From the pages of the Down Recorder, October 17, 1972

From the pages of the Down Recorder, October 17, 1972

17 October 2012

KILCLIEF — Public criticism of the County Council’s action in allowing a house to be built at Kilclief was answered this week in a statement issued by Mr. John Parson, the County Planning Officer. The criticism arose in the correspondence columns of the Recorder when Mr. Parson was on leave. On his return he issued the following statement:

“The site is in an area of outstanding natural beauty. Development is not encouraged on the coastal side of the road, but the County Council, as a general rule, allows the replacement of existing occupied or recently occupied dwellings and many such sites have been approved.

“In this case the site purchased included such a dwelling and consequently replacement was allowed.

“I would point out that a decision of the County Council is subject to a right of appeal to the Ministry of Development and if any applicant feels aggrieved they should exercise this right.

“While making this statement I should like to take the opportunity of saying that if any members of any town or village committee have any good ideas about what is needed in their own area I would welcome discussing them with a view to implementing them if they seem reasonably practicable.”

NEWCASTLE — Mrs. Irene Kelly, who is on the staff of the Slieve Donard Hotel, Newcastle, has won first place in the regional final of the Receptionist of the Year competition.

The event is the highlight of the Hotels and Caterers Association’s social calendar and the finalists will be guests of honour at a gala banquet to be held in the Slieve Donard Hotel on November 7. The top prize is a fortnight’s Mediterranean holiday.

Mrs. Kelly was competing at the Windsor Hotel, Knocknagoney, and she was later presented with her regional sash and certificate by Mr. A. P. Cairns at a reception in the Slieve Donard on Monday night.

DOWNPATRICK — Bro. Edmund Murphy, who died in Dublin this week, was headmaster of St. Patrick’s High School, Downpatrick, from 1940 to 1946, having taught there since 1937. Very few of the students who came into contact with him at the time will easily forget the experience and certainly no other headmaster in the history of the school has left such an impression on the minds and imagination of his pupils.

In many aspects of education he was many years before his time: in giving sex education, in encouraging discussion and challenge by students and in breaking out of the strait-jacket of the set curriculum. At the time he seemed stern, often perverse, brilliantly unpredictable and a strange sort of teacher. The passing of a quarter of a century puts him in a much kinder perspective: an an innovator, a man of many interests and enthusiasms, exciting in his eccentricities, impartial in the application of his code of discipline, which was lightened at times by a sensitive insight into the problems facing the adolescent boy.

STRANGFORD — The Strangford ferry, which came back into service on Wednesday after its annual refit, will include one extra late night run in each direction in its new schedule. Its last nightly run from Strangford will be from Strangford at 11 o’clock and from Portaferry at 11.15, with morning resumption from Strangford at 7.30 (Sundays 9.30).

The three year-old vessel is back at work almost a week earlier than anticipated because of a new arrangement under which most of the maintenance work was carried out by the county council’s own engineering staff.

A Council spokesman said on Wednesday: “The underwater work was carried out by Harland & Wolff and the rest by our own squad. The Department of Trade and Industry surveyor has completed all his checks and is very happy.”

CASTLEWELLAN — Pupils of Scoil Rinne Naomh Martin, Castlewellan, won first place in the under 15 eight-hand reel and second place in the four-hand reel competition at Dundalk Feis. Members of the winning team, who were coached by Mr. and Mrs. Anthony McKay, were Christine, Susan and Sharon Leeson, Bernadette Nixon, Geraldine Rice, Roisin Morgan, Veronica Murphy and Barbara Crilly. They danced ‘Off to Puck Fair’ which was composed by their teachers. Veronica, Sharon, Bernadette and Geraldine danced the four-hand reel.

KILCOO — Two armed men held up the postmistress at Kilcoo Post Office on Tuesday, and after hijacking a mail van left with an undisclosed some of money. A short time alter a sum of money was stolen from Cabra Post Office and the van was found sometime afterwards, abandoned in the Hilltown area.

KILLINCHY — Killinchy YFC had its largest turn-out of members this year at a recent meeting when club member W. R. Neill gave an illustrated talk on his trip to Denmark. Mr. Neill was one of four members who represented the YFCU at the annual European Rally held in Odense in July and he gave a detailed account of the week’s activities. Slides shown included those taken at the farm of the host family with whom he stayed for a couple of days, a large grass drying plant and a visit to the Tivoli Gardens.

DUNSFORD — The annual harvest service in St. Mary’s Church, Dunsford, on Sunday was conducted by the Rev. T. H. W. Dunwoody, rector. The sermon was given by the Rev. J. C. Moore, Portaferry. Lessons were read by Heather Kennedy and June Gill, and the congregation was afterwards entertained in the parish hall.

BALLYNAHINCH — A 15-week winter agricultural course commenced at Ballynahinch Technical College on Wednesday night. Previous courses have been quite successful and this year’s lecturer, Mr. Reid Coleman, an advisory officer with the Ministry of Agriculture, has high hopes that the session will be well attended.

“I will be concentrating mostly on animal husbandry, with particular emphasis on the keeping of farm accounts,” he states. I will be covering the various aspects of animal husbandry, including dairy herds, beef production, wintering methods and sheep production.”

PORTAFERRY — Portaferry Camera Club’s next meeting is on Monday night. It will be held in the Community Centre, The Square. The speaker will be Mr. R. Cochrane whose subject will be black and white photography.