Two planned events that would have closed off a large part of a south Belfast park for more than a month will not now happen after councillors from Sinn Féin and the DUP changed their minds on the proposals The proposed Botanic Gardens events were three days of gigs at the end of June and a ten day ‘fire and food’ festival in July the main lawn in Botanic would be effectively out of bounds to the public for 35 days Read more: All of the Kneecap gigs that have been cancelled amid police probe Councillors voted in favour of the two events at committee in April, despite question marks being raised over the companies involved in their proposed staging, CRD Live and JKS Events. CRD Live, which proposed staging the three concerts at the end of June, was set up in December 2023 by a then 17-year-old from Comber, now aged 19. He is the sole director of the company. The company, which has not so far filed any accounts, was the subject of a compulsory strike off order, which was discontinued in early April. Little information appears to be available publicly on JKS Events. At committee, Sinn Féin and the DUP combined to vote in favour of both requests in the face of opposition from the SDLP and the Green Party. However, at the full council meeting on Thursday, both parties agreed to back a proposal by SDLP Councillor Gary McKeown to turn down the requests. “Reflecting on the correspondence we have had from constituents, and (the representative) speaking on behalf of Stranmillis Neighbourhood Association, we would like to say we will be voting for the (SDLP) proposal,” said Sinn Féin Councillor Conor McKay. The DUP’s Tracy Kelly added:: “I often say if you look at our district electoral area from the sky, it is a concrete jungle, and there is very little green space. So to take away the field for that amount of time is unacceptable.” A representative from the Stranmillis association said it “surprising and dismaying that last minute proposals from companies with poor business records and no demonstrable track record of running events responsibly would be considered or indeed approved by the council’s People and Communities Committee.” Councillor Mc Keown said: “This part of Botanic Gardens is an iconic location in the city that draws in hundreds of people daily across the summer, and often when good weather is reported in the media, it is the crowds enjoying the sun on the great lawn. “It is not acceptable that people could be excluded from such a central location for such an extended period.” Facebook pageTwitter feedRSS feed@2025 The Irish News Ltd Ards and North Down Borough Council's Labour Market Partnership (LMP) will hold a Disability Employment and Support Day in Comber Leisure Centre on Wednesday 27 November which create targeted employment action plans for council areas are funded by the Department for Communities and allow for collaboration at local and regional level to support people towards and into work The Ards and North Down LMP initiative is designed to support employers as well as potential employees and is free-to-attend It will feature exhibitors who can offer programmes and support packages as well as provide advice to employers as well as those who have a disability or neurodiverse condition "This month's event follows on from the inaugural Disability Employment and Support Day that was successfully held in Bangor earlier this year The Council's Labour Market Partnership is now bringing the same initiative to Comber before returning to Bangor for another Disability Employment and Support Day in February These events help to create new opportunities for more people in our Borough and will address issues with jobs and training at a local level through locally focussed programmes providing further support to our local employment market." with employers encouraged to attend to find out what support packages are available when they employ someone with a disability or neurodiverse condition while all other attendees can get advice about employment options Photo caption: Roz McIlwaine (Action Mental Health) Niamh Rainey (NOW Group) and Wendy McGee (NOW Group) Funeral Service will take place on Monday 5th May at 10.45am in St to Parkinson’s UK c/o Gilmore Funeral Directors Lovingly remembered and sadly missed by all the family circle Share this sad news with friends and loved ones Visit Website [email protected] Link #ComberPostOffice #CecilKettyle #NorthernIrelandNews #CommunityHero #LocalPostmaster #PostOfficeRetirement #ComberBusiness #GarethGraham #CastleStreetComber #PostOfficeLegacy Northern Ireland – After more than four decades of dedicated service beloved Postmaster and a cornerstone of the Comber community Today (Thursday) marks the end of an era as Cecil hands over the keys of the Castle Street Post Office to its new owner moved to Northern Ireland during the Troubles at the age of 21 with just £20 in his pocket His journey in Comber began in 1976 as manager of the VG grocery store But it was in 1980 that Cecil made his dream a reality—opening a delicatessen at 28 Castle Street which he would soon transform into a bustling Post Office and community hub Cecil became Postmaster and relocated the Post Office from Bridge Street to his own premises on Castle Street He innovated the business model by gradually introducing card stands—now a signature