25 YEARS AGO/1983

Members 'hot under the collar'

THE monthly meeting of the Western Health and Social Services Board, held in the 'Green Room' of the Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital in Omagh, lasted less than an hour – the record time dictated by the artificial heating.

Before the meeting began, the chairman, Frank Guckian, jokingly suggested that those members sitting with their backs to the radiators might change position halfway through with those sitting facing them and promised that he would try to push matters along as quickly as he could. Then, during 'any other business' at the end, Patrick McCaffrey said he didn't know about other members, but there was one radiator behind him "you could fry an egg on".

"On this day in May, with the temperature outside at 18 or 19 degrees Celsius, can nothing be done to avoid this waste of energy or money?" he asked.

Police hurt in Pomeroy bomb

TWO policemen were slightly injured in a culvert explosion at Pomeroy. Only the detonator and a 'booster' of commercial explosive detonated as their patrol car approached, but it did not set off the huge main mass of explosive. However, a crater was blown in the road surface and the vehicle was unable to stop.

The two policemen were able to scramble to safety and were later conveyed to hospital, where they were treated for minor injuries.

Army bomb experts are trying to piece together the remains of the bomb and estimate the weight of explosive used. The patrol car, with just the two policemen in it, was passing along Limehill Road on the outskirts of Pomeroy, when the bomb was detonated at 8.45pm.

50 YEARS AGO/1958

Good weather favours Carnival

FIESTA weather favoured the opening of Omagh Carnival, and there was a large attendance at the Championship Sports which was the first event on a fortnight's crowded programme.

Large crowds have been visiting the Carnival field at Lisnamallard, where all the fun of the fair is available.

There were many colourful floats in a trade display and parade, and another feature of the afternoon's programme was the popular gymkhana at which there was a large entry and keen competition. The many local victories proved popular.

The visit of Bridie Gallagher and Frank Murphy, the Belfast tenor, were the first by a number of leading entertainers due to visit the Carnival. Other highlights of the event was the fancy dress parade.

Veteran councillor retires again

ONE of Omagh Rural Council's 'grand old men' will be missing when the new Council meets for the first time.

John O'Kane, veteran Nationalist representative for the Canderry district, has retired for a second time from public life.

Mr O'Kane, who resides at Legfreshy, in the heart of Drumquin limestone hills, was not the council's longest-serving member, but he was a councillor in 1909 and was the last surviving member from those days when the council had a 2-1 Nationalist majority, and the late George Murnaghan MP was chairman.

His first retirement from public life was of political significance – he refused to contest the division following on the Treaty and gerrymandering which has ensured a Unionist-controlled council since.

75 YEARS AGO/1933

Woman's body found in lake

DR Elliott (coroner) held an inquest at Stewartstown on Miss Rachel McCormick, Stewartstown, whose body was recovered from a mill dam near her home. Patrick O'Neill, who lives a short distance from the home of the deceased woman, said that at 3am her brother Andrew knocked at his door and asked witness to help him to look for his sister.

They found the body some time later, when it became clearer. Andrew McCormick, corroborated, and said that the deceased woman had undergone a serious operation a few months ago. Witness was wakened by a sister, who told him that the deceased had gone out.

Dr Spence gave evidence that the deceased was under his care since November last, and she was suffering from mental depression. Death was due to drowning.

Bigots disturb film on Pope

HOW a number of Glasgow bigots belonging to a Protestant organisation created serious disorder in a cinema there because a film, 'The Voice of the Vatican', was being shown, is revealed by a Pressman.

The picture, which introduces his Holiness the Pope, and is a topical, single-reel film, was being screened at the Orient Cinema. Just as it was commencing, a group of Protestants rose from seats in the centre of the hall and shouted that the film was Catholic propaganda. The disturbers were mostly women, but a man in the party shouted, "I demand that all Protestants leave this hall at once."

The mischief-maker was not allowed to have things all his own way. The police, who had been fearing trouble, were near at hand, and a police sergeant seized this man by the neck and flung him out of the hall.

100 YEARS AGO/1908

Dromore poet's amusing scene

AT the conclusion of business at Omagh Petty Sessions the famous Michael Doran, Dromore, author of a very amusing letter read at a meeting of Omagh Board of Guardians some weeks previous, approached the magistrates bench, and began addressing the chairman.

Major Miller: "For goodness sake, will you wait a minute!" (Laughter). "What is it you want?"

Doran: "Your worships, I want an order for a summons to get my cattle that I stood in the dock there for and had to spend three months in Derry Jail."

Here Mick stepped up and sat on the front edge of the seat opposite the reporters' desk, and thumping the solicitors' table with a long rod, he continued, "By that holy rod if I don't get my cattle or an order for them I will salt the streets of Omagh as I did in Dromore. I'll not be robbed and run over by bicycles."

Captain Gosselin told Doran to keep quiet and go outside, but Doran resisted in doing so. However, he was removed by a police constable. Before leaving, he made a remark to the effect "that he was to get no more trouble and..." but before he had a chance of completing the sentence, he was pushed out the door.

Anarchist's terrible crime

HATRED of religion prompted a terrible crime in France where an anarchist murdered a nun. Sister Maria was stooping down to arrange the pillows of a patient when suddenly, from beneath the bedclothes, he drew a dagger and plunged it straight into her heart. The murderer says he had no hard feelings personally, but that he hated the Church and had not been able to resist the impulse of killing.

– Nigel McDonagh