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Boy flies home
for Christmas
IN a scenario
reminiscent of 'Home Alone, a Lisburn couple were left fearing their
grandson would board the wrong flight and end up on the other side
of the world in December 1958, as the ten-year-old former Lisburn
boy flew from Toronto to Belfast unescorted in order to make it home
for Christmas.
The boy arrived in Nutts Corner 'quite unruffled' to spend Christmas
with his grandparents, leaving his parents and sister in Canada,
where the family had emigrated to fiver years before.
Bring back lamp lighters
ONE Lisburn Councillor suggested it was time to bring back the old
lamp lighters with poles to switch the lights on and off in December
1972, during a discussion on the town's street lighting.
The Councillor said he had previously referred to
Lisburn as a 'half
lit town', said he would now call it a "30 percent lit town."
The Council were to contact the Electricity Board about which lights
were not working. It was recommended to make 'every effort' to
maintain adequate street lighting.
Popsters on the march
A LOCAL schoolgirl led a `Save Caroline' protest march from
Lisburn to Balmoral in December 1966 alongside family and friends
and was hoping all sympathisers would turn out in force.
The march was being held to fight to keep the pirate radio station
on the air, despite pressure from the Westminster government to have
all such stations abolished.
And the local girl was confident she would win. "Provided we get enough support not only in Northern Ireland, but from all over the British Isles -and Europe.. we can win," she said.
PAST TIMES
Looking back at news from Lisburn's past
The construction of new council houses was well underway in Hill Street ln 1966.
Local girl a
poetic genius
A HILLSBOROUGH Schoolgirl was described as a 'poetic genius' in December 1969.
The eight year old became the talking point of Festival '69 when her prose, entitled 'Snow', was set to music at a New Music and Poetry concert held Queen's University.
The Queen's University Choir and Orchestra created the musical version, described as 'an unusual and haunting melody.'
The girl's poem was written at seven years old following a nature I ramble at school in the snow, leading the teacher to set pupils the task of writing a poem about the numbing feeling in their hands.
Snow
Trees of lace
cobwebs
silver
And earth of wool.
Swiftly fluttering from heaven
smoky
dust
Skipping through the air.
Numb hands
stiff
statue.
Burning sore.
White patterns in the air
dancing
fairies
Shushed quietly.
Laughter echoes in the air
girls,
boys.
Snowballs whirling.
Health Board Chief under fire amid cuts
The Chairman of the Eastern Health and Social Services Board was told
in December 1985, that medical staff deplored the drastic cut in
surgical beds at the Lagan Valley Hospital. The medical staff, through
the Chairman of their committee, took the unusual step of sending an
open letter to the Board Chairman.
In the letter, they warned that there would be an inevitable lengthening of the waiting list for non-urgent surgery and for ENT surgery at Belfast hospitals.
The letter also pointed out that the Board accepted cuts in the surgical bed capacity at the Lagan Valley Hospital against the advice of the medical staff.
The Star reported that it was never suggested as an option, the doctors had no opportunity of discussing the issue with the Area Executive Team.
A Doctor commented at the time: "In our reply to the proposals about redeployment we concentrated on trying to reduce the loss of general surgical beds. Instead the surgical bed closure has been increased."
The Board Chairman was also made aware that wards being closed were
specially equipped for general surgery, having special facilities.
DID you vote for shopping at Jordan's? This was an advert placed in the Star back in 1958 for some of their special offers at the time ... pure Irish Butter for a mere 2/5 per lb.
These facilities included piped oxygen and suction and treatment rooms for dressings. There was also a room at the end of the beds for traction equipment for fractures.
The Doctor pointed at that under the proposed new arrangement, with the present gynecological ward II used for 24 surgical patients, with five beds for children, there was no piped oxygen and suction for any of the beds.
The letter acknowledged that the Unit of Management was endeavoring to have this installed before the ward came into use for surgical patients.
"However. conditions will be cramped, there will be no treatment rooms into which beds can be wheeled, and only a few beds will have enough room at the foot for traction equipment," the Doctor revealed.
An assurance was given by the Doctor that although the medical staff were not in accord with the decision to cut surgical beds, they would do their best to minimise the effects of the changes. "We ask for the forbearance and understanding of patients who might have to wait longer for their non-urgent operation and who may be discharged from the surgical wards at an earlier stage after surgery," the Doctor said.
The Star also featured a spirited defence of the caring standards at the Lagan Valley Hospital from an ex-patient who pleaded with the Eastern Board to 'think again' on the cuts.
Urgent need for Lisburn Centre
THE urgent need for a Community Centre in the Borough of Lisburn was stressed by members of the Dromore Presbytery at a meeting in Railway Street Presbyterian Church in December 1969.
Considerable concern was expressed that so many young people had a very limited choice of places in which to spend periods of relaxation, and to associate with others.
Lisburn Borough Council, it was said, should note that the results of a survey carried out by First Lisburn Presbyterian Church Youth Group revealed that some 95 and a half percent of the returns made stated the need for a youth centre.
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Ulster Star
25/11/2011
