Lisburn News

Ale to the Chief from Hilden for
St Pat's

PRESIDENT Bill Clinton spent St Patrick's Day in 1999 with some fine local brew as Hilden Brewery produced the tipple which would be sent to the White House to celebrate the day, the Star reported in March '99.

The 'most powerful man in the world' would have the opportunity to sample the famous local brew when several bottles would be delivered to Washington D.C. by the United States Consul to Northern Ireland Ms. Jane Fort.
Ms. Fort had recently spent an afternoon in the borough as a guest of the Chamber of Commerce during which she was taken on a tour of Lisburn, which included a visit to the brewery. Mr Clinton would receive four bottles of the locally brewed beer to celebrate the biggest day in the Irish calendar.

PAST TIMES

Looking back at news from Lisburn's past

This is the second photograph of two left in to The Star by reader Peter Johnston. He does not know anyone in picture but it is Ballylesson Public Elementary School in Drumbo either 1928 or 1932

Sheer magic as Paul Daniels hits town

SUPERSTAR magician Paul Daniels brought some magic to the Lisburn Half-Marathon and Fun Run launch in March 1985.

The little magician turned the launch into a hilarious chat show as he bounced around the council chamber.

Daniels delighted council staff with his non-stop patter, and of course, performed the obligatory piece of magic, mystifying a secretary with one of his card tricks.

Paul took an instant liking to the Mayoral Chain of Office. The Mayor tread warily after hearing l from Daniels how he removed a gold attachment from the chain of her Blackpool counterpart.

With Save the Children set to benefit from the event, Daniels was delighted to learn that money would be poured into famine relief in Africa.

In its third year, the Lisburn half marathon and six mile fun run was already a firm fixture on the athletics calendar.

Laurelhill HS to double in size

The lead page in the Sportstar back in March, 1958 featured a win for Lisburn Academicals over YMCA by 6-3 at Bladon Drive. Wright scored a spectacular try with the scoring completed with another try from McCready. A weakened Lisnagarvey defeated North Down 4-0 at Blaris.

A MAJOR extension which would double the size of Laurelhill High School was approved in March 1985 The school had opened in 1974 but just 11 years later was catering for 855 pupils and was using 25 mobile classrooms to accommodate them.

The extension would include a new library which would be operated by the South Eastern Education and Library Board and be open to the public as well as the school. It would also include a large sports hall, lecture theatre and drama studio (which would also be for public use).

Playing fields would include new soccer pitches and cricket facilities.
It was hoped the work would go out to tender almost immediately and diggers could be on site by the end of the year.

Fancy that...a new Triumph 2000 with overdrive! This was big news for the Fergie Dornan garage in Lisburn in 1966.

Headmaster Mr Jim Holland described to news as 'very exciting' and said it was a welcome boost for staff and pupils and a great benefit to the local community.

Cllr Bill Gardiner Watson told Lisburn Borough Council the Department of Education had given verbal approval to the badly needed extension and he was sure the headmaster, staff and pupils would be pleased to finally have permanent accommodation.

Alderman Samuel Semple told the same meeting it was good news that Laurelhill had been given priority.

He praised the Department for their quick response to representations from Lisburn.

Hoaxes cause chaos

FOUR bomb hoaxes in the Lisburn area during one week in April 1972 brought traffic to standstill and business to a standstill as chaos was caused in area.

The incidents began with a bomb hoax at the market in Smithfield Square and later on same day there was a similar hoax at premises in Market Square.

The first had brought the market to a standstill for the fourth time while police and soldiers searched the car park business was halted for an hour.

Then at lunchtime a business in Market Square received a phone call warning
that a bomb would explode at 1.10pm. For more than an hour traffic was diverted and groups of people waited in the square for the explosion. Once again, police gave the all-clear.

Over the next two da there were more warnings, the first alert a telephone warning to Stewart's Mill warning of a bomb, but once again the premises were clear.

Meanwhile, the following day a furniture store on the Ballynahinch Road saw business disrupted with a hoax for almost an hour.

Lisburn takes to metric

THE Lisburn public seemed to have taken to the metric system without undue trouble in April 1969, according to a spokesman for the Lisburn Chemists Association.

The system which replaced the old teaspoon measure of taking medicine, proved to be not difficult for local people following its inception.

Ulster Star
03/02/2012