From the pages of the Down Recorder, July 1, 2000

From the pages of the Down Recorder, July 1, 2000

1 July 2020

KILCLIEF – It will be the end of an era when St Malachy’s Primary School, Kilclief, closes on Friday for the start of the summer holidays.

Many of the children will be back in two months’ time, but not their headmaster, Mr Pat Watterson, who is retiring after 33 years in charge of the small country school.

“I will be taking away plenty of terrific memories of my years at St Malachy’s,” Mr Watterson said yesterday.

“This school has been blessed with a wonderful atmosphere and I have made many friends. It will be sad to leave.”

St Malachy’s has been a second home for Mr Watterson, a Downpatrick man, who was appointed principal in 1967, seven years after completing his teacher training at St Joseph’s Training College in Belfast.

His first post was at the now defunct St Joseph’s Primary School in Ardglass where he taught from 1960-67.

Mr Watterson says he has been fortunate to spend his entire career teaching in the Lecale area. “It’s a great part of the world in which to live and work. I can honestly say that I have been extremely fortunate.”

DOWNPATRICK — Parades Commission chiefs have banned a Loyalist band parade from entering Downpatrick town centre this Friday night.

The parade by the Red Hand Defenders has been banned from parading along its intended route including the Belfast Road to the War Memorial, New Bridge Street, Church Street, English Street and Mount Crescent.

Instead, bandsmen will be allowed no further than the 30mph zone at the Belfast Road, just before the New Bridge Street roundabout.

Meanwhile, restrictions have also been imposed on the Down Peace Forum which plans to stage a counter demonstration on Friday night.

It’s planned ‘march against sectarian parades’ will leave the Meadowlands car park and proceed to the Church Street junction with New Bridge Street and must return to the assembly point before 7pm.

Parades Commission chiefs say the Forum’s parade is designed to disrupt the Red Hand Defenders parade and “liable to have a detrimental impact on relationships within the community.”

ANNACLOY – A fight to keep Annacloy Post Office open is being spearheaded by South Down MP Eddie McGrady.

He has written to senior Post Office officials urging them to keep the local facility open to provide a key service to people in the Annacloy, Teconnaught and surrounding areas.

Mr McGrady said it is vital the Post Office, which has been providing a service in the Annacloy area for generations, continues to play a key role in the life of the local community.

In addition, he has also been in contact with Royal Mail officials to ensure the village post box also remains in place.

Meanwhile, local councillor, Miss Margaret Ritchie, said she is most anxious the Post Office remains in Annacloy and suggested there is an existing business in the area which could take over the facility.

She said everything possible must be done to ensure the Post Office continues to play a role in the area for generations to come.

NEWCASTLE – A Newcastle couple, whose baby daughter is alive today because of the skills of local paramedics, have publicly thanked them for saving her life.

Sharon and Gary McKibben, along with baby daughter Kirsty, travelled to the Downe Hospital from their Murlough Court home on Monday morning to meet the two paramedics who helped save the tiny tot’s life.

The proud parents say Kirsty is alive today because of the skills of Conor Rice and Peter Hynds who helped deliver the couple’s fourth child at the side of the road on the outskirts of the town exactly one month ago.

It was a nightmare experience for the Newcastle couple because as Kirsty was being delivered, the paramedics noticed her umbilical chord was caught around her neck.

Helped by the baby’s father, Conor eased the chord over her head to ensure she could continue breathing and within minutes she was being cared for by staff at the Downpatrick Maternity Unit.

CASTLEWELLAN — A major milestone in secondary education took place last week with the official opening of the new £12m St Malachy’s High School in Castlewellan.

Over 400 invited guests saw the opening ceremony performed by the Bishop of Down and Connor, Most Reverend Patrick Walsh, while Education Minister, Mr Martin McGuinness, planted a commemorative tree in the grounds.

Mr McGuinness told the guests that the new building stands as a positive symbol of the future of education throughout 

the province and he heaped unqualified praise on everyone involved in the project.

The Minister said the condition of older schools throughout the district also needed to be addressed by his department as a matter of urgency, telling the audience how his heart leapt to see the facilities and condition of the new St Malachy’s building.

LISBANE – Burglars who targeted a house at Lisbane, near Killinchy, last week made off with a haul of power tools and other items.

After entering the house at Ardmillan Road, they ripped a heating towel rail off a wall which resulted in considerable water damage to the property.

Other items stolen included a Britannia dual fuel cooker, radial arm saw, Stihl saw, Bosch jigsaw power tool, 30 square yards of oak flooring, rolls of wallpaper, assorted hand and garden tools.

Two ornamental garden birds were also taken during the raid which police believe was carried out between 5pm on June 20 and 8am the following morning.

Detectives based at Downpatrick RUC station are investigating the incident and have issued an appeal for information.

KILLYLEAGH — Education chiefs have revealed that to reopen Killyleagh’s former high school would cost £2.5m in refurbishment costs.

The confirmation came during a special meeting last week when members of a campaign group, lobbying to have the school reopened, met senior members of the South Eastern Education and Library Board.

The talks at the Board’s Dundonald headquarters are the first in a series planned over the coming weeks by campaigners who also plan to meet members of the Assembly’s Education Committee.

Invitations to visit the school site have already been forwarded to the committee’s chairman Danny Kennedy and his deputy Sammy Wilson as campaigners press ahead with plans to raise the profile of their campaign.

SAINTFIELD – A Saintfield girl has landed the job of a lifetime just days after completing her media studies degree course at the University of Sunderland.

Twenty-one year-old Claire Savage has been selected by the youth leadership charity, Project Children, to work as an intern in the press office of Senator John Dingell Junior in Washington’s Capitol Hill.

Her eight-week placement is part of a scheme to encourage talented young people from Northern Ireland to broaden their horizons through links with America and to work towards a better future in their home country.

CRICKET — A Dundrum teenager has just received the rare distinction of being called up for the Irish U-17 and U-19 cricket teams.

Sixteen year-old Rodney Hassard, who plays for Downpatrick, now faces a hectic few weeks as both Irish teams are involved in prestigious European Cricket Council tournaments.

The U-19 team travel to Northamptonshire in mid-July and will play against Scotland, Denmark, Holland and a Northants XI.

Rodney will have a few days rest before travelling to Dublin to play for the U-17 side in the European Championships, again against Holland, Denmark and Scotland.

The teenage sensation is also hoping to play against an Australian Schools side at the end of June for the U-17 team and is in line for a place in the Irish U-18 side who are expected to tour Australia next year.