feature—with 25 stands and a standout range of Britain’s Farm Toys and collectible model toys “Cecil isn’t one to blow his own trumpet,” said Pauline “But he really goes out of the way for people He’s a true gentleman and a kingpin of this community.” or making Christmas Day calls to those feeling lonely Cecil’s kindness left a lasting impression and Alison (5 years)—stood by him for decades a testament to his integrity and leadership Cecil has been invited to attend the Buckingham Palace Royal Garden Party next month with Pauline “I want to thank all the people of Comber and beyond for over 50 years of support It has been an honour to serve so many generations I’ll deeply miss the daily chats and the laughter Cecil now looks forward to retirement with his three grandchildren and continuing his pastoral care work through his church in Newtownards Area Manager Karen Munn praised Cecil’s legacy: but the stories I’ve heard about the difference he made to people’s lives are inspiring Despite interest from SPAR and Supervalu to integrate the Post Office into larger retail chains Cecil chose to preserve its current form in the heart of Comber “Cecil’s goal was to keep the Post Office where it belongs—in the town,” said Pauline “I am confident that the future of Comber Post Office is in great hands Please continue to support your local Post Office—it’s more important than ever.” Using this website means you are okay with this You can find out more and learn how to manage cookies by clicking the 'More Info' link A resurfacing scheme for the A21 Comber Road / South Street The resurfacing scheme will involve the asphalt resurfacing of a 750 metre stretch of the A21 between the Comber Road Roundabout and Court Street junction This work will greatly improve the strength and surface quality of this section of the road network to the benefit of residents businesses and those travelling through Newtownards To facilitate the safe delivery of phase one of the scheme it will be necessary to implement overnight road closures between A20 Comber Road Roundabout and U9020 Court Street from 7.00 pm to 6.00 am each night from Monday 22 July to Wednesday 31 July 2024 The road will be open to traffic during the day and during the weekend During these times there will be a signed diversionary route via Comber Road To facilitate the safe delivery of phase two of the scheme it will be necessary to implement daily road closures between U9002 Circular Road and U9020 Court Street from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm Monday to Friday commencing Monday 29 July to Friday 20 September 2024 Local access for residents and emergency services will be maintained at all times however some minor delays may be experienced The Department has programmed the work operations and traffic management arrangements to minimise inconvenience road users should expect some delays and are advised to allow additional time when travelling in the vicinity of the works and are asked to comply with all temporary traffic restrictions Subject to favourable weather conditions all work will be completed by 20 September 2024 the Department will keep the public informed of any change All work will be carried out in line with current public health and health and safety advice with safe systems of working in place for staff and contractors For more information about this and other improvement schemes visit: TrafficwatchNI Armed Response officers attend an incident in the Castle Street area of Comber on March 9th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Kevin ScottSun 9 Mar 2025 at 22:48Armed response teams attended the scene of an incident in Co Down on Sunday evening The incident began in the Castle Street area of Comber shortly after 7:30pm Two fire appliances also attended the scene as a precaution Armed response officers removed a person from a property a short time after arriving Images from the scene show officers in balaclavas armed with assault rifles gathering at the property It is understood the incident was as a result of a ‘concern for safety’ Receive today's headlines directly to your inbox every morning and evening Please check your inbox to verify your details Comber Leisure Centre Car Park will be transformed into a food-lover's heaven this Saturday 22 June for the Comber Earlies Food Festival one of the highlights in Ards and North Down Borough Council's foodie calendar Visitors to the free-to-attend Festival are in for a real treat as best-selling cookery writer and TV chef will be joined by experienced broadcaster Lotte Duncan South Eastern Regional College's Comber Cookery School and many of the Borough's local food producers who will be showcasing their delicious products will provide potato-themed cooking demonstrations and you can find out more about our local food producers as they showcase their products with Lotte Duncan on the Food Producers' Stage chefs from South Eastern Regional College (SERC) will run a Comber Cookery School where you can try your hand at creating some delicious dishes using traditional Comber Earlies recipes The 'It's Never Too Early' hazy pale ale will be available from the Artisan Bar and has been crafted for the Festival after a collaboration between local bar and restaurant Visitors can sample the new local creation while also enjoying the wealth