The Impartial Reporter, March 18, 1965 - One of the students at Enniskillen Collegiate School, Shirley Rankin, modelling a smart outfit during the fashion parade at the school last week. Members of the 2nd Enniskillen Girl Guide Company and one boy acted as models at the show, staged by the Guides and Messrs. D.F. Clarke, of Enniskillen. The fashion show was in aid of the Guide Cottage Fund.

25 YEARS AGO - March 15, 1990: Guides receive honour - photo captions - Ruth Jordan, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Jordan, of Mullyduff, Newtownbutler, receiving her Queen’s Guide Award at Kensington Palace from Princess Margaret, the Countess of Snowdon, who is President of the Girl Guide Association. Ruth is a final year honours student at the University of Edinburgh and while completing the award, worked with 1st Newtownbutler Girl Guides and the 115th Girl Guides.

Award - Marlynne Hopper, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Hopper, of Clohogue, Tempo, who was presented with her Queen’s Guide award by Princess Margaret at Kensington Palace. Marlynne, a past pupil of Enniskillen Collegiate School, is a second year student at Bradford University studying an honours degree in European studies with French. She was a member of the 1st Tempo Brownies Pack when completing the award.

St. Joseph’s show winning fizz - St. Joseph’s Secondary School, Enniskillen, had a most remarkable success in winning the Northern Ireland Schools under-13 five-a-side in Maysfield Leisure Centre in Belfast on Friday. Having won the Fermanagh and Western region heats without conceding a goal, they qualified along with six other area winners for the finals.

Rory makes soccer squad - Rory Judge, who led St. Joseph’s under-13 team to victory in the Northern Ireland Schools five-a-side championship, has been invited to join the Northern Ireland Schools under-14 schoolboys panel. Rory has just returned from a one-week trial with Leeds United at Elland Road, and is to return at Easter for a further week’s trial. He is a strong, versatile player and played as a sweeper in the St. Joseph’s under-13 team but is equally at home at mid-field. He is also a very capable athlete, having won an all-Ireland under-12 shot-putt title and long jump title at Santry last year.

Award-winning choirs - At Belfast Music Festival last Friday, two local choirs, the Enniskillen Collegiate School Choir and Cantari, hit the high notes and brought back a number of prestigious awards. The forty-five member Collegiate Choir, under their conductor John Henderson, won the main schools’ competition, the Emma Shaw Cup.

Cantari - Cantari, directed by Evelyn Hassard, in the Ladies’ Choir competition, won the Captain R.W. Woods Memorial Cup; Cantari were subsequently awarded the Keith Memorial Trophy for highest marks in the adult section of the whole Belfast Festival. Later in the Madrigal section, Cantari succeeded in gaining their third award of the evening, the Elizabethan Trophy.

50 YEARS AGO - March 18, 1965: Rowing - Erne “Head of the River” - Twenty crews, including three from Portora Royal School, took part in the “Head of the River Erne” race at Enniskillen on Saturday but a steady drizzle of rain which soaked crews and spectators, somewhat spoiled the event. The crowds who braved the weather and lined the West Bridge and the riverbanks at Henry Street had a grandstand view as the boats, in quick succession, swept downstream. At times they were very close together, almost bow to stern as they entered the eye of the West Bridge. By a very narrow margin of 20.8 secs. the Queen’s University No.1 crew won from Trinity College, Dublin. The Queen’s crew rowed the four miles course from Lisgoole to Portora in 21 mins. 21.6 secs. In third place was Portora’s first crew, with a time of 21 mins. 48.8 secs. Rowing for Portora were: - Bow, W.T.J. White, K.A. Lynch, W.D. McKeown, C.M. Johnstone, M. Wright, J.R. Sell, B.H.A. Rogers, Stroke, A.J. Bowen, Cox, I.W. Walker.

“Inniskillings” Celebrate - Enniskillen sent off its customary gift of a shamrock on Monday to the town’s two famous regiments for St. Patrick’s Day parades. The shamrock is from the Mayor (Ald. W.F. Bryson) and the citizens of Enniskillen, and it was sent to the 1st Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, now stationed at Gravesend; and the 5th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards with detachments serving in Aden, Bahrein and Hong Kong. The accompanying telegram conveyed good wishes to all ranks from the Mayor and the townspeople.

Celebration Dinner - “Reporter” Darts Team’s Success - The “Inkspots” darts team, which is composed entirely of members of the “Impartial Reporter,” Enniskillen, held a dinner on Saturday evening in the Imperial Hotel to celebrate their victory in winning the “B” Division of the Enniskillen Darts League. The principal guest was Mr. W. Egbert Trimble, managing director of the “Impartial Reporter,” and amongst those present were members of the printing, editorial and office staffs and their wives and friends. The toast of “The Inkspots” was proposed by Mr. Robert Robinson, who acted as Chairman. He referred to the sporting tradition which had always existed among the staff of the “Impartial Reporter” and spoke of the success of the printer’s football team of some years ago, which won the Corry Cup on three occasions.

75 YEARS AGO - March 14, 1940: Lisnaskea Postman’s Record - Receives Service Medal - An interesting ceremony took place at Lisnaskea Post Office on 6th inst., when Mr. M. M’Donald, postman at Donagh, was presented with the Imperial Service Medal by Mr. W. Dalzell, the Head Postmaster of Enniskillen, before a large attendance of outdoor and indoor staff. Mr. M’Donald has the exceptional record of having been engaged on the same post for 41 years, during which period it is estimated that he has travelled over 200,000 miles in the course of his official duties. Mr. Dalzell explained that the Imperial Service Medal is not granted in virtue of long service alone, but is intended as a reward for long, zealous and meritorious service.

MAP And Things in General - Bravo, Portora! For the first time for 11 years Portora is in the final of the Ulster Schools’ Cup, defeating in a replay Royal Belfast Academical Institution at Belfast, on Tuesday, by one penalty goal to nil. Some may say the victory was a lucky one. At any rate Portora won, and the most popular boy on the team was T.E. Milligan who kicked the goal. Milligan is the youngest son of the Rev. George A. Milligan, Swanlinbar, who died suddenly almost a year ago when visiting a parishioner near Florencecourt. The final will be played on Saturday next.

Lord Gort’s Connection with Fermanagh - It is interesting to note that Viscount Gort, Commander-in-Chief of the British Expeditionary Force, has a distant connection with Enniskillen. An ancestor of his, Thomas Smyth, was Rector of Boho, and Prebendary of Devenish, 1692-1695.

Two-Piano Recital - Joan and Valerie Trimble will broadcast a two-pianoforte recital from 11am to 11.30am on Saturday next on the B.B.C. Home Service.

A Plucky Act Recognised - MAP - Mr. S.E. Taylor, M.P.S.N.I., the youngest son of Mr. Thomas E. Taylor, Foydragh House, Lisbellaw, and formerly of Blacklion, Co. Cavan, has had his gallant attempt to rescue a bather from drowning at Portstewart on the 8th August last recognised publicly. A presentation of the testimonial of the Royal Humane Society was made to Mr. Taylor at a public function at Portstewart last week. Warm tributes were paid to his bravery. Mr. Taylor was educated at Portora and served his apprenticeship with Mr. Adamson, Enniskillen.