We look at the stories that were making the headlines this week in the Andersonstown News in 1980
Staff from Andersonstown Leisure Centre were treated to a City Hall reception this week in 1980
First tenants move into Poleglass
AS Poleglass’ first tenants moved in last Friday, November 28, security designed to deter squatters remained very tight. But the new inhabitants are unanimous about their estate: “It’s great!”
The tenants started occupying the houses early on Friday morning in an operation which remained a well-kept secret between Housing Executive and the would-be tenants. Nevertheless, there have been unconfirmed reports that squatters have unsuccessfully tried to occupy houses on the site. The thirty houses already occupied are the first part of an eighty-seven house scheme scheduled for completion by Christmas. It is hoped that by August 1981 311 houses will be completed of Phase One of the Poleglass development.
For the Walsh’s and two-year-old daughter Clare, Poleglass is the realisation of their dreams and the end of a four-year wait.
“This is a new estate and I’m really glad I’ve got a house,” enthused Mrs Walsh. Before occupying her two-bedroom house at Colin Mill (Poleglass), Mrs Walsh lived with her mother-in-law in St James’ and before that in Sheils Street.
Meanwhile, a local milk man has been quick off the mark in a bid to get new customers. The new tenants have been treated to free milk for a week. So far, the nearest shops are at Suffolk.
Staff from Andersonstown Leisure Centre were treated to a City Hall reception this week in 1980
Massive hunger strike rally takes place on Falls Road
ONE of the biggest marches ever on the Falls Road took place last Sunday from Dunville Park to Casement Park.
In excess of 20,000 people partook, including more than 3,000 GAA members.
The march was led by black taxis carrying men and a girl in blankets, enclosed in wire cages, representing the hunger strikers in Long Kesh and Armagh prison.
When the massive crowd arrived at Casement Park they were addressed by John McMullan who had been released from Long Kesh on compassionate grounds for four hours, and by Shirley Devlin and Peter Kavanagh who had recently been released.
Sinn Féin vice-president Gerry Adams then spoke. He described the turnout as tremendous, and remarked that there were people marching that day who hadn’t marched since internment in 1971.
The march on the Falls Road in support of the 1980 hunger-strikers
Call on priests to mobilise
Ballymurphy priest Father Desmond Wilson, has written to all the priests in the diocese of Down & Connor, asking them to come together and publicly oppose the present policy of the British government which he sees as a direct assault on the Catholic community.
He gave three examples of recent British Government policy which best illustrates this attack.
1 The attempt to put Ian Paisley in a position of power.
2 The attempt to make decisions about the future of Catholic education.
3 By showing complete unconcern about the wishes of Catholic churchmen who tried for humanitarian and religious reasons, to intervene on behalf of prisoners.
In the long letter, which was sent to us by a Co Down priest, and confirmed as genuine by Father Wilson, he states: “We have to do all in our power to avoid the civil war to which government policy is driving us. But we must take a very firm stand against further intimidation…. I believe that the time has come to alert our own people to the dangers of our situation. Threat follows threat, and threats make it possible for killings to take place.”
Father Wilson finishes by saying: “I am writing this to you in the hope that we will all meet and talk about these things Differences about church policy have occurred among us in the past and may well occur again in the future, but at present we are facing a great common danger, and each Catholic in N Ireland needs the protection and support of the whole body. The government has never felt the disapproval or anger, of the Catholic clergy. This perhaps has been our greatest mistake.”
Staff from Andersonstown Leisure Centre were treated to a City Hall reception this week in 1980