of artisan food and drink stalls sensory activities and keep an eye out for the golden spuds hidden throughout the event take it to the Visitor Information Caravan (opposite the Leisure Centre entrance) to claim a small prize Visitors are encouraged to make the most of their visit and support local businesses by grabbing a 'Comber Earlies Passport' A fantastic 13 local traders will have special offers and giveaways planned throughout the day and the Comber Earlies Passports will guide visitors to participating businesses that have fun activities and giveaways The Passports can be collected from 11am on Saturday from the Visitor Information Caravan (opposite the Leisure Centre entrance) as well as from the participating retailers Passport activities are free but are subject to change and availability all participating retailers will have activities or giveaways to entertain the kids who visit their shops and if you get stamps from all 13 participating retailers return the Passport to the Visitor Information Caravan before 5pm to receive a prize "The Comber Earlies Food Festival is a popular event and brings substantial economic benefit which bolsters local traders and supports the local economy I would like to thank all of the businesses that are involved with the Comber Earlies Food Festival Passport and I am sure it will be a great day for everyone." Getting to this Saturday's Comber Earlies Food Festival has never been easier Take the stress out of your journey with free return shuttle buses They will operate three routes and will serve Bangor and Newtownards A full bus timetable is available from the website additional free car parking is available in the town Comber Leisure Centre car park will be closed from Thursday 20 June to facilitate the event and Bridge Street Link will be closed to traffic from 11am on Saturday but additional free parking will be available at Second Presbyterian Church and First Comber Church from Thursday with the addition of Nendrum College on Saturday Comber Leisure Centre car park will reopen on Sunday at 11am The event will operate on-site supervised recycling stations where visitors will be encouraged to dispose of their waste Recycling stations have been successfully used at several events and have resulted in a substantial increase in the amount of recyclable waste being diverted from landfill The Comber Earlies Food Festival is open from 11am - 5pm on Saturday 22 June. For more information, go to visitardsandnorthdown.com/TasteSummer will headline this year's Comber Earlies Food Festival on Saturday 22 June The renowned teacher at the world-famous Ballymaloe Cookery School in County Cork will be joined by experienced broadcaster Lotte Duncan at the popular foodie event where visitors can grab the opportunity to discover how best to cook the prized Comber Earlies potatoes Running as part of Taste Summer in Ards and North Down the free-to-attend festival will be located in Comber Leisure Centre car park for the second year running A move to the venue in 2023 saw an increased number of stalls and the addition of live music The festival is one of the highlights in Ards and North Down's foodie calendar offering a wealth of artisan food and drink stalls celebrity chef demos and children's entertainment all coming together to celebrate Comber's famed potato Chefs will showcase their culinary talents while visitors can enjoy discussions with local food heroes and be entertained by the live music while sipping on a refreshing drink from the Artisan Bar Enjoy the potato-themed cooking demonstrations by Rachel Allen and find out more about our local food producers as they showcase their products with Lotte Duncan on the Food Producers' Stage Also at the festival, chefs from South Eastern Regional College (SERC) will run a Comber Cookery School where you can try your hand at creating some delicious dishes using traditional Comber Earlies recipes There will be lots for children to enjoy too Comber Earlies potatoes have enjoyed Protected Geographical Indication status since 2012 a recognition of their unique taste and flavour thanks to the micro-climate in which they're grown in the rich soil of the Ards Peninsula and Comber areas They share this status with products such as feta The Comber Earlies Food Festival is open from 11am - 5pm on Saturday 22 June. For more information, go to visitardsandnorthdown.com/TasteSummer TRAVELLERS entering Comber will be greeted with signs highlighting the town’s ‘best kept’ status.Four signs have been erected in recognition of Comber being awarded the title of Best Kept Medium Town in the 2024 Northern Ireland Best Kept Awards thanks to the efforts of local community groups and Ards and North Down Council staff.Judges praised Comber for its ‘outstanding cleanliness and the strong collaboration between community volunteers and council workers to maintain Comber’s charming appearance’.Viewing the new ‘Best Kept’ sign at Killinchy Road roundabout in Comber is  Deputy Mayor of Ards and North Down David Chambers with (standing) Ivor Cooper and Rudi the dog ANDBC Development officer (Engagement); Phil Glover COMBER has been named as the Best Kept Medium Town in Northern Ireland The town picked up the award in the Best Kept Awards NI ceremony held at the Guildhall in Derry last week The awards are organised by