New Larne to Stranraer sailing (September 1961)

A new daylight motor car and passenger service between Larne and Stranraer, operated by the Caledonian Steam Packet Company (Irish Services) Ltd, came into operation during this week in 1961, reported the News Letter.
Captain John Parkes of the Ulster Queen had an annual visitor to the bridge in July 1981 when Captain C Gull arrived to announce P&O Ferries sponsorship of the Ulster Automobile Club's Craigantlet Hill Climb which was to take place on August 1, 1981. Also pictured is Richard Parsons, Northern Ireland hill climb champion. Picture: News Letter archivesCaptain John Parkes of the Ulster Queen had an annual visitor to the bridge in July 1981 when Captain C Gull arrived to announce P&O Ferries sponsorship of the Ulster Automobile Club's Craigantlet Hill Climb which was to take place on August 1, 1981. Also pictured is Richard Parsons, Northern Ireland hill climb champion. Picture: News Letter archives
Captain John Parkes of the Ulster Queen had an annual visitor to the bridge in July 1981 when Captain C Gull arrived to announce P&O Ferries sponsorship of the Ulster Automobile Club's Craigantlet Hill Climb which was to take place on August 1, 1981. Also pictured is Richard Parsons, Northern Ireland hill climb champion. Picture: News Letter archives

The sailing, by the T B Hampton Ferry, was in addition to the mail service by T B Princess Margaret.

The Hampton Ferry, which was to operate a drive on service for cars and caravans at specially reduced rates, would leave Stranraer at 4.30pm and arrive at Larne at 7.15pm. The sailing from Northern Ireland was to leave Larne at 9am arriving at Stranraer at 11.45am.

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Meals and refreshments could be obtained on the vessel and sleeping berths were also available.

A connecting rail service leaves St Enoch’s Station in Glasgow at 12.30pm, calling at Paisley at 12.42pm and Ayr at 1.27pm, arriving at Stranraer at 3.22pm.

From Stranraer a train was to leave at 12.55pm, calling at Ayr at 2.51pm and Paisley (Canal) at 3.50pm, arriving at St Enoch’s Station at 4.40pm.

Treasure uncovered at Inch Abbey?

Commenting during this week in 1961 on anonymous telephone call reporting the find of 911 gold and silver coins, silver drinking cups, crucifixes and leather-bound books in a field beside Inch Abbey on the edge of Downpatrick in Co Down, Mr Laurence Flanagan, of the Belfast Museum and Art Gallery, said: “I am not going to treat it as a hoax until I get pretty good proof that it is.”

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However, Mr W A Seaby, director of the Museum and Art Gallery, said that there had been no response to TV appeals by Mr Flanagan for the finder to get in touch with police.

Mr Flanagan, who was the museum’s keeper of antiquities, said: “If it was a hoax, it was fairly well-informed hoax. The things mentioned by the caller were interesting.”

Mr Flanagan and a photographer left immediately for Inch, but found no sign of any treasure, nor could they mysterious caller be traced.

When Mr Flanagan appealed, on the BBC, Television News and UTV’s Roundabout programme, for the finder to get in touch with the nearest police station, he emphasised that the person would get more money in lawful compensation for finding the treasure than they would get by selling it to a dealer.

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