From the pages of the Down Recorder, August 8, 1972

8 August 2012

NEWCASTLE — Newcastle is the latest town to introduce tough new measures to beat the terror bombers and this week most of the roads leading off the main thoroughfare became no-go areas for motorists.

The town has twice been the target for bombs in recent weeks and the new moves were announced after an emergency meeting of the urban council and local police on Monday night.

There will be no through traffic and no parking in all or part of the streets leading off Main Street and Central Promenade. The car park at the Annesley Mansions will also be closed.

On Wednesday the Army were busy sealing off these areas with barriers and 40-gallon oil drums filled with concrete.

The police tabled two plans at Monday’s meeting. The first called for the complete sealing off of the main thoroughfare and the various adjoining streets and the Annesley Mansions car park. All through traffic would use Shimna Road which would be open to two-way traffic.

The council and members of the local chamber of commerce felt that this proposal was altogether too severe and would impose undue hardship on the business people of the town, most of whom had suffered severe loss of trade because of the troubles.

BALLEE — Jeremy Maxwell, racehorse trainer from Ballee, last week reinforced the punting pundits’ opinion that he is the up and coming trainer in the country, north and south. Persian Lark, a seven year-old gelding owned by Belfast businessman, Mr. J. Clifton, and trained by Jeremy for the past 18 months, ran out a convincing winner of the Galway Plate.

This success, a steeplechase second in prestige only to the Irish Grand National, brought the gelding’s winnings to over the £4,500 mark. Obviously 24 year-old Jeremy is delighted with the horse’s form and has set his sights on next month’s two-mile flat race at Tralee.

This week Jeremy gave the Recorder a quiet tip. “He’s fairly well in at the weights.”

TYRELLA — Following the report in the Recorder a few weeks ago about the litter louts who are despoiling Tyrella’s holiday beach, the East Down Liberal Association have called for the introduction of litter wardens there.

“People who come in cars must be forced to deposit their rubbish in nearby litter bins or keep it in their car until they reach a bin,” a spokesman said. “Those without a social conscience have no right to spoil our tourist amenities and ruin the enjoyment of everyone else.

“Liberals therefore call for urgent action to be taken by the authorities and suggest the appointment of litter wardens to patrol beaches where cars are permitted on the sand.”

PORTAFERRY — Two armed men stole £200 from an employee at McMullan’s coal merchants, Portaferry, on Monday night. The worker received minor injuries in the raid and was later discharged from hospital.

NEWCASTLE — Three armed men who raided Newcastle’s Ulster Bank on Friday used a shopping bag to carry over £3,000 in bank notes. The robbery was staged just before 2pm when the men entered the bank, shut the main door behind them and ordered bank staff and a few customers to obey their orders.

Having gathered up the cash from behind the grill, the men ran off in the direction of Bryansford Gardens. When the alarm was raised, regular Army troops saturated the town, but the robbers got away. Police inquiries are continuing.

DOWNPATRICK — Congratulations to the boys of Downpatrick Summer Activities Scheme who last week carved a niche in the Guinness Book of Records for non-stop football. The boys started on Wednesday at 3.02pm and wound up next day at 5.02 after clocking up 26 hours. And would you believe the score? The B side ran out winners by 216 goals to 202.

Team A: Peter Deeny, Ian Craig, J. Connolly, A. King, Gerald Blaney, Hugh Kelly, Lawrence McQuoid, Joe Williams, Ciaran McCurry, Liam Laverty, Gerard Oakes.

Team B: Joe McStay, Fergal Quinn, Paddy Kelly, Fred McStay, Colm Robinson, Gerard Kelly, Jackie Murphy, Michael Robinson, Colin Wells, Joe Pleasants, Macartan Bryce.

The boys thanks referees and officials, and particularly those whose assistance with minerals and equipment made the venture possible: Rev. Dr. Conway, Dean Kilpatrick, Mr. G. Hynds, M. O. Magee and Mrs. C. McStay.

SAINTFIELD — Patricia McVeigh, of Saintfield, is disgusted with the current low egg returns. And she’s so determined to do something about it that she is going alone on a sales promotion tour of seaside resorts and consumer centres in Britain.

Patricia’s father keeps 18,000 hens at their Carrickmannon home. And he’s only getting returns of 8p per dozen, while it costs 14p to produce them. Like so many farmers’ daughters, she has to help out during the holidays at her dad’s farm, a 50-acre family holding where the main enterprise is eggs.

WOODGRANGE — Woodgrange Pipe Band, second in Grade 2 at Newcastle’s contest on Saturday, are hoping to go one better in the Ulster Championships at Ballymena on Saturday. Dromara Highland are also strongly fancied to take the top award in the same grade.

BISHOPSCOURT — The international short circuit motor cycle races scheduled for tomorrow week at Bishopscourt promises to be one of the most keenly contested events of the season. English riders Dave Croxford and Brian Kemp are the latest cross-channel names to be added to the list of competitors.

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