the Northern Ireland Amenity Council (NIAC) in a bid to encourage residents to take pride in their communities and build community spirit explained that Ards and North Down Council had nominated the town for the award and that everyone is ‘absolutely delighted’ “It means more to us as we didn’t have to do anything or meet criteria It’s just based on the hard work and dedication of local people “Comber Regeneration volunteers are involved as well but there’s a lot of other volunteers who help with the upkeep of the town.” Roy explained that a number of people work hard to ‘keep the town looking lovely’ “Brian cuts the grass around Comber to keep it neat and tidy and others litter pick or help weed the floor beds and look after them “We’re very grateful to the council staff at the public toilets who litter pick twice daily.” The town was awarded signs to put up at the entrances to show it is the Best Kept Medium Town 2024.  Comber alderman Philip Smith congratulated all the volunteers who help keep the town tidy ““Well done to all those who have helped achieve this award for Comber,” said Mr Smith “I know that so much of the work is done by volunteers and without their dedication there would be no award From mowing the grass to maintaining planters to installing gateway features to conducting regular litter picks there are many hours of work freely given and much of it goes unseen “At least now the hard work has been recognised and thank you to all the volunteers for all that you do If anyone wants to get involved please contact CRCP either via their Facebook page or come along to the Community Garden at Glen Link,” he said Strangford MLA Nick Mathison said it is ‘fantastic recognition’ for Comber “I would like to extend my congratulations to all the volunteers who helped secure this fantastic recognition for Comber” said Mr Mathison “The Comber Regeneration Partnership have of course played a big part but there are lots of other volunteers who have been involved “I am very lucky to have my office in a town displaying so much civic pride and this award is testament to the commitment of everyone living in the town to keep it in such fantastic condition.” Comber Castle Street hoardings Credit: Councillor Patricia Morgan Local Democracy ReporterWed 15 Jan 2025 at 10:46Residents of Northern Ireland’s best kept medium sized town are at loggerheads with a private landowner who refuses to remove an “eyesore” hoarding dominating its main shopping street All of the councillors representing Comber in Co Down have come together with a cross-party proposal to explore “all options” to remove a private hoarding on Castle Street amidst widespread censure from locals The site is owned by a landlord who does not live in the area and who is in contact with the local authority through an agent a committee at Ards and North Down Borough Council has passed a motion relating to the problem signed by all five councillors for the Comber district electoral area The motion passed during the January meeting of the Place and Prosperity Committee states: “The Comber representatives are delighted that Comber has won the Best Kept Medium Town Award this year and want to thank all the volunteers who have worked tirelessly to make this happen a long-standing dilapidated hoarding in Castle Street which badly detracts from this important area of town The Comber representatives recognise that council officers and the Comber Regeneration and Community Partnership have tried to address this issue officers should do a report exploring all further options available to resolve this issue with some urgency.” said at the meeting: “This isn’t some backstreet in Comber – after the Square it is the main shopping street and I feel that is completely unacceptable “I’d like to emphasize that the people of Comber are very proud of their town and I think that is fantastic for the borough “But winning these types of awards doesn’t happen by itself A lot of volunteers in Comber work incredibly hard to deliver that.” She added: “There are two planters in front of this hoarding Can you imagine if you were the volunteer who has to put the flowers there and I feel incredibly angry for the people of Comber about this and we as councillors should feel angry about this She said: “I know officers have made an effort to do something about it The Comber Regeneration Community Partnership has tried to work on it this is the council’s job and duty to do something about it possibly look at solutions that have been adopted by other authorities The thing that is really important is to not continue to accept the status quo.” DUP Alderman Trevor Cummings said: “This particular section of land and hoarding is located at the heart of the town and looks quite frankly out of place and unsafe Comber Regeneration volunteers who were at the centre of securing the award have offered to help seek funding and assist with repairs “But access can only come with the approval of the landowner And we I feel must exhaust every avenue in order to address this problem which essentially overshadows the good work that has been achieved for Comber “The solution is simple if the landowner permits actions – the hoarding can be replaced and the appearance enhanced which surely must work to the advantage of all but I am convinced if we get this united message