We look back at the stories that were making the headlines in the Andersonstown News this week in 1980
Francine Moore from Lucan Street celebrated her third birthday
Threats against RVH staff during strike
WITH the five-day strike at the Royal Victoria Hospital over, local branch secretary Brian Sullivan and some shop stewards, have been talking about the threats and intolerable pressure which have formed the background to the strike.
The unofficial strike started on April 10th after 39 women were suspended for refusing to work in an area where a shot had been accidentally discharged by a soldier.
The 1,400 strikers at the Mater and RVH then demanded a reduced British Army presence and the scrapping of a plan to install surveillance cameras in the hospital.
The strike organisers believe that statements made by loyalist politicians have put their lives in danger. Ian Paisley claimed that the hospital strike was being “orchestrated” by the Provisional IRA. None of these allegations has been substantiated say the organisers. However, the strikers have received death threats which have been taken very seriously.
On Monday, pickets at the Mater Hospital were approached by men claiming to represent a Protestant paramilitary organisation, who threatened to shoot anyone picketing outside the hospital. The RUC advised Brian Sullivan to move house after they received information regarding threats against his life. Another shop steward was advised to change his routine by Inspector Devine of the RUC who said that they had received reports that his life might be in danger. The shop steward lives on the Falls Road.
Nonetheless, the strikers feel that they made the right decision.
“We’ve lost money but we’ve proved our point,” said one shop steward. “The price was small.”
“We’re going back with our heads held high,” said another.
Some strikers expressed the opinion that the strike was “emotional” and could have been better prepared.
“It was important that the local branch of NUPE didn’t lose face,” said one, “and we didn’t. The other unions are almost totally inactive,” he added.
“A legacy of ill-feeling” was how some of the strikers described the feeling after the strike. Most expressed the view that this was not the last of the issue.
Peter Brennan and the committee open Falls Tennis Club courts for the new season
Home loans to be phased out
THE Chairman of the Housing Executive, Mr Charles Brett, has speculated that the Housing Executive’s Home Loans Scheme could become a victim of the British Government’s policy of phasing out public housing authority building.
In a statement issued to explain the Executive’s 1980-81 plans, revised in the light of government restrictions, Mr Brett said that the Executive was concentrating as much finance as possible in new houses, to build up as much new stock as possible before the axe finally falls on public authority housing in 1984.
The Greater London Council has already abandoned its home loans scheme, and this could quite well become standard policy. Even so, the new building programme has been cut by one-third, from 4,615 homes to 3,078 with priority being given to Belfast and Derry as the two areas of greatest need.
In effect, this decision to concentrate finances on new building has meant a massive cut back of some 50 per cent on improving existing dwellings grants for clean-air insulations and roof space insulation etc will become increasingly hard to get.
In a purely local context, the statement says that Poleglass will proceed as planned and the building of 211 new houses will commence in the autumn. Twenty-one houses are scheduled to start in February of next year at Westrock bungalows and Bearnagh Drive, Andersonstown.
Peter Bunting and Eileen Bunting née McLoughlin at Ceilí na Casca, Easter Sunday
Residents’ dirty river concerns at Trench
MOST people would be happy to have a gentle little river meandering past the back of their house. But, the residents of Trenchard, Blacks Road, don’t quite see it like that.
Their river is a rat-infested rubbish dump, with every thing from stale Mother’s Pride to the bonnet of a car in it.
Don’t they want this mess cleaned up? “No,” says Monica Berry. “We don’t want it cleaned. The river should be piped or diverted.”
The river, which belongs at its source to Colin Glen, and runs from Half Moon Lake, has proved popular with rats.
“Poison has proved no good,” says Mrs Marian Doyle. She had had two rats in her house and she’s sure they’ve come from the river.
“In heavy rain the river rises and is a danger to kids,” says Mrs Chris Shiels.
Anyway, not to worry, their MP, the Rev Robert Bradford, has been contacted and he should be able to deal with the rats if anyone can.
Denis Corrigan, chairman of Divis Darts League, presents the McDermot Cup to Terry McDermot ‘A’ team captain Jim Smith, after beating Ballymurphy Working Men's Club in final
