We look back at the stories that were making the headlines in the Andersonstown News this week in 1979
Immaculata won the NI Boys' Soccer Tournament at Mallusk
Assassins murder St James’ woman Sadie Larmour
SADIE Larmour of Rodney Drive was murdered in her home last night by two unidentified men.
The men drove up on a Yamaha motorcycle with a distinctive yellow petrol tank, wearing masks.
Sadie was shot twice as she answered the door and when her aged mother came running out the murderer tried to shoot her also. Sadie was conscious as she was taken away in the ambulance but died less than an hour later in the RVH.
She was a completely innocent victim of the sectarian assassins’ latest onslaught on the Catholic population and was killed simply because she was a Catholic.
Sadie had done a lot of work with disabled children in the area and was a tireless worker on their behalf.
A resident of St James’ stated that until a few nights ago the barrier on the Donegall Road had been shut every night. A protest by women from St James’ was mounted at the bottom of the Whiterock last night demanding that these gates should be shut permanently.
Sisters Joanne Flynn (husband Bill) and Sheila Connolly (with husband Joe) celebrate their 21st and 25th wedding anniversaries in the Glenowen
Cathal Daly behind Pope’s speech in Drogheda
WITH the shockwaves of the Pope’s visit still reverberating throughout the country, a well-known ‘media’ priest in Dublin has confirmed that Bishop Cathal Daly of Ardagh and Clonmacnois was responsible for the strongly worded anti-violence speech in Drogheda.
The priest, who writes a religious affairs column for a mass circulation newspaper, has stated that Bishop Daly flew secretly to Rome ten days before the Pope’s visit with a draft of the speech and stayed long enough to modify and prepare the final draft which was delivered in Drogheda.
This would certainly explain the terminology and almost blunt attack on the ‘men of violence’ which no informed observer took to mean other than the IRA.
The sentiments expressed in the Drogheda speech were completely in line with Bishop Daly’s often publicised thoughts on the ‘northern Ireland situation’ and which were published in book form to coincide with the Papal visit. Every journalist attending the ceremonies was presented with a free copy of the book, along with the other handouts.
Our religious affairs correspondent writes: Bishop Cathal Daly was born in North Antrim and spent a long time as Professor of Scholastic Philosophy at Queen’s University before being appointed Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois. He is recognised as the Catholic Hierarchy’s ‘expert’ on the present upheaval in the Six Counties.
He has written a number of books and pamphlets on the situation here, as well as being a noted public speaker. Some informed observers feel that his sincerely held view of kindly benevolence to Northern underdogs (ie the Catholics) while at the same time completely ignoring the national conflict (ie British v Irish), is extremely naïve and shallow and is inclined to confuse the issue here rather than make it clearer which is his stated aim.
Referee ‘Bunty’ Doran instructs Sammy Hyland and Bobby Campbell with Jim Burns and Dingus Magee looking on. Veteran boxers compete at Martin Forsythe Club
Clonard Housing renovations
Clonard Housing Association in West Belfast have announced a rehabilitation programme to improve the whole of the Clonard area over the next few years.
This follows a growing trend within the community for improvement, with owner-occupiers making considerable strides with grants from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.
The Association have almost finished rehabilitating two derelict houses in Oranmore Street. These represent the first in a series of projects in which the Association are engaged. Work began on the two houses in June. Apart from some minor hold-ups it is now virtually complete.
“Several other properties are now in the pipeline and the sme rehabilitation work which has been carried out in Oranmore Street will also be carried out in these house,” said Mrs Patricia Davidson, for the management committee.
“The Association hopes to acquire more property in the near future and in this way try to revitalise the whole area, improve the quality of housing for all the residents,” she said.
The Clonard Housing Association have produced a report and plan for the district which outlines the types of improvements to be done, environmental conditions and social conditions in the area. It concludes that the Clonard area is a high unemployment area; has poor housing conditions with 77.6 per cent of houses without proper bathroom and toilet facilities; it will undergo a dramatic population change over the next ten years; and that the householders want to continue living in the area, this desire reinforced by the strong family ties in the area.
The Housing Association are advising home owners in the area to take advantage of Housing Executive grants to modernise their homes.
“All around the area at the present time improvements are slowly but surely taking place. Don’t lose out, ask about the grants,” said Mrs Davidson.
Barney Gowdy advises Jim Burns and Tommy McCaughey at the veteran boxers competition at Martin Forsythe Club