across The Director of the council’s Place and Prosperity Committee said: “We agree with all of the sentiments But I want to make very clear to the committee the amount of work we have done – the officers have gone out of their way to have this issue resolved “We have gone and spoken to the agent on at least three occasions We secured funding of £12,000 to have it done We have offered that we would oversee the work and it would be our measured term contractors who would do the work All they had to do was for the owner to accept liability after the work was done “I don’t know where we are going to go on this The land agent has said he has recommended to his client not to accept it I want to put a wee bit of reality back into this.” Councillor Morgan said: “It is an extraordinarily difficult problem and I don’t for a minute think this is easy to solve But are we really prepared to let that sort of eyesore sit in Comber or any other town “We need to make a really serious statement about this – it is a blight Hunt on for missing man Gary Patterson last seen in Larne three months ago A MAGNIFICENT team performance ensured that the Border Regiment Cup returned to Comber for the first time 67 years as the Rec defeated Crumlin Star at Seaview in another Christmas final Following on from last year’s Steel and Sons success over Star on Christmas morning the Comber team knew that their rivals would be out to avenge that defeat and continue their excellent record in this competition having won the trophy five times in the last 12 years It was a nervous start to the match for both teams as neither were able to dominate the midfield with both defences resolute and opting not to complicate things and clearing their lines as the basic principle.As the game developed chances were limited to free-kicks and corners to both teams but again the defending was excellent The best chance of the half came from Lex Walker’s long throw which dropped on the six-yard line but Kris Gaw just couldn’t get his toe to the ball to poke it in Scoreless at the break and little to choose between the two teams The second half saw Comber begin to get the upper hand in midfield This time it was a textbook training ground set piece which culminated in Christian Irvine rising above the Crumlin Star defence to win the header and return the ball back into the penalty area were Dylan Wilson was on hand to smash into the back of the net and send the large Comber crowd into raptures.As every Comber tackle was cheered Crumlin Star started to push to get back on terms They had a great opportunity to do just that but centre-forward David Fearon’s powerful shot was brilliantly saved by Corey Pollock in the Comber goal.Star went close again through Domhnall Cosgrove whose effort flashed past the Comber goal Then came the best move of the match when Simon Hanna picked the ball up in his own half and played a defence-splitting diagonal pass for Wilson to latch on to He pulled it back across the six-yard box for Dylan Donaldson who threw everything at the ball but just couldn’t connect to turn it into the vacant net The referee blew the final whistle which sparked jubilant scenes among the huge Comber support who had just watched their team triumph in a Christmas final for the second year in a row.Crumlin Star made the match a real contest but Comber in the end were worthy winners with every Comber player deserving of a mention The man of the match award could easily have gone to any one of the Rec’s back five but Dylan Wilson picked up the accolade for another match winning performance for Comber It is also important to record the important part that the Comber supporters played who sang loudly for the duration of the match and were Comber’s 12th man.Congratulations must also go to the management team of Gareth McKeown and Mark Picking and all of the coaching staff involved Cap: Comber Rec beat Crumlin Star at Seaview to lift the Border Cup for the first time in almost 70 years The crash occurred on the Belfast Road in Comber A man in his 20s is in critical condition following a two-vehicle crash in Co Down Police have appealed for information and witnesses following the incident in Comber on Wednesday night Inspector Dalton said: “Police received a report at approximately 9.40pm on Wednesday November 6 of a collision involving a Volkswagen Tiguan and Ford Focus in the Belfast Road area of the town alongside colleagues from other emergency services who was a passenger in one of the vehicles was treated for injuries not believed to be life-threatening “The road was closed for a time to facilitate emergency services “Our investigation is underway and anyone with information about what happened mobile or other footage can contact police on 101 KELLY Joanne Roberta died on 28th March 2025 peacefully at Marie Curie Hospice Sister of Kathy and Mummy to Jaxon and Evie Rose Funeral Service will take place on Thursday 3rd April at 10am in Gilmore’s Funeral Church Please wear bright colours at Joanne’s request [email protected] Her striking artworks were shipped across the Atlantic for the Belfast to Nashville ‘St Paddy’s Day Celebration’ marking 30 years of sister city relations between Belfast and Nashville Fiona described the experience as “mind-blowing” “It’s not something I ever thought would happen A seasoned designer