From the pages of the Down Recorder, December 13, 1977

From the pages of the Down Recorder, December 13, 1977

13 December 2017

PORTAFERRY — A Portaferry marathon runner has got off to a bad start in his bid to raise money to cover his training expenses for next year’s Commonwealth Games.

Des McHenry’s appeal to Ards Borough Council for a grant towards his costs was turned down this week, despite strong support from some members.

Mr McHenry, a Queen’s University student, is one of the province’s top long distance runners and is widely fancied for selection to next year’s Commonwealth Games.

His appeal received the support of the council’s recreation officer, Mr Jim Ritchie, who said that Mr McHenry’s selection would be a big boost to athletics in the Ards area. He was strongly backed by Portaferry councillor, Mr Paddy Doherty, who said mcHenry was the only athlete in the borough who had a chance of being selected for the Games.

The Mayor of Ards, Mr John Scott, said that giving Mr Henry the grant could “open the floodgates for other athletes in the area.” In a division on the subject members decided by eight votes to five not to make the grant.

COMBER — A major extension to the Comber by-pass is included in a £5 million roads programme for the Ards Borough Council area.

The ring-road will cost over £1m to build and will link the Killinchy and Newcastle Roads, relieving the present heavy traffic congestion in Comber town centre.

Work has already begun on the preparation of an aerial survey of the areas, through the actual road building is not expected to get underway until the summer of 1982.

However, the very fact that the by-pass has been included in the Department of the Environment’s five-year plans has been welcomed as a breakthrough by local representatives.

ANNAHILT — Annahilt Pipe Band’s pipe major, who composed a march especially for the Queen to commemorate her visit to Hillsborough, has received a note of thanks.

Pipe Major Robert Bell wrote a four-part march entitled ‘Hllsborough’s Welcome to Queen Elizabeth 1977’, a copy of which was sent to Buckingham Palace by Mr Terence Kinghan, a member of the band.

The following reply was received: “Thank you for your letter which I have laid before the Queen, together with the pipe tune composed by P/M Bell.

“Her Majesty is delighted to accept this in honour of her visit to Ulster in August and was very touched by your kind thought in wishing to present it to her.”

As well as writing for the Queen, Pipe Major Bell has written a four-part jig in honour of his father’s long association with the Annahilt band. It is to be included in a book of band music by Pipe Major Donald MacLeod.

BALLYNAHINCH — Almost 1,000 people in the Ballynahinch area are taking advantage of the services offered by the local Credit Union, according to Mr Joe Rodgers, chairman of the Union.

In a wide-ranging presentation of the Board of Directors’ seventh annual report, Mr Rodgers told members that takings had increased by over £30,000 during the year and that they had been able to make low interest loans of over £140,000.

Mr Rodgers said that almost 1,000 people were now using the unique services offered by the Credit Union and added that it was the aim of the movement to extend its benefits to everyone in the area.

In an attempt to involve the youth of the area, the Credit Union had promoted an essay competition open to all school pupils between 13 and 18 years old.

DOWNPATRICK — Father Sean Rogan is leaving Downpatrick parish to take up a new appointment at St Luke’s Church in Twinbrook, Belfast. During his six years in Downpatrick Father Rogan made many friends and earned great respect through the town.

Father Rogan was reared in Killough and educated at St Patrick’s High School in Downpatrick before attending St Peter’s College in Wexford, where he was ordained in 1962.

He served for a short time in Ardglass before going to Belfast as an assistant priest at St Mary’s and St Teresa’s. His next move was to Saintfield where he stayed for six-and-a-half years before coming to Downpatrick.

KILLOUGH — Tyrone Brick, the company of Tyrone Poroton in Killough where 40 workers were recently paid off when production came to a halt, have opened a new £2.5 million brick plant near Dungannon.

The new plant, which will employ 55 men and produce upwards of 500,000 facing bricks a week, will replace the company’s two older brick plants in the area. 

Aspokesman for the companies this week assured people that the future of Tyrone Poroton would not be affected.

NEWCASTLE — Lifeboat trials held at Newcastle have proved conclusively that the heavy Oakley class lifeboat can he used satisfactorily along with a modern launching tractor from the local station.

The new Oakley boat which weighs 12.5 tons, has been sent to Newcastle along with the tractor as part of the RNLI’s ongoing policy to determine whether they can be used both in Newcastle and at Clogher Head, near Dundalk.

Lord Roden, Newcastle RNLI secretary, explained that the operations were merely to check the limitations in the local harbour and added that no problems had arisen.

Lord Roden also said that the Oakley boat, which is 4.5 tons heavier than the Liverpool boat currently used at Newcastle, fitted into the boathouse, something which hadn’t been realised previously. This means that if the boat was brought into operation in the future, then no extra expense would be needed in extending the boathouse.

The coxswain of the Newcastle lifeboat is Mr Michael Lenaghan and altogether he has a crew of seven.

KILLYLEAGH — The Rev Martin Smyth has told Killyleagh Unionists that elections are looming ahead. He was guest speaker at the branch’s annual meeting in the local Orange Hall.

The theme of Rev Smyth’s speech was ‘Forward with Ulster’ and he told Unionists that the party had made a certain amount of progress in the political field.

CASTLEWELLAN — Members of Castlewellan Women’s Institute celebrated their 25th anniversary with a Christmas dinner in the Enniskeen Hotel, Newcastle.

To crown the meal the members had a slice of a beautiful anniversary cake baked by Mrs Blackwood and decorated by Mrs L Telford. The cake was cut by Mrs I Skillen, president, and the first secretary, Mrs A Vance.

KILKEEL — A young Kilkeel boy was among a number of children who competed in the Northern Ireland skateboard championship organised recently by BBC’s Nationwide programme.

Morgan McGreevy, of Manse Road, was placed second in the junior section by judge and BBC personality Barry Cowan.

CROSSGAR — A champion labrador owned by Mr Robert Morner, of Drumaghlis Road, Crossgar is certainly a dog with a nose for success.

‘Meadow Brae Widgeon’ won the Irish Retriever Championship and also the retriever section at an international gun dog match in Bedfordshire. She was bred by Joseph Craig, of Downpatrick, and is set to conquer even more canine competitors in 1978.

ARDGLASS — Ardglass Sharks, one of Northern Ireland’s best basketball clubs, will be calling it a day at the end of the season. But before they do they intend organising their own blitz tournament and making it one of the best in the province.

The Sharks are now firmly based in Downpatrick, thanks to superior facilities, and so they have gradually lost their connectons with Ardglass. As well, Sharks manager Seamus Gracey has decided to retire after 21 years’ involvement and that means the Ardglass connection will be finally ended.