25 YEARS AGO/1983
Plenty of shamrock for National Feast Day
DESPITE reports to the contary, there should be no shortage of shamrocks on St Patrick's Day – at least not in the Omagh area. Local stockists have had the traditional emblem on sale, and many local people bought branches or 'sprigs' as they are better known to send to their friends and relatives living overseas.
A spokesman for Dobbins florists in George Street, Omagh, said, "We have had shamrock on sale for a fortnight to cater for the overseas market, and we have plenty left to go around."
It was reported in a television news bulletin that shamrocks could be in short supply because much of the plant grown locally had been 'choocked' by fungus. However, local people do not appear to have experienced any problems.
Traders protest over security hut
THE errection of a wooden security hut in John Street, Omagh, has caused a storm of protest among traders in the area. The businessmen claim that the hut was put up without any prior consultation and they are demanding its immediate removal. They say it is bound to affect their trade. Their complaints have been taken up by local councillors, one of whom described the structure as a "contentious eyesore".
An RUC spokesman said that after Christmas, police had decided to keep John Steet traffic exit open.
"This was done to facilitate the shoppers, but in order to keep the street opened, there must be a policed presence and the security barrier must be supervised. We give our officers protection and the hut was errected to facilitate these arrangements," he added.
50 YEARS AGO/1958
Shots fired near army camp
A GENERAL alarm was sounded at the British camp at Lisanelly, Omagh, when machine-gun fire was directed at the main guardroom near the camp entrance on the Gortin Road. Machinised units of the regiment stationed there – the Kings' Royal Huissars – joined police from Omagh in a widespread search of the Mullaghmore and Killybrack areas, for the gunman, who fired some 50 rounds from elevated grounds, 200 yards from the camp.
Local police report hearing a car drive off on the Killybrack Road, while others heard footsteps and saw lights.
Despite the search no arrests were made. Police found spent cartridges on the a hill behind the Silverbirch Hotel but only one bullet was found in the camp. It was embedded in the guardroom wall.
No damage was caused in the incident nor was anyone injured although the fire was across the main Omagh-Gortin road.
Sion youth on arms charge
A DOCTOR was called to a Belfast Court following an allegation of that a 20 years-old Sion Mills man, accussed of possessing a revolver, gelinate, detonaters, and copies of an IRA manifesto, had been maltreated and was in pain.
The man the doctor examined was an assistant bar manager in the Sion Mills area. The doctor, sent for by the defence counsel, was later joined by a police doctor and the medical examination took place in a cell adjoining the Belfast Petty Sessions Courthouse, after the case against the the accussed had deen adjorned on the application of the QC.
75 YEARS AGO/1933
Bronze Age cauldron found
AT a meeting of the Royal Irish Academy Dublin, Dr A Mahr, Keeper of the Irish antiquities in the National Irish Museum, exhibited the latest addition to the Irish antiquities collections of the museum. It is a magnificent bronze cauldron of the late Bronze Age, the finest ever found in Ireland. It was discovered many years ago under 12 feet of bog near Castlederg, and has ever since been in private ownership. It was acquired by the musem at the joint expense of the Government and the RIA.
The cauldron is about 16 inches high, and is 18 inches wide at the mouth and 21 inches at its widest part. It is made up of 19 different sheets of beaten bronze and rivetted together most carefully by 359 rivets, of which not a single one is missing. The handle attachments, with two removable ring-handles, are rivetted on seperately. The rim portion shows a decorative pattern consisting of four rows of beaten-out small knobs.
Rail claims total £29,290
AT a meeting of Tyrone County Council, the secretary intimated that claims for compensation amounting to £29,290 had been lodged in connection to the Omagh Railway smash.
Mr Rowley Elliot MP said that every member of the council would agree with him when he said they all deplored what was the very lamentable incident incident. They were glad to know that although considerable damage was done to the line and rolling-stock none of the passengers were seriously injured. Certainly they were all glad that no deaths had occurred as a result of this regrettable incident.
100 YEARS AGO / 1908
Bogus doctor charged
AT a special Court in Dungannon Police Barracks an elderly man is alledged to have advertised himself for many years past in Dundalk, Portadown, Dungannon and various northern centres as the "celebrated Dr Maguire" was charged under the Medical Acts with having unlawfully and falesly assumed the name of, and pretended to be, a doctor of medicine, and thereby implying that he was a registered medical practioner.
Mr Reynolds, solicitor, appeared for the defence. From the evidence, it appeared that the defendant had left Dunngannon after having being summoned, but the Glasgow detectives located him, and Head Constable Hyland, travelling over form Dungannon with a warrant succedded in effecting his arrest at his residence, Blackburn Street, Plantation Gowan. The prisoner was remanded in custody.
Flax mill gutted
A SCUTCH mill the property of Mr James Thompson, Ardstraw, Newtonstewart, was burned to the ground, the efforts of several workmen to save it being fruitless. How the fire, which was first noticed between seven and eight o'clock, originated is at present unknown. Another mill situated near Mr Thompson's also took fire, a spark from the the burning mill igniting it, but fortunately that blaze was extinguished before much damage was done. The building which was gutted was a two-storyed one and at the time of the fire there was a large quantity of flax in it. The damage is estimated at a considerable sum.
– Joseph McCrory
