From the pages of the Down Recorder July 10th, 1973

From the pages of the Down Recorder July 10th, 1973

10 July 2013

DARRAGH CROSS — A pipe bomb hurled into a crowded public house in Darragh Cross just before closing time on Friday night slightly injured a woman who was sitting her husband in a snug.

The bomb shattered a window and bounced off Mr. Thomas Flynn’s arm to the floor where it lay fizzing long enough for him to grab his wife, Bridget, and make for the doorway into the main part of the bar. The bomb exploded just as they reached the door, scattering nails and pieces of metal over a wide area.

Mrs. Flynn, of Darragh Cross, received cuts to her legs for which she was treated by a local doctor. It was the partition which kept the casualty list so low. In the body of the bar there were at least 30 people who could not have moved out of the way so quickly.

The owner of the bar, Mr. Dan Mageean, said: “It’s a miracle no one was killed here. The curtains were drawn across the window – and that’s probably what stopped the bomb coming right into the main part of the bar.”

A number of people in nearby houses said they saw a car drive up to the front of the building. A man jumped out and threw the bomb through the window. The vehicle — thought to be a grey Ford Cortina — then made off at high speed.

BALLYGOWAN — A 23 year-old man who was to be married in September this year was fatally injured when his car was involved in a collision with another car at Milligan’s crossroads on the Belfast-Ballygowan Road.

The dead man was Mr. James Wilbert Scott, of Sunnywest, Ballygowan, and the accident happened on Saturday last at noon when his Morris 1300 car collided with a Triumph Spitfire driven by police sergeant Martin Lennox, of Ballynahinch Road, Saintfield.

Mr. Lennox escaped with a broken nose and minor cuts. Mr. Scott’s fiancee, who was travelling with him, received minor cuts and bruises.

KILMORE — Some 5,000 Orangemen led by about 60 bands from 71 Lodges in five districts are expected to meet in the little village of Kilmore for their traditional 12th of July march. The event should cause quite a stir in the quiet little village which last witnessed a 12th day parade exactly ninety years ago.

The procession will march to a field in the centre of the village where there will be a platform programme chaired by the Worshipful District Master of No. 2 District Lecale, W. Bro. Thomas McKee.

Interest on the platform will probably centre around two of the figures — Mr. Brian Faulkner and Mr. Cecil Harvey, who was elected on a Vanguard ticket to the Assembly last week. Mr. Harvey, secretary of Lecale District and main organiser of the Kilmore march, said yesterday: “I had not originally intended being on the platform, though now that I have been elected I may have to go on. I will not have any speech prepared.”

Crossgar will be closed to through traffic between 10am and 6pm and parking will be prohibited in the village and along the procession route during the day.

DOWNPATRICK — Approval has been granted by the Hospitals Authority for the erection of a building to connect the main wing of Downe Hospital with the Extern Department. This was revealed at the monthly meeting of Downpatrick Hospital Management Committee, held in the boardroom at Downshire Hospital last Wednesday evening.

The proposed building, in addition to providing much improved medical records accommodation and a reception area, will have a patients day room and medical secretaries’ office. it will also provide added space to the much congested outpatient waiting area and a room for ambulance control and ambulance staff.

NEWCASTLE — The Ministry of Education have approved a scheme for the erection of a pavilion at Donard Park, Newcastle. This was revealed at Newcastle Urban Council’s meeting on Monday night.

The Ministry have offered a grant of 65 per cent, under the Youth Welfare, Physical Training and Recreation Act, towards reasonable expenditure to be incurred subject to the receipt of satisfactory site reports from other interested ministries.

BALLYNAHINCH — Misses E. Boyd Christie and E. B. Gibbons, of Dromara Road, Ballynahinch, gained two firsts and two seconds in the goats section at Armagh Show on Saturday.

KILLYLEAGH — Killyleagh Secondary School held a successful combined prize distribution and open evening recently. In his report the principal referred to the consequences of raising the school leaving age.

The CSE examination, introduced this year, would in future be the examination for the fifth year pupils. The increase in enrolment next term required the appointment of two extra teachers, namely Miss Madeline Williamson for French and Miss Alexandra Shaw for English. Approval had been received for large extensions and conversions to accommodate the increased numbers.

The Rev. J. C. Boggs was guest of honour and distributed the prizes. He told the large gathering of parents and children that he had not misses a prize distribution since the school opened in 1958.

SEAFORDE — A meeting is being arranged between East Down Rural Council engineers and officials from HEARTH (the Historic Environmental and Architectural Heritage Trust for Housing) to discuss ways of bringing forward plans for a new sewerage system in Seaforde. The system would be needed next year if plans to renovate 16 dwelling houses in the village got off the ground on schedule in the spring.

DUNDRUM — Twenty year-old Neville Neill, of 1 Castle Hill, Dundrum, has graduated from the New University of Ulster with a second class honours degree (upper division) in Mathematics.

A former pupil of Down High School, he has been accepted into Queen’s University, Belfast, to take a one-year course in Computer Science from October 1.

He is a member of Dundrum Cricket Club and has not missed a match this season. When he is not at the stumps he heads off for a round of golf .

CROSSGAR — St. Colmcille’s Secondary School, Crossgar, held their annual sports in the grounds of Ballynahinch Technical College before the break-up for the summer holidays. There was a large turn-out of competitors for a sunny afternoon of sports.