The Education Minister, John O’Dowd, once worked as the assistant manager of the former Mirage Nightclub in Enniskillen, it has been revealed.

As a trained chef, Mr. O’Dowd was part of a team to look after the catering and security aspects of the nightclub which was a popular venue in Enniskillen in the 1990s.

The revelations are contained in a new book written by Robert Donaldson, who pioneered entertainment premises in Fermanagh.

In his book, “Against All Odds, A Memoir,” Mr. Donaldson charts the establishment of the Castle Entertainment Centre at Raceview, off Factory Road which is now a cinema complex. After creating a bowling alley and family entertainment centre, he expanded the premises to include a nightclub and cinema complex, going into partnership with representatives of Ward Anderson, who had opened cinemas across Ireland.

It could be said that Robert Donaldson was well ahead of his time in terms of power sharing. Robert, who became the first DUP councillor in Fermanagh, after leaving the Ulster Unionist Party, was owner of the Mirage Niteclub, sharing the running of it with directors of Ward Anderson, who hired a team to run catering and security with Sinn Fein connections including Mr. O’Dowd.

The nightclub which often attracted up to 2,500 people at its height, suffered problems with attendances six months later when sectarian rumours began circulating that Catholics were not welcome in the Club. This was despite the fact that a Sinn Fein Councillor friend of Robert Donaldson’s regularly attended the Club and often danced there until midnight to show people he was not afraid to be there. While Robert owned the nightclub, it was run by him along with three directors of Ward Anderson, Leo Ward, Kevin Anderson and Ozzy Spurling.

Robert recalled: “One of the decisions that caused me the most upset was Ward Anderson’s insistence that they bring in their own management and security personnel. I had picked staff I wanted to work with and I didn’t want them replaced by Ward Anderson’s people. But in the end I had no choice. I was outvoted again. Before I could blink, they sent a management and security team, who had been working for them at another establishment, to Enniskillen. John O’Dowd became our assistant manager and he was also responsible for the security team. He brought men with him from the Lurgan and Lisburn areas.

“John and his team had Sinn Fein connections. Since he left the Club he has gone on to become a Sinn Fein MLA and the Minister for Education,” said Robert in his book.

Robert believed Mr. O’Dowd and others stayed at the complex during the nights it was open and that he spent around six months in total being involved.

Four years later, Robert Donaldson sold the complex to Ward Anderson.

In his book, Robert writes how he spent his childhood in Musgrave Park Orthopaedic Hospital suffering from polio, recovering against the odds to lead a successive life in business and as a political representative.

He was the first to open a snooker hall in Enniskillen, bringing stars of the sport Alex Higgins, Dennis Taylor and Stephen Hendry to play exhibition matches and for 25 years he was Chairman of the Northern Ireland Amusement Caterers Trade Association.