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25 YEARS AGO/1996:
Attractive new housing development launched
AN attractive new housing development in Castlederg will be the new model for future planned family-sized housing developments to be undertaken by Oaklee Housing Association.
The association, in announcing details of the new Millbrook Gardens project, said it planned to have the work due for completion in the autumn of 1997.
Local contractors, Muldoon Bros, have secured the tender for construction work which has already started.
The latest development has been hailed by the association as ‘indicative’ of their on-going commitment to providing the highest quality and affordable social housing for people in need.
‘Bonfire raids’ in Strabane
RIVAL youth gangs in Strabane ‘warring’ over bonfire raids took to the streets of Carlton Drive, leading to the intervention of the Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP) to ‘calm the situation’. During the night, the living room window of a blind pensioner’s home was broken in Carlton Drive, where, it is claimed, was turned into a ‘riot zone’.
Windows broken
VANDALS in Strabane have broken several windows at the Western Education and Library Board’s depot on the Derry Road.
On previous weekends, similar incidents have been reported.
50 YEARS AGO/1971:
Gun battle rages at Clady
RESIDENTS of Clady on the Tyrone-Donegal border held to their homes at the height of the gun battle that raged intermittently between British troops and armed men, who opened fire when the soldiers moved into the village to crater two cross-border roads.
During the morning and until shortly after noon, there were three separate gun battles of which the hitherto peaceful village was the centre.
Across the River Finn is the Donegal town of Castlefin, where the noise of the gun battle was plainly heard. One of the roads was cratered by the British troops, but the hole was later refilled by local people, aided by neighbours from the Donegal side.
The other road was left undamaged by the soldiers, pending the outcome of representations from residents to higher authority.
Mystery and dispute surround the question of where the attack on the British soldiers came from. The British soldiers maintain they were fired on from the Donegal side of the River Finn, which, at Clady, marks the border – but an emphatic denial of the British claim has been made by the Irish Minister for Justice, Des O’Malley, TD.
Armed robbery in Newtown
AN armed man who held up a shop assistant in Newtownstewart stole £90. The man, who walked into the grocery shop of Patrick Gallagher in Mill Street, ordered assistant, Kathleen Harkin to hand over the contents of the till. He then ran from the shop.
75 YEARS AGO/1946:
Facing famine death
WHILE no responsible Chinese government representative will give an estimate of the number of Chinese likely to die in this year’s threatened famine, unofficial estimates say that it is likely approximately 50,000,000 are facing death from slow starvation.
Farming landlords and peasants alike face empty rice bowls this winter.
Death of 102-year-old
THE death has occurred at Castlecaulfield of Cairns Wiggins, formerly of Loughans, Aughnacloy, at the age of 102. He was engaged in the farming industry all his life, and retained the use of his faculties until the end.
Attacked by cow
W DAVIDSON, Favour Royal district of Augher, has been admitted to Tyrone County Hospital suffering from injuries sustained when she was attacked by a cow she was milking in a field adjoining her home.
Awarded prizes
IN the Great Northern Railway’s ‘Brighter Sessions’ competition, five Tyrone stations have been awarded prizes. They are: Newtownstewart; Victoria Bridge; Dromore Road; Beragh; and Donaghmore.
Military huts disposed
A TOTAL of 34 military huts at Erganagh were disposed of at an auction, conducted by R B Holmes. Prices ranged from £15 to £30.
100 YEARS AGO/1921:
Train burned
THE hearing of malicious injury claims was commenced at Omagh Quarter Sessions before County Court Judge Linechan.
The Great Northern Railway Company claimed £4,200 for damage sustained in connection with the burning of a number of wagons and goods, after the morning goods train from Belfast to Omagh, Strabane and Derry had been held up between Pomeroy and Carrickmore.
W Wilson, guard, said that he was in charge of the train in question. The train stopped between Pomeroy and Carrickmore, and a number of armed men held him up.
They ordered him out of the van, and they made an examination of all the wagons. There were about 15 men at the place, and they set some of the wagons alight.
Five wagons and the goods in them were totally destroyed. Subsequently, witness assisted in detaching the burning wagons from the rest of the train.
Lowry Kyle, engine driver, said that saw two lights on the line between Pomeroy and Carrickmore. A man on the bank fired at him, and subsequently, he saw about six bullet marks on the side of the tank.
He was taken off the train and was kept prisoner while the wagons were being set on fire. Witness added that the men treated him ‘alright’.
Evidence of the damage to the rolling stock and the permanent way was given by Michael Cromin, inspector, and J Wakeman, inspector. A decree for £1,951 was granted.
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