and owner of Signlines Fiona brings a fresh perspective to Ireland’s most famous landmarks Her Irish Icons collection features contemporary depictions of: 🔹 Harland & Wolff🔹 Giant’s Causeway🔹 Mussenden Temple🔹 St John’s Point Lighthouse🔹 Dublin’s Poolbeg Chimneys🔹 The Old Customs Hut “I know there’s a lot of art out there of local landmarks I just created pieces I’d want on my own wall—and the response has been brilliant.” The opportunity to exhibit in Nashville pushed Fiona to complete the collection turning a long-term work-in-progress into a polished showcase Initially thrilled by the January invitation Fiona soon felt the weight of expectations but the reality kicked in when I realised I had to pull something together fast.” I simplified everything and stripped it back with Fiona’s pieces now a permanent feature in a Nashville gallery Talks are also underway for a licensing deal expanding her work into the American market Fiona credits a chance encounter with a Nashville delegation visiting Northern Ireland last autumn “It was all about being in the right place at the right time Irish Icons will be available in galleries and framing shops across Northern Ireland #ContemporaryArt #BelfastArtist #ArtExhibition #IrelandLandmarks #NashvilleArtScene #BuyLocalArt #IrishArt #NashvilleExhibition #FionaMcAlpin #BelfastToNashville #StPatricksDay #IrishIcons #NorthernIrelandArt #HarlandAndWolff #ModernArt #LandmarkArt A woman has died after being hit by a car in Comber on Saturday afternoon PSNI Inspector Adair said: “Police received and responded to a report of a road traffic collision involving a car and a female pedestrian in the Ballygowan Road area of the town shortly before 4.45pm “Colleagues from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service were also in attendance the pedestrian died at the scene from her injuries.” “The area was closed to traffic for a period of time A local DUP councillor has said that the whole community is “saddened” at the news Cllr Libby Douglas said: “The whole Comber community is saddened at this tragic incident "Our thoughts and prayers are with the lady’s family.” UUP councillor Phlilp Smith added: “The whole community is shocked at this sad loss of life and our hearts go out to her family at this difficult time.” Inspector Adair continued: “Collision Investigation Unit detectives are investigating the circumstances of the collision and are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed it dash-cam or other footage that could assist with enquiries quoting reference number 1177 of 22/02/25.” This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page DAVIDSON Shelley Maxine died peacefully in Marie Curie Hospice on 14th February 2025 Beloved partner of David and dearly loved mother of Tanya Funeral service will take place on Monday 24th February in Gilmore’s Funeral Church at 10.15am followed by cremation at Roselawn Remembered and loved always by the entire family circle [email protected] COMMUNITIES Minister Gordon Lyons visited Comber Rec Football Club to find out about the club’s plans over the coming years to develop their facilities at Parkway The Minister was welcomed by club chairman Gary McKibbin Alderman Trevor Cummings and club committee members CRUMLIN Star boss Paul Trainor had the worst Christmas ever last year after watching his side suffer Steel & Sons Cup final heartache to Comber Rec – but the Ardoyne men have the chance to avenge that defeat in the NAFL Border Cup final over the festive period. ‘Star were coasting in the first half of last season’s Steel final, but Comber came right back into it in the second half, forcing extra-time before Simon Hanna hit the winner for the Co Down men. The search for the Holy Grail goes on for the highly rated Amateur League Premier Section outfit, while they hope to claim their fourth Border Cup on Friday under Trainor’s watch. But last season’s Steel Cup defeat still stings. “I felt like throwing cream potatoes all over the house,” Trainor said. “It was the worst Christmas Day. We were excellent in the first half, should have been out of sight and Comber hung in there. I just thought the officials had a bad day and hopefully they’re better for this final. I’m not saying it cost us the Steel & Sons, but it cost us extra-time.” Last Christmas, Paul McKeown’s Comber side were hoping to pull off an historic Steel and Border Cup double – but it proved a bridge too far as they were humbled by Willowbank 6-1 in the Border final a week later. The sides have already squared up twice this season with Comber hammering ‘Star 5-1 in a Steel Cup round three game but the north Belfast men claimed a 3-2 league win later in the season. Trainor is aiming to win his 10th major title having guided ‘Star to two Intermediate Cups, three Borders, a Clarence Cup and three NAFL Premier League titles. “It’s brilliant to be in a cup final over the Christmas period,” said Trainor. “Without being arrogant, being in cup finals over Christmas is a regular occurrence for Crumlin Star. Comber will bring a big crowd to Seaview and so will we, so it’s set up to be a cracking game.” Both squads haven’t changed a great deal over the last 12 months – but ‘Star have unearthed a brilliant young striker this season. Donal Cosgrove, brother of Larne’s Tomas, was signed from Crumlin United and is