As highlighted recently in our Looking Back column, the girls of Kesh County Secondary School left aside their school uniforms on 23rd June (50 years ago) to become mannequins for an evening, modelling frocks and dresses which they had made, before an audience of several hundred parents and friends. The caption below a photograph, published in The Impartial Reporter in July 1965, reads: A group of students of Kesh Secondary School who acted as mannequins at the fashion display at the school, wearing garments made by themselves in the needlework classes. Included are (from left) Maureen Thompson, Florence Coulter, Helen Robinson, Ann Moore, Esther Noble, Ann Seaney, Carol Greaves, Amanda Pursley, Rene Henderson and Rita Robinson.

25 YEARS AGO - July 30, 1990 Record attendance - The preparations for last week’s Clogher Valley Show to attract quality exhibits and to entertain the public paid off handsomely for the secretary, Mrs. Bertha Willis. She reported that more than 5,000 people were estimated to have poured into the showgrounds for the increasingly popular one-day show. And that would be a record attendance. There were more than 800 cars parked in the official car park with private property hastily acquired by officials for the overspill. The excellent weather, a bumper entry and almost 100 trade exhibits helped the success of the event. Among the successful competitors was Alan Alcorn from Fivemiletown, who continued to dominate the brood mare classes. Other Fermanagh prizewinners included George Gott, of Springfield and John Armstrong, Maguiresbridge, in the dairy classes, with Kenneth Veitch and Harold Stubbs, of Lisbellaw, winning silverware for the Continental beef cattle.

Triple success - Three young gymnasts from Fermanagh have returned from the European Special Olympics with a host of medals. The gymnasts from Killadeas Adult Centre gave superb performances in their events at Glasgow last week - part of the 200 strong Irish team. Adrian Flanagan, Barry Goan and Sue Jenkins were the only gymnasts chosen to represent Ulster at the games. Sue brought home two gold, one silver and one bronze medal for her rhythmic gymnastic competition. She used four different pieces of apparatus - the hoop, ball, ribbon and rope to perform compulsory routines to music. Barry came home with one silver and one bronze medal. He won the silver for an almost faultless optional floor routine and bronze for a compulsory floor routine. Adrian won bronze for his performance on the floor in a compulsory routine. Only 0.2 of a mark separated him and the gold medal.

Irish National Sheepdog Trials - A young handler from Co. Wexford lifted the title at the close of the Irish National Sheepdog Trials at Kesh on Saturday evening. Toddy Lambe (22), won the title after his success on Friday, the second day of the three-day event this year hosted in Fermanagh for the first time by Pettigo Sheepdog Society at Mr. John Aiken’s Springtown Farm, at Aghalaan. Toddy, with his six-year-old bitch, Nell, had won a place in the Irish team once before seven years ago and now looks forward to leading the 12-member Irish team to the international trials at Alnwick Castle, Northumberland.

50 YEARS AGO - July 29, 1965: Clogher Valley Agricultural Society - Fivemiletown This Year’s Host - An increase in entries was the good word from the Secretary, Mr. George Little, as the Clogher Valley Show opened yesterday (Wednesday) morning. The Show was in Fivemiletown this year, and was, as always, well supported by the other Valley towns of Aughnacloy, Ballygawley, Augher and Clogher. Entries in the cattle section were “the best ever” according to Mr. Little; swine he described as “good”; horses as “average.” He complimented Aughnacloy Intermediate School on its “terrific entry” in the Intermediate Schools’ Section. Successful exhibitors in the Vegetable Classes included Mrs. George Little, Lismore, Ballygawley; John Bailey, Clogher; Mrs. J. Trimble, Ballagh, Clogher; and Mrs. R.H. Lowry, Blessingbourne, Fivemiletown.

First Prize - Winner of the first prize at the Whittington Hospital, Highgate, London, was Miss Mary Bridget Gormley, daughter of Mr. Owen Gormley, Largan, Rosscor, Co. Fermanagh, and the late Mrs. Gormley. Nurse Gormley was educated at Cornahilta Primary School and the Convent of Mercy, Ballyshannon.

Photo Caption - Callers at the House of Commons on Thursday last were members of the Civics Class of Kesh County Secondary School. They were welcomed by the M.P. for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, the Marquis of Hamilton, seen pointing out a feature of interest on the Terrace. He acted as their guide on an extensive tour of both Houses of Parliament. Accompanied by their Civics Mistress, Miss Marion McMullen, they are on an educational visit to London.

Portora boys lift £2 a mile - The group of schoolboys who walked the 89 miles from Enniskillen to Belfast collecting money for Oxfam, raised £180. The boys, pupils of Portora Royal School, Enniskillen, started their journey on Friday, July 16, and arrived in Belfast on Monday, July 19.

Streets were like River - Torrential rain caused widespread flooding in Fermanagh on Friday. Streets in the village of Newtownbutler were turned into rivers in the afternoon and there were similar conditions in Enniskillen.

Rosslea Woman was aged 96 - One of Rosslea’s oldest residents, Mrs. Mary Ann Boyle, of Church Street, has died at the age of 96 in the Erne Hospital, Enniskillen. She had been in failing health for the past few months and until about two years ago could crochet without the aid of glasses.

Off to hot spot - Mervyn Dane, of the “Impartial Reporter” editorial staff, set out on Sunday on the first stage of his trip to Aden.

75 YEARS AGO - August 1, 1940: Two Pianos - A recital of works for two pianos by Schumann was given by Joan and Valerie Trimble (of Enniskillen) to a large audience in the National Gallery, London, on Tuesday afternoon. They played as an extra ‘The Waltz’ by Rachmaninoff. The exhibition (£6) for composition at the Royal College of Music has just been awarded to Joan Trimble. The works submitted were - Sonatina for two pianos, and a suite for clarinet and piano. The Cobbett prize (£10) for composition (an instrumental trio) had also been awarded to her in June last and the Cobbett prize (£6) for a performance of the prize work was won last week by her with her sister, Valerie (‘cello) and Jean Layton (violin).

Moderator visits Clogher - The Moderator of the General Assembly, Right Rev. J.B. Woodburn, D.D., paid a visit to Clogher congregation at the noon service on Sunday last. Everybody connected with the church who could attend made their way to the church and helped swell the large assembly. The distinguished visitor was extended a cordial welcome by Rev. J. Cecil Parke, B.A., minister of the church and chaplain to the Moderator who, he said, had expressed a wish to visit the congregation.

Guildhall School of Music - At the recent examination held by Guildhall School of Music and Drama in Enniskillen, Dorothy Scott passed with merit in violin playing with full marks in theory and aural test.

Home on Leave - Home on leave in Enniskillen at present are Sappers Fred Collings, Mill-street, and Howard Irvine, of the Royal Engineers. Also home from India is William Evans, R.U.R., Sligo Road, whose father and three brothers are at present serving in the Army, one of them have been at Dunkirk. L.-Cpl. P. Keaveney, who was wounded, was home on leave, along with Robert Campbell, R.U.R., Strand-street, whose mother had received word that he was ‘missing, believed killed.’ Hay Crop - There is an old saying ‘Make hay while the sun shines,’ and farmers throughout the country have been living up to this availing themselves of any good days to save their hay crops. Sunday last was a fine, sunny day, and numbers of farmers in Fermanagh were to be seen working at their hay. This year in Fermanagh and surrounding counties there has been a much heavier hay yield, and three-quarters of the crop is up at the present time.