From the pages of the Down Recorder, January 17, 1978

From the pages of the Down Recorder, January 17, 1978

17 January 2018

RECORDER — Blind people living in Down need no longer miss out on the latest local news — thanks to a new project being run by Downpatrick Lions Club in conjunction with the Down Recorder.

Every fortnight extracts from the Recorder are taped on to cassettes by club members and these are then circulated among blind people living locally.

The ‘talking newspaper’ idea has proved a smash hit already and is now in its sixth issue. Plans are now afoot to start a magazine section with features from the Recorder.

The recording is done in Downpatrick Teachers’ Centre and the cassettes are distributed free by the Post Office in special returnable envelopes. The Eastern Health and Social Services Board is also co-operating in the venture by providing cassettes and a number of cassette players to people in the district.

The Lions members are hoping that with public support they can purchase more cassette players and increase the circulation of the district’s latest paper.

There is a snag, however. The Lions Club hasn’t so far thought of a name for the paper. To solve this, members are planning a competition among local schoolchildren to encourage them to think up a suitable name.

BALLYNAHINCH — Members of the Ballynahinch group of Combat Cancer handed over a cheque for £800 at La Mon House. The money, which has been raised by the group over the past two years, was presented to Mr Michael Woods, Director of the Foundation.

Members of the Ballynahinch group raised the money through different fund-raising events over the past two years. A spokesman said this year they were hoping to raise over £1,000. One of the events planned is a sponsored walk in April.

DOWNPATRICK — A bus inspector who has been based in Downpatrick for the past 25 years was paid many glowing tributes at his retirement function in the Slaney Inn, Raholp, on Friday night.

Mr Billy Murdock, who lives at Saul Road, Downpatrick, retired last week after a career that spanned 44 years in public transport service.

Mr Murdock, who came from Dromore, received praise from Ulsterbus managing director, Mr Werner Heubeck, who presented him with two souvenir gifts.

Paying tribute to Mr Murdock’s service were Mr R J Wilson, the Southern Area manager for Ulsterbus, Mr Ian Cunningham, Downpatrick depot manager, Mr Lornie Brennan, on behalf of the Downpatrick drivers, and Mr Jim Prior, on behalf of the Downpatrick engineering team.

Mr Murdock first became involved in the public transport service in 1934 when he joined the now defunct Belfast Omnibus Company. He then served with the old Northern Ireland Road Transport Board and the Ulster Transport Authority before joining Ulsterbus.

SAINTFIELD — A Saintfield man who had his shooting jacket and firearms certificate stolen at a gundog trial at the weekend received a shock when he opened his mail on Tuesday. For there, among the post, was an envelope containing his firearms certificate — posted from Co Kildare by the thief. Who said there was no honour among thieves?

KILCOO — A Kilcoo farmer has lashed out at new developments plans for the area. The man, who wants to remain anonymous, said that land was now begin vested for schemes in the plan and the first indications that the villagers had was when they read the vesting orders in the newspapers.

“If this is what the Department of the Environment’s planning department is doing for the farming community then it’s time we got back to local government when everything was above board,” he said.

In a protest letter the farmer said that the development plans had come as a “great shock” to local landowners who will be affected by them.

“What sort of country are we living in when the first indications that the Government is taking land from you is when you read in it a newspaper?” he asked.

He also called on local councillors to use their influence on the planners to ensure suitable development of the village in the future.

CARRYDUFF — Carryduff police are investigating an incident in which a girl was found walking partly clothed near the reservoir on the Saintfield Road on Friday night. No detailed information has been given, but police are satisfied that no sexual assault was committed.

KILLOUGH — Police in Ardglass and Castlewellan are investigating the theft of two cars on Sunday night. One was stolen in Killough and abandoned near Drumaroad, and the other was stolen later in Drumaroad and abandoned in Killough.

The car stolen in Killough was a  Ford Cortina belonging to Mr Raymond Connor, of The Ward, Ardglass. Some hours later another Ford Cortina, this time belonging to Mr James Gerarld Fitzpatrick, of Burrenreagh, Castlewellan, was stolen in Drumaroad. 

Police believe that the same thief was responsible, probably ensuring he had transport to and from a dance.

DUNDRUM — The Manse Road in Dundrum will be closed from today until February 13. A spokesman for the DoE said the road has been closed has part of the new construction scheme on Dundrum Main Street.

He said the scheme has been expanded to include the length of the street and said that work would be completed well before the summer season.

COMBER — An army technical officer was called out in the early hours of Tuesday morning to defuse an incendiary that had been found on Reagh Island, near Comber. The device has been found earlier by a Foundation Art student from Belfast who had been taking photographs on the island.

ARDGLASS — The art of decorative metal work was demonstrated to members of Ardglass Women’s Institute at their recent meeting. The guest speaker and demonstrator was Mr T Smyth, of Ardglass, who made the complexities of the art seem quite simple.

Mrs J Cochrane won the competition to find who had the oldest postmark. Mrs Cochrane’s bore the date 1873.

CLOUGH — First Clough Boys’ Brigade were narrowly defeated in the final of the Down Battalion U-14 basketball competition recently.

Although the Clough boys did well to get to the final it was the team trom 1st Dromara which came away victorious from Banbridge.

A team from 1st Killinchy BB took the shield in the final of the Battalion’s volleyball competition, beating 1st Downpatrick, 1st Crossgar and 2nd Saintfield.

PORTAFERRY — ‘The World About Us’ was the title given to a collection of four films shown to members of Portaferry Camera Club by amateur film maker Mr Gordon McKnight. His films, which included a trip down the Grand Canyon with breathtaking shots of shooting the rapids, had the large audience sitting on the edge of their seats.

TECONNAUGHT — Almost 300 members of Teconnaught GFC celebrated at their annual dinner dance in the Millbrook Lodge Hotel, Ballynahinch, on Friday night.

The club secretary, Denis Cahill, welcomed all to the function, particularly Fr D McHugh, PP, Sean Magorrian, the East Down Board chairman, and Matt Fitzpatrick, East Down treasurer. He also made a special welcome to the Downpatrick Rec and Drumaness Mills soccer players who were also present.

There was a well-filled table of silverware on view which proved the success for the club over the year.

Fr McHugh, who handed over the individual awards, said it was heartening to see the GAA members and their soccer counterparts enjoying themselves together and he praised the club for the part they were playing in this direction.

The senior clubman of the year award was presented to Mickey Murnin, the senior player of the year to Jimmy McCarthy and the junior clubman award to Gerard Murnin.