1987: Nationalist councillors move to remove “Cookstown Says No” banner from Town Hall

January 31 2002

Stormy Monday

STRONG winds which lashed Mid-Ulster on Monday resulted in road closures because of fallen trees as well as damage to property.

Police in Magherafelt say they are undertaking a number of operations aimed at preventing paramilitary and criminal activity in South Derry.

Cookstown was “snubbed” during an English MP’s fact-finding mission to see magistrates courts earmarked for closure. Ulster Unionist Councillor Trevor Wilson claimed the non-appearance by MP Rosie Winterton, who is attached to the Lord Chancellor’s department, was “a snub to the people.”

Twenty-three couples will represent the Magherafelt District Council area at the Queen’s Golden Jubilee celebration in Northern Ireland.

Cookstown get their big chance to launch themselves right back into contention for hockey’s Section One title this Saturday when they take on league leaders Instonians.

Deaths: January 24 – Pearl Caskey (nee Moore), Highfield Road, Magherafelt; January 25 – Emma L. Irwin (in her 89th year), Lisboy Road, Stewartstown; January 28 – Paula Larmour, Cooke Crescent, Cookstown; January 23 – Ivan McElhatton, Gortnaskea Road, Ballyveeney, Stewartstown; Mary Olivia Spon (nee Compton), interred Cookstown Cemetery; January 23 – Andrew Thomas (Tom) Reilly, Fergarron Road, Cookstown.

25 Years Ago

February 5 1987

Town hall

banner row

A MOVE to have the “Cookstown Says No” banner removed from the local Town Hall was to be made at a meeting requisitioned by two SDLP and four Sinn Fein councillors, who claim the banner is a breach of planning control.

Work got underway on a major new school development at St Patrick’s High School in Maghera. The existing portable classrooms will be replaced by the new building.

Sinn Fein have rejected claims that they have given up hope of winning the Mid-Ulster seat at the next General Election.

Sean Begley, the party’s candidate for the constituency, hit back at an assertion by the SDLP’s Joe Hendron that Sinn Fein’s vote would continue to drop.

Mary McGlinchey, wife of former INLA leader Dominic McGlinchey, who was killed by masked gunmen in her Dundalk home, was a native of Toomebridge. Aged 31, she was shot seven times while bathing one her two young sons.

St Colms, Ballinascreen, the holders, are through to the quarter-finals of the Larkin Cup after a hard-earned win over Ballinderry Shamrocks in atrocious, wintry conditions at Ballymaguigan’s pitch in Derrygarve.

Tobermore United qualified to meet Senior League club Bangor on their home ground in the first round proper of the Bass Irish Cup when they got the only score of the game against Ballyclare Comrades in their second preliminary round at Fortwilliam Park.

Deaths: January 23 – William J. Cahoon, Ontario, Canada; January 29 – Sarah Margaret Gilkinson, Princess Avenue, Cookstown; January 28 – Benny Harpur, Corkhill Road, Cookstown; January 29 – Frank Stewart, Moyola Avenue, Castledawson.

50 Years Ago

February 3 1962

‘Marry or go’

“I FEEL the right of the individual should be respected,” commented Mr T.J. Bradley, JP, at the monthly meeting of Magherafelt Rural Council when it was suggested that an unmarried woman living in a Council house at Tobermore be asked to vacate the house in six months if she was not married within that time.

Several members expressed the view that it would be wrong for the Council to make a stipulation of this kind and it was decided to permit the woman to continue to live in the house.

Magherafelt Rural Council have accepted negotiated tenders, totalling £114,888 for the erection of 74 houses at Ballyronan Road, Magherafelt, Moneymore, Desertmartin and Glenone.

An act of charity by a Cookstown publican towards a homeless family led to his appearance as a defendant at Cookstown Petty Sessions. He was John J. Conway, of William Street, and he was prosecuted by Cookstown Urban Council for allowing the family to reside in one his stores without permission from the Council.

Mr S.S. Sloane, who has been associated with motor cycle racing in Ulster for close on 60 years, was appointed the new Patron of Cooksotwn and District Motor Cycle Club at the Club’s annual meeting in the Commercial Hotel.

Rainey are now into the last eight in the Ulster Schools Cup after beating Larne GS 16-3 in Magherafelt. Team: Devlin, Loane, Brennen (capt), Kennedy, Nelson, Graham, McSwiggan, Campbell, Hyndman, Diamond, McKeown, Kelly, Paul, Evans and Crooks.

The Memorial Hall in Castledawson was packed to capacity for the dance on Friday evening, when Miss Anne Gregg and Mr Ivor Mills, of UTV’s “Roundabout” selected Miss County Derry and Top Ten.

Miss Mary Newell, of Stewartstown, was chosen as Miss County Derry and the Top Ten were: Miss Pearl McCleery, Curran; Mrs Bess Davison, Castledawson; Miss Gladys Stewart, Magherafelt; Miss Isobel McMurray, Castledawson; Miss Lesley Gregg, Magherafelt; Miss Roberta Keenan, Maghera; Miss Caroline Renny, Magherafelt; Miss Ann Lawrence, Magherafelt; Miss Sylvia Arrell, Castledawson; Miss Joy Fulton, Magherafelt.

Deaths: January 30 – Mary Barnes, Strews, Rock; February 1 – Henry Bloomer, Moveagh, Cookstown; January 31 – Emily M. Hogg, Hollywood Road, Belfast (interred Cookstown Cemetery); January 25 – William James Patterson, Magherafelt Road, Draperstown.

75 Years Ago

January 30 1937

Courthouse

reopens

THE first sitting of Magherafelt Court following the reconstruction of the Courthouse was held on Tuesday, January 26.

Toome Ploughing Society elected Mr James Dale as President, Mr B.J. Anderson, Secretary, and Mr Harry Wilson, Treasurer.

Mr and Mrs James Frizelle, of Crew, Dungannon, died within a few minutes of each other on Sunday, January 24 – victims of the influenza epidemic, which was raging throughout Ulster. Two more victims of ‘flu were Mr David Boyd, 67-year-old farmer, of Drumads, Coagh, and his wife, aged 64. They died in Dungannon Infirmary.

Mr R. Crawford, auctioneer, Maghera, put up for sale a farm of land in Curragh, containing 29 acres, for Mr James Anderson – the purchaser at £525 was Mr Henry Brown.

The total unemployed at Magherafelt Labour Exchange for the current month number 952, an increase of 100 on the previous month’s total.

Deaths: January 20 – Maria Junk, Donaghey, Sherrygroom; January 22 – Mary Jane Brown, Ballyeglish, Moneymore; January 22 – Annie Buick, Coagh Street, Cookstown; January 22 – Ellen Hutchinson, Arderlee Parade, Belfast; January 22 – Jennie Stewart, wife of Joseph F. Stewart, MP, of Dungannon; January 23 – Annie Moffatt, Church Street, Cookstown; January 23 – Hugh O’Donnell, Cloughogue, Toomebridge; January 24 – James Frizelle, Crew, Dungannon; January 24 - Sarah Elizabeth Frizelle, Crew, Dungannon; January 24 – William John Graham, Moneymore; January 25 – James Gourley, Unagh, Cookstown; January 27 – Margaret Jane Crooks, Crieve, Cookstown.

IF you have an old photograph that you would like published, please contact Stanley Campbell, 14 Rainey Street, Magherafelt; telephone 028 79631780 or email [email protected]