Looking back... Headlines from May 1985

Cllr Willie Cunning was accused of “affrontry and audacity” in his attack on Larne Council’s decision to force chip shops in Carnlough to close at midnight.

Mr Cunning had accuse the council of discriminating against the Carnlough chippies because they were in a mainly Catholic area.

DUP Cllr Rachel Rea hit back at the accusations, claiming that Cllr Cunning was trying to “curry favour” in the build-up to the upcoming election.

Mrs Rea added that his defence of the chippies was only a “red herring” to get back into favour with the republican community.

Meanwhile that same month in Newtownabbey, claims were made that the borough was facing a major crisis over lack of dumping space.

The news was revealed by Cllr Bob Kidd. He referred to a consultant’s report on the matter which had said in March 1985 that the remaining life of the Bruslee tip could be measured in months and it was therefore a matter of urgency to acquire a new landfill disposal site. According to Cllr Kidd, the council was yet to come up with a solution. He said: “This could mean that Newtownabbey may be left without a refuse tip for some time. I don’t know where they will dump their rubbish.”

The consultant had recommended that a site at Parkgate be acquired and brought into operation as a matter of urgency, but Cllr Kidd said that option had fallen through.

Meanwhile, in May 1985, Carrick Rangers Football Club donated £100 to the Bradford fire disaster appeal fund.

The club was the first Irish League team to respond to the disaster fund which had been set up in the aftermath of the fire at the Yorkshire club’s stadium.

Carrick Rangers secretary, Archie Hamilton said: “We may not have a lot ourselves, but we thought this might be a nice gesture to the victims of the Bradford fire.”

Mr Hamilton said that the club’s recently built stand at Taylor’s Avenue, which could accommodate up to 600 fans, was built from steel and concrete, rather than wood.