-the-art ice plant.

The announcement was made following last Friday’s visit to the port by Baroness Denton and her senior fishery advisers.

And the news has been welcomed by the South Down MP, Mr Eddie McGrady, who has been campaigning for funds to be made available for the new facility.

The present ice plant cannot meet the increasing demands being placed on it at a time when recent investment in the fish processing industry in the area topped the £3.5m mark.

The news is also expected to be given a warm reception by local fish processors in the area.

“As a result of low ice supplies, many skippers are being forced to do double runs but the provision of a new plant will eliminate this practice,” said Mr McGrady.

Despite the Government’s controversial decommissioning scheme, Ardglass is one of the Province’s busiest ports with the current fleet standing at 25 vessels.

Ten years ago there were only eight boats, but things have shown an upward turn since the completion of a major harbour extension and the opening of several new fish processing plants.

KILLYLEAGH – The chairman of Killyleagh Town Committee has hit out at the vandals responsible for smashing 18 windows at the town’s Presbyterian manse.

Mr Gerry Walsh slammed the “thugs” who broke the windows, all double-glazed units at the Seaside Road manse on Friday night, and said he believed it was the latest in a series of attacks on schools and church buildings.

Local police have stepped up patrols after attacks began in the area during February’s power blackout, and have continued with a series of incidents involving places of worship and nearby school buildings.

“Everybody is up in arms about this,” said Mr Walsh yesterday. “They are real thugs and it is a pity they cannot be caught.”

He said people in Killyleagh have no idea at the moment who is carrying out the attacks but everyone is continuing to be vigilant. “We all want to find out who is doing this and catch these boys,” he said. 

DOWNPATRICK – The Citizens Advice Bureau has confirmed the number of people living below the poverty line in Downpatrick is “rising at an alarming rate.”

The news comes a week after the Recorder revealed the county town is rapidly becoming one of the worst property blackspot in the Province.

Bureau officials are currently dealing with 25 per cent more enquiries compared with this time last year, and are finding it hard to deal with the massive cry for help which is coming from the community.

And they have warned the situation will get worse, even though the Social Fund has been introduced as a kind of “safety net” to help those on the breadline and who are struggling to keep their head above water.

Bureau officials have also confirmed the level of social deprivation is at an all time high, as is the level of homelessness in Downpatrick.

And like their counterparts in Social Services and local charity organisations, CAB officials are struggling to cope with the demands being placed on them, 

“Most of those who come to see us are living below the breadline and the majority of people are totally unaware of how bad the situation really is,” said a CAB official. “We recently dealt with one man who had to live on £20 per week.”

NEWCASTLE  – Shimna College, Down District’s first integrated secondary school, should be installed in a purpose-built complex early next year, it was revealed.

Consultants recently appointed to oversee the project have confirmed that work on the school, which will be situated in the picturesque Lawnfield area of Newcastle, should be completed by January.

In the meantime, with the school opening for at least 65 first formers in September, the foundation committee are hoping to use Murlough House in Dundrum for the first four months of the school’s life.

Negotiations are currently underway with the building’s owners, the spiritual group, Project Evangelism, which bought the former Queen’s University building in December, and if successful the Department of Education will be asked for its approval.

Murlough House, the former holiday home of the Downshire family, has a number of attractions for the school, including a science block built within the past 10 years.

BISHOPSCOURT – A new playgroup open its doors for business in Bishopscourt this morning.

Tiny Toons, which is the brainchild of local woman, Mary Fitzsimons, is situated in a former building used by RAF personnel and residents in the area have forked out around £3,000 to have the facility ready for use.

Mrs Fitzsimons came up with the idea to open a playgroup at the former RAF base because so many young families had moved to the area.

“There was nowhere for the young kids to play and if it is wet outside they end up indoors,” she said.

“A lot of hard work has gone in over the past few months and we are delighted that we have come this far.”

“We have been helped by Down Council and its Community Relations Department and mothers will now be able to spend some time on their own in the mornings when their children are at the playgroup.”

DUNDRUM  – Two pieces of Down District’s picturesque coastline are likely to be designated Special Protection Areas by next summer.

Dundrum Bay and Strangford Lough have been earmarked for the special protection categorisation under the Government’s Nature 2000 initiative, primarily because of their important bird life.

Both the inner and outer regions of Dundrum Bay are likely to be included along with the islands in Strangford Lough. Only nine other areas in Northern Ireland have been earmarked for what will be a European network of protected areas.

However, the watchdog Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside has expressed concern that the designations may result in a reduction in resources for other important conservation activities.