1938: Rioting follows East Tyrone elections

10 Years Ago

March 6 2003

Councils’ legal challenge

COOKSTOWN and Magherafelt Councils are to seek legal advice on the basis for challenging the Health Minister’s decision to downgrade the Mid-Ulster Hospital.

The Northern Ireland Policing Board announced the names of independent members of Cookstown and Magherafelt District Policing Partnerships.

It was announced that almost half a million pound will be pumped into rivers in East Tyrone and South Derry for the development of angling and other water-based projects.

The Archbishop of Armagh Most Rev Dr Eames conducted the thanksgiving service at the official opening of a new parish hall at Donaghendry Parish Church, Stewartstown.

Officials and members of Mid-Ulster Athletics Club threw their full support behind Magherafelt District Council’s plans to develop new athletic facilities at Meadowbank Recreation Centre in the town.

Deaths: March 2, Patrick (Paddy) Hindman, Kent (formerly of Magherafelt); March 3, Robert Andrew (Bob) McNicol, Rathbeg, Cookstown; February 25, James Montgomery, Grove Terrace, Maghera; March 4, Ivan Watterson, Loves Road, Caraloon, Magherafelt.

25 Years Ago

March 10, 1988

Health cutback objection

MAGHERAFELT District Council is to voice its objection to cutbacks being proposed by the Northern Health and Social Services. While the Mid-Ulster Hospital is to be spared the axe, cuts to services totalling more than £2m were planned.

Magherafelt Sinn Fein councillor John Davey was given a conditional discharge for two years at a special sitting of the town’s Magistrates Court for taking part in an illegal parade in Swatragh on Easter Sunday. A total of 44 people faced charges arising out of the parade and the sitting lasted three days.

More than 120 people attended the first local fund raising event for Dungannon’s Integrated School. Gus Devlin, who leads the school’s fund-raising efforts, also led the music on the night and everybody enjoyed themselves.

Three men appeared at a special court in Magherafelt following the discovery of a South Derry teenager’s body at the rear of a lock-up shop in Maghera. Michael Kelly (16), Tirkane Road, Maghera, was a pupil at a special school in Ballymena.

Presentations were made in Magherafelt to Mr Danny Bonner on the occasion of his retirement as local manager with British Telecom after 42 years service.

Films showing at Cookstown cinemas – Ritz 1, Stakeout, starring Richard Dreyfuss; Studio, Teen Wolf Too. The big movie in the Classic, Magherafelt, was Teen Wolf Too.

Deaths: Sarah Matilda Bryson (formerly of Ballygillen), in her 83rd year; March 3, George Cardwell, Main Street, Coagh; February 27, Henry George Hughes, Highfield Road, Magherafelt; February 9, Minnie Lagan (in her 99th year); March 3, Frances (Fanny) Mullan, Milburn Park, Cookstown; March 5, Elizabeth H. McKeown, late of Prospect House, Cookstown.

50 Years Ago

March 9, 1963

Cookstown rates rise

THE rates in Cookstown for the coming financial year will be 24/6 in the £, an increase of 6d, on the current year’s figure. The new rate – struck by the Urban Council – is made up of a Town Rate of 12/-, an increase of 6d, and a Poor Rate of 12/6, the same as for the current year.

The illegal practice of “lamping” fish was described to Judge Copeland at Magherafelt Quarter Sessions by Mr W. D. Duff, chief inspector of the Coleraine Board of Conservators, who has prosecuted hundreds of poachers.

Ivy McAleese, a member of Cookstown Young Farmers’ Club, won the Farmers’ Journal Cup at the Northern Ireland finals of the Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster Public Speaking competition at Queen’s University.

Mr R.A. Brown, chairman of Magherafelt Rural Council, presented long service Civil Defence medals to Mrs A.G. Reid, Brown Drive, and Mrs A.H. Cunningham, Grove Terrace, both Maghera.

Judge Copeland was given a demonstration of how to ‘lamp’ fish at Magherafelt Quarter Sessions by Mr W.D. Duff, chief inspector of the Coleraine Board of Conservators, who has prosecuted hundreds of poachers.

A sudden gust of wind at Coalisland on December 15 blew down a wall at which women and children were sheltering prior to a Santa Claus parade, it was stated at an inquest in Dungannon. Four-year-old Colin Neill, Moyallen Terrace, Coalisland, was killed instantly.

The first-round Schools’ Cup match originally to have been played in mid-December and after being postponed six times because of hard ground, resulted in a 9-3 victory for Rainey Endowed over Regent House. Rainey team: Henderson, Loane, Nelson, McKeown, McCready, Graham, McSwiggan (capt), Diamond, Campbell, Boggs, Kelly, Johnston, Paul, Evans, Crooks.

Deaths: March 4, Samuel Dallas (in his 98th year), Downs, Tullyhogue; March 2, David Greenaway, London; February 25, Charolette Ann MacKenzie, Lindesayville, Tullyhogue; February 28, John McMinn, Crossdernott, Dungannon; March 1, William Richardson, The Bungalow, Main Street, Tobermore.

75 Years Ago

March 5, 1938

Election riot

A NUMBER of people appeared at Cookstown Petty Sessions on charges of riotous behaviour following the party disturbances arising out of the recent results of the East Tyrone Elections.

At a meeting of Cookstown Urban Council, the Chairman Mr John Glasgow, JP, proposed, and Mr William Gough seconded, that a rate of 9/- in the £ be adopted for the financial year 1938/39. This was an increase of ¼ in the £.

Ballinderry PE School was closed owing to an outbreak of scarlet fever.

St Mary’s PE School, the new Roman Catholic School erected at Loy Street, Cookstown, beside the Technical School, was occupied by the staff and pupils of the Old Loy Street, which for a long time was overcrowded.

Mr M.A. Waddell, manager of the Cookstown Gas Company, was appointed manager of the Carrickfergus branch, Mr Waddell had taken a keen interest in golf and was a member of the Killymoon team which won the Cowdy Cup in 1937.

Deaths: February 22, Gordon Lennox, Caraloon, Magherafelt; February 26, William John Arbuthnot, Drumbonaway, Stewartstown; February 26, Susan O’Neill, Dirnan; March 3, Maggie Ferguson, Ballybriest, Cookstown.

100 Years Ago

March 8 1913

Pike’s bridge

AT Dungannon Rural Council, the County Surveyor Mr Leebody, reported the sudden collapse of Pike’s Bridge, on the Coalisland-Newmills road. He was authorised to have it repaired.

Mr John McLean, Clerk of Petty Sessions at Draperstown, resigned.

Deaths: Mary Lees, Luney; William Kelly, Eary; William Smith, Pomeroy; William Weir, Cookstown; James Conlon, Drumballyhugh.

OLD photographs can be left with Stanley Campbell at the MAIL’s Magherafelt office, 14 Rainey Street. Telephone 028 79631780 or email [email protected]

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