Those were the days: Carer of the Year

25 YEARS AGO - Sept 14, 1989: Unstinting work with sick and elderly brings ‘carer’ honour - “My aim in life is to go on helping people as long as I’m able,” says Mrs. Maureen Muldoon, who made this resolution during a serious illness many years ago. “I decided if ever I got better I would share more of my time with the elderly and the sick.” Now Mrs. Muldoon is in line for the “Carer of the Year” award, being one of six finalists - the only representative from Northern Ireland - in the Telecom caring award scheme.

Party for Willie John’s 101st birthday - A retired farmer is celebrating his 101st birthday tomorrow (Friday), with friends and neighbours. William John Carson, from Mugglingrow, near Garrison, will be the guest of honour at a social evening in the Carleton Hotel, Belleek, on Friday night. His health is still good and he regularly goes out for a stroll using a sturdy blackthorn stick. He lives with his youngest son Wilfie and daughter-in-law Catherine. Mr. Carson smokes a pipe and enjoys the occasional bottle of Guinness. The party tomorrow night will be enjoyed by John’s many friends and neighbours in the Garrison area.

Radio Successes - MAP - Two of the most successful voices on Radio these days are from Enniskillen, Alison Hilliard and John Kelly. Alison is an old Collegian and now one of the most experienced of Radio personalities. Her programme, “Sunday Sequence” in which she interviews and presents social and religious issues, on Sunday mornings at 9.10 is proving to be one of the best and most rewarding of radio programmes.

New Programme - John, an old boy of St. Michael’s, has many programmes to his credit and is now presenting a new T.V. one on BBC 2 on Friday evenings at 7.30 p.m. - “29 Bedford Street.” This programme reflects the creative life of the Province, with both ‘star-studded’ performances and short regional items. The programme comes from Bedford Street where the earliest BBC studios in Belfast were situated. John is also a poet, and last September shared an evening’s literary readings at the Library with Seamas MacAnnaidh and Robin Harbinson. One of his poems, “Paddy” is printed in another column.

“Easter Bunny” wins All-Ireland title - First prize of £1,000 and a silver salver were won by Mr. Alan Alcorn, of Fivemiletown, showing “Easter Bunny” in the Bank of Ireland All-Ireland brood-mare championship at Iverk Show, held at Piltown, Co, Kilkenny, last week. “Easter Bunny” a seven-year-old mare was shown along with her six-month-old foal “Mocking Bird.” There was an entry of 28 mares which had qualified at shows all over the Irish Republic. “Easter Bunny” had qualified at Ballymote. Mr. Alcorn says this is his biggest prize in 40 years showing all over Ireland.

50 YEARS AGO - Sept 10, 1964: Cup Winner - The Thompson Cup for the best bird in the utility poultry section at Fermanagh Co. Show was won by Mrs. Wm. Chambers, Drumguiff, Lisnaskea.

Upper Lough Erne Cot - Mr. F.G. Patterson was thanked at Lisnaskea Rural Council on Saturday for his work in helping the islanders to get a new “cot.” The Council heard the Clerk (Mr. G.W. Quinton) report that the cot for the islanders on Upper Lough Erne had been built and was on the water. Representatives of the islanders and the Council had found it satisfactory. The cot, he said, was now in the hands of one of the islanders - Mr. John Reihill, of Innishcorkish Island - who would look after it for a year.

Teacher to Preacher - MAP - A member of a well-known Co. Fermanagh family has been ordained as a minister of the Church of Ireland. He is Rev. Clive West, only son of David and Florence West, of Heatherdene, Trory, Ballinamallard, and he is now curate of Lisburn Cathedral. His ordination was in St. Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast, by Bishop R.C.H. Elliott. Clive was educated at Portora Royal School and after qualifying at Stranmillis Training College, he taught in Scrabo, Co. Down. But always having had a leaning towards the Church, he decided after five years teaching to enter the Divinity School, Trinity College, Dublin, in preparation for ordination.

