KILLOUGH – Killough woman Maggie Armstrong, was true to her word when she told family and friends she would celebrate her 100th birthday.
Champagne and wine flowed on Saturday as the cheerful woman was joined by loved ones at her social birthday bash in Kings Castle Nursing Home in Ardglass.
But Maggie was unfazed by the excitement as she had always confidently said she would receive her telegram from the Queen when she reached 100.
Her only daughter, Ann Lusted, flew over from her home in Lincoln for the party. Ann said it was a wonderful opportunity for all her family and friends to get together and celebrate such a special occasion.
“This has been a really lovely day and so many people have turned out to wish my mother happy birthday. All her life she has been very fit and healthy and was always telling us she would reach 100 and she was right. Now I think she is planning to celebrate many more birthdays to come,” she said.
It was a double celebration for Maggie who was also celebrating the birth of her great-grandson, Oliver Lusted, who was born a few weeks ago, a full century after his great-grandmother.
NEWCASTLE – A police investigation has begun after an arson attack on a Newcastle home in the early hours of Saturday morning during which a pensioner and a young man had to be helped to safety.
Detectives carrying out enquiries into the blaze at Bracken Avenue, in the Burrendale Estate, have said the fire was started maliciously and that it was “fortunate” no one was killed.
The fire was reported at around 4.30am and when two crews from the town’s fire station arrived at the scene, off the Castlewellan Road, the blaze had already engulfed part of the ground floor flat.
A pensioner from an adjoining flat was helped to safety by her neighbours, while a man in his 20’s was rescued from his upstairs flat by members of the Fire Service. They were later taken to hospital where they received treatment for smoke inhalation.
It is believed the 21 year-old occupier of the flat was staying with friends at the time of the incident.
Detectives investigating the blaze have confirmed the front door of the flat had been forced open and the fire was started in a hot press, and have urged anyone with information to contact them as soon as possible.
BALLYNAHINCH – People from across the religious divide will join forces to take part in a peace walk in Ballynahinch this Saturday.
The walk, which will be followed by a carol service, will take place just a few days before Christmas and is being organised to provide people with an opportunity to send out a clear message that recent sectarian trouble has no place in the town.
Those taking part in the event was asked to meet at the town’s Community Centre in Windmill Street at 12.30pm before walking the short distance to the town square for the festive carol service.
Cross community groups across Ballynahinch have already pledged their support to the event which they have no doubt will portray the positive side of life in Ballynahinch.
They believe the peace walk is an important event and could mark a significant turning point for the market town, particularly in the light of recent events.
An open invitation is extended across the district to people who have the interest of the town at heart and do not want to see a repeat of the recent trouble.
CARRYDUFF – The first integrated school for Carryduff crossed its final hurdle this week when it was granted conditional approval by Education Minister Martin McGuinness.
Millennium Integrated Primary School opened at Breda Park in September without government funding.
But Mr McGuinness this week announced the Department’s decision to grant funding to the school in September as long as 12 pupils, with the correct religious balance have been enrolled.
Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE) officer Terry McMackin said those involved in the school were confident that September’s figures would be high enough to meet the criteria set out by the Education Minister.
DOWNPATRICK – Ambitious plans to replace the East Down Institute’s Downpatrick campus with a new £18m facility within the next five years have taken a major step forward.
The Institute has confirmed it has purchased a former restaurant and furniture mart beside its Lower Market Street base to help with the multi-million pound redevelopment plan, which could be given the go-ahead early in the New Year.
It has been thought the site was to be purchased by a local building firm to construct a new multiplex cinema, but the £1m plan has fallen through.
SAINTFIELD – Parents with children attending Saintfield High School have been urged to put pressure on education authorities for a larger school building.
Headmaster, Mr Robert Mills, made the call at the school’s annual prize giving ceremony when he admitted that the lack of appropriate accommodation for the school was a “genuine concern.”
Pointing out that the school population could have grown considerably if the facilities had been available, he said the Department of Education and South Eastern Education and Library Board had not adequately addressed the problem in recent years.
Urging parents to put pressure on education chiefs, he admitted the “chronic” lack of accommodation at the school meant increasing numbers of potential students had to be turned away every year.
ARDGLASS – Local politicians have warned that sweeping cuts in fish quotas will devastate the fishing industry in Down District.
The reduction in which local fishermen will be allowed to catch next year, agreed by European fisheries ministers last week, has been described as a “disaster”.
The cuts include a 10 per cent reduction in prawn catches, a 44 per cent cut in Irish Sea whiting, a 20 per cent cut in Irish Sea haddock and a six per cent in Irish Sea plaice. The prawn cut will not apply to fishermen who can prove they catch little cod.
Ardglass councillor, Dermot Curran, said he was extremely concerned for the town’s fishermen who will both be severely affected by next years catching quotas.
“I am very sorry to say that due to the current state of the industry I do not think it is wise to encourage young people to pursue a career in this sector.”
KILLINCHY – A community playgroup in Killinchy is this week celebrating 10 successful years.
Rascals Playgroup, which meets five days a week in the local Orange Hall, provides a service for 24 local children.
Dozens of other pre-school children have attended the group over the past 10 years and the leaders have this week thanked parents for their ongoing support.
Julie Neill, who helped set up the group in 1990, said it plays a “significant role” in the development of pre-school school.
“The playgroup helps children develop their social skills and allows them to mix with other children in the same age group,” she said.
PORTAFERRY – A new boat recently purchased by the Queen’s University Marine Laboratory in Portaferry had its official naming
ceremony earlier this month.
The ‘Cumella’ was officially named by Dr Pat Boaden, who was director of the laboratory from 1977 to 1992.
During the ceremony, Dr Boaden referred to the tradition of naming marine laboratory boats after marine organisms found in local waters.
The name Cumella belongs to a small shrimp-like animal that lives in sandy bottom areas of Strangford Lough.
The boat will be used extensively by staff and students at the laboratory to support both their expanding research programmes on Strangford Lough and also for teaching connected to the marine biology degree course at Queen’s University.