Dufferin Chronicles

Introduction

During the summer of 1982 a selection of persons from Killyleagh and Killinchy districts, all interested in one branch of history or another, met in a barn in Rathcunningham. A decision was taken to commence "The Killyleagh and District Family History Branch" and that it should be affiliated both to the Northern Ireland Family History Society and the Federation of Ulster Local Studies. Meetings commenced in September of that year and a programme of monthly meetings in the Killyleagh Library was enjoyed by the members and guaranteed the future of the Branch.

The first Branch outing was to Lecale district when Mr Albert Colmer conducted our party and pointed out places of great interest over a wide area. Following another excellent series of meetings in 1983/84 an evening outing was arranged and over 50 members and friends visited local forts, castles, and ancient burial places after which a sumptuous supper on Skettrick Island was enjoyed.

It will be remembered that the summer of 1984 was one of prolonged sunshine with only one wet day - 23rd June. That was the day that our members joined a motorcade from Killyleagh to Gortin in the Sperrin mountains in Co.Tyrone. The rain came down in torrents but this did not deter over 40 members rushing their cars down to a little car park at Trinamadan Bridge on the Owenkillow River, donning their wellies and oilskins and, armed with frying pans and shallow saucepans, not to prepare a picnic, but above all things to pan for gold. Before you could say goldrush the steep bank was descended by young and old and the lust for the precious yellow dust took precedence. The rain eventually won but the last member to leave - an 82 year old - said "If only we had the time to pursue the stuff". Unfortunately, even though Killyleagh Family History Society seems to have discovered the deposit first, the mineral rights went to others, but an enjoyable day ended in the Mellon Park a few miles distant.

The following year our Branch visited the Lignite mine near Crumlin, Co. Antrim, and saw the rich deposits of fuel underlying the deep overburden of soil. How interesting it was to find that the first experiments with Lignite fuels were carried out in the boilers of Killyleagh Flax Spinning Co. In the Family History side of our branch great progress has been made by some of the members.

Due to the donations of our member William Moore from Clea of the old records of Killinchy Presbyterian Church from 1812 to 1835 and from the Non-Subscribing Church, from 1835 to 1854, many of the ancestors from that area have come to light. In addition the following records are in our hands - Killyleagh Presbyterian Church from 1692 to 1758, marriages and baptisms, and from 1830 to 1880 marriages and baptisms; Clough Non-Subscribing Church, lists of members 1851 and 1861 and the townlands in which they lived; Inch Parish Church births, marriages and deaths almost complete from 1760 to 1926. Also a book written by Edward Rea who compiled the Inch records, in which he details the residents around Inch and district, the houses in which families had lived for centuries and several lists of children in various schools in the area in the 1840's and 50's. The inhabitants of Downpatrick about 1700 are detailed and voluminous other information in addition. Family trees compiled by members include Bassett, Kennedy, Curlett, Rourke, Stewart, Calvert, McCoubrey, Reid, Rea, Patterson, McBride, Robinson, Johnston, Berner, Mulholland, Leyburn, McGiffert, Breeze, Frame, McCullough, Dunwoody, Orr, to mention but a few. Various publications have, since our commencement, been issued and we are proud to have contributed towards these and been acknowledged for our help. Seldom does a week pass without some of our members receiving letters requesting help from long lost relatives in the four corners of this earth. Long may this fellowship and goodwill flourish.

The year 1986 will never be forgotten in the town. On Wednesday, 25th June - a glorious day - Prince Andrew and his bride-to-be, Miss Sarah Ferguson, paid a flying visit to the Killyleagh Yacht Club and met officials and yachtsmen who were taking part that week in the Edinburgh Cup competition for dragon class yachts. The good news soon spread and people from the town and surrounding districts flocked to the shore to catch a glimpse of the happy couple and gave them a tremendous welcome. For security reasons the visit was short and there were many very disappointed well-wishers who would have loved to see more of them. However, Miss Ferguson promised to return to the Province.

Four weeks later, on 23rd July - their wedding day - the town received another very pleasant surprise. Prince Andrew was given the title Baron of Killyleagh. There was intense excitement and delight and although "glued" for most of the day to their TV sets for the Royal Wedding viewing, the townspeople took time to celebrate this wonderful piece of news. Soon after these events the Town Committee decided to make an effort to brighten up the town, so in the Spring of 1987 the "Killyleagh in Bloom" committee was formed, under the chairmanship of Mr Jim Woods, and with their strenuous efforts and the encouragement and support of all sections of the community they entered the "Ulster in Bloom" competition and won the section for the best kept large village. With two other prizewinners they were selected to represent Northern Ireland in the "Beautiful Britain in Bloom" competition and at a ceremony in London in October were presented with the Moran Memorial Trophy. These first-time successes gave a welcome boost to the town.

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