From the pages of the Down Recorder, September 20, 1977

From the pages of the Down Recorder, September 20, 1977

20 September 2017

DOWNPATRICK — The nursing staff at Downshire Hospital will stage a walk-out from one ward this morning unless an extremely violent patient is removed. The industrial action, if carried out, will affect only the ward in which the patient is kept. Work in the other wards will continue as usual.

As the Recorder went to press last night representatives of COHSE at the Downshire met the Chief Medical Officer of the Area Board in a bid to resolve the situation.

Nursing staff want the removal of a male patient whom trade unionist, Mr Michael Mills, says has repeatedly made violent attacks on members of staff.

“We are not geared to nurse this patient and we have not the facilities to do so in the Downshire Hospital,” Mr Mills said. We are not trying to prohibit the treatment of any psychiatric patient because of our action. “We are here to treat the psychiatric patient, not the disturbed psychopath.

“We want this patient moved to a place of security. It is the Department of Health and Social Security which is slipping.”

The threatened action follows the statement by COHSE, the Confederation of Health Service Employees, offering advice and guidance to its members on dealing with violent patients.

“I hope the management will agree to our demand,” Mr Mills said. “We have walked out before and we will do it again.”

CROSSGAR — A second planning department decision to refuse permission for the development of a 13-acre industrial site in Crossgar has left Down councillors dazed.

The council chairman, Col Denys Rowan-Hamilton, said he found the latest decision “unbelievable” and insisted that the site for the development on the Ballynahinch Road would be ideal for industry.

This is the second application to build three factories on the site by the Crossgar estate agent, Mr Osborne King, but it too has been turned down on the grounds that it would be “detrimental to the appearance of the locality.”

Col Rowan-Hamilton was supported by Mr Eddie McVeigh, who asked the planners once again to reconsider their decision.

BALLYNAHINCH — Ballynahinch schoolgirl Paula McKay must be the envy of all those students who detest examination time.

For Paula, a student at Assumption Grammar School, always does well in her exams. In fact, she did so well in her Biology A level examination this year that she obtained the highest marks in the province.

To mark this achievement the Biological Council has awarded Paula one of the nine prizes offered to A level candidates throughout the United Kingdom whose work in Biology showed a very high level of performance.

The presentation will take place in the Social Science Lecture Theatre at Queen’s University. Mrs Maeve Wylie, teacher of Biology at Assumption Grammar School, and Sister Jarlath McKenna, principal, will accompany Paula and her parents, Mr and Mrs M J McKay, Main Street, Ballynahinch.

Two years go Paula sat her O levels and passed in 11 subjects, gaining A grades in ten of them. She slipped up in her additional maths exam, in which she only obtained a B! Paula now plans to study medicine at Trinity College in Dublin.

NEWCASTLE — Newcastle men Bert Slader and Teddy Hawkins have been playing their part to make this year’s Sport for All Week a big success

Both men are climbers who have been leading the Ulster Way Walk, which started last Friday and ends this Saturday, and will be glad of any support for the remaining days.

The walk takes in all parts of the province and on Saturday participants met at Kanes Farm, close to Trassey Bridge in the Mournes, and walked to the Hares Gap to meet Teddy and Bert. This section of the walk continued along the route to Newcastle and Dundrum.

STRANGFORD — One of eight ketch-rigged yachts owned by the Ocean Youth Club appeared unexpectedly in Stranfford Lough this week.

The Francis Drake, a 71-foot Bermudan ketch, arrived at Strangford on Monday afternoon and after mooring overnight sailed up the lough the following day. The yacht featured on BBC1’s Nationwide programme.

CASTLEWELLAN — The Annsborough-Castlewellan Combat Cancer group will be holding a concert in St Malachy’s Secondary School tomorrow night at 8.30pm.

Two well known artistes, Candy Devine and Tom Raymond, will be appearing. Candy will be incorporating a Dutch auction in her at to help boost funds for the Ulster Cancer Foundation.

Also appearing will be the Castlewellan Accordion Band, Eamon McMullan and the Poachers, Olivia Savage and local championship Irish dancers Jack Smith and Jim Flanagan.

DRUMANESS — A Drumaness man has been appointed to the National Executive Committee of the Confederation of Health Service Employees. Mr James O’Reilly was assigned to his new post at a meeting of the Regional Council at Dundonald Hospital.

He has been an active and distinguished member of COHSE since joining the Health Service in 1962 and feels that his new position will enable him to carry out his aspirations to the full.

Mr O’Reilly graduated to a Registered Mental Nurse in 1965 and a State Registered Nurse in 1969 and a Charge Nurse in 1974. He became a COHSE member in 1963 and in December 1973 was appointed branch secretary.

KILLOUGH — A proposed new holiday chalet development in Killough has got a strong thumbs down from local residents.

To make their point the village committee have written to the planning department in Downpatrick to put on record their formal objection to the scheme.

This is the second time the villagers have objected to a holiday development on the same site, which is behind the primary school.

ANNALONG — Annalong skiff fisherman Thomas Chambers cannot help but feel puzzled this week. In his hand he holds a new licence which entitles him to use his boat for herring fishing during the calendar year 1977 — a licence dated September 15.

However, Mr Chambers will not be able to use that licence this year — a year when herring prices are high and he could have made a lot of money.

The reason for this is the ban on herring fishing off the Mourne coast which was imposed by the Common Market authorities in July and which was implemented in Northern Ireland on September 1.

It looks as if Mr Chambers wasted the £1 he paid for his useless licence — but that’s the least of his worries. He and all the other skiff men have wasted a lot more money preparing boats for this year’s herring season.

CLOUGH — A young Clough boy, Geoffrey Gilmore, of Castlewellan Road, was fortunate to escape injury when he was knocked down by a car near his home on Friday.

PORTAFERRY — A noted amateur photographer, Mr Dan McNeill, of Downpatrick, presented a practical demonstration to start Portaferry Camera Club’s new season on a high note.

Members were pleased to welcome many new faces to the club and Mr McNeill’s demonstration, which was aimed mainly at beginners, showed to set up a camera, take a photograph, develop and print the film.

SPA — The target set by Spa Presbyterian Church for their church roof repair fund has been reached thanks to a successful auction in the Arnold Hall on Saturday.

A total of £1,913 was raised at the well attended auction and added to the £7,000 already raised by direct contributions they have attained the goal.

The auction was organised by the church committee and under the hammer of Mr Mills, of Messrs Brown McConnell & Co, from Ballynahinch.