A Tough Test - MAP - Swimming is in the news. There was great excitement last week when an American girl of 14 swam the English channel, and on Sunday a crowd turned out at Kesh to see an attempt to swim the “Broad Lough.” In Enniskillen a budding young swimmer has every reason to be proud of her prowess in the water. She is Ann Lesley Calvin, 120 Derrin Road, and she has won a bronze award for proficiency in swimming and survival. She has been receiving instruction from Major Jack Wheeler and his wife at Portora Royal School’s swimming pool.

“..If At First..” - There was disappointment that the first attempt at the six and a half mile swim across Lower Lough Erne on Sunday afternoon ended in failure. One of my colleagues who was in Des Dolan’s launch accompanying the swimmer, told me the water was cold. Marius O’Reilly rowed alongside and Phil Dooris, with some of the swimmer’s friends, piloted Sean Lunny’s launch nearby. For over an hour the swimmer forged steadily ahead. Then suddenly he was seized with severe cramp, grabbed the stern of Reilly’s boat and held on until he was hauled aboard the launch. It was obvious his swim had to be abandonned. Walshe hopes to try again next year, earlier in the summer.

An Irvinestown 1st - (photo) - The 1st prize in the ram lamb class at the harvest show and sale held at the Ulster Farmers’ Mart, Enniskillen, on 3rd inst. was awarded to R.O. Hermon, Necarne, Irvinestown. Adam Edgar, land steward at Necarne, is holding the prizewinner.

75 YEARS AGO - Sept 14, 1989: MAP opens - The war has been on eleven days, and while we are far from the scenes of conflict and are living a peaceful and secluded life, there has been a war in the grocery shops. Some of these shops, both north and south of the Border, have been cleared of certain foodstuffs, mainly sugar and tea. In one village on the Eireann side of Fermanagh Border, there was not a pound of sugar to be had on Tuesday. It is only in times of crises that we realise how much we depend on our local grocer for our daily needs, and he, in turn, upon the importers in Belfast and Derry, as they command the situation.

In Khaki Again - Things in General - I see Captain J.P. Wray, Drumcoo, Enniskillen, in khaki once again. He has been appointed Recruiting Officer for the Enniskillen area. In 1914 he joined up and led to the Recruiting Office a large body of the National Volunteers. They were posted to the Inniskillings in the 16th Irish Division. Later, Captain Wray went to Africa and served in one of the Crown Colony regiments there. He was very seriously wounded, and has been handicapped by that wound ever since. His younger brother, Cormac, also served his country in the Great War, and while fighting with the Inniskillings in France, was killed. Captain Wray is the son of the late Mr. J.F. Wray, formerly a well-known solicitor in Enniskillen, a Royal scholar of Portora, and, before his death, was Secretary to Fermanagh County Council, and also for a period Chairman of the Enniskillen Urban Council.

Big Fire in Augher - Two houses occupied by Thomas M’Adam, victualler, and second-hand clothes dealer, and David Simpson, tailor, adjoining each other, were destroyed by fire in Augher, on Tuesday, the damage being estimated at about over £500. A large quantity of stock was lost in the outbreak, the origin of which is not known. The police and a number of civilians, including Dr. H. Nelson, Fivemiletown, assisted in coping with the flames.

Note These Dates - Special services in Enniskillen Presbyterian Church, Sunday next. Dance at Lisnaskea, Friday, 15th inst. Technical classes reopen in Lisnaskea, Monday, 11th inst. Enniskillen Technical School classes reopen, Monday, 18th inst. Rossorry Parish farm produce sale, Wed., 27th inst.

Enniskillen Fair Prices - There was a brisk demand on cattle at Enniskillen fair on Monday - the first fair held in Enniskillen since the outbreak of war. Good prices ranged all round. One farmer said: ‘You could sell almost anything to-day.’ Good springing cows fetched up to £25 each and for calved cows the price ranged from £22 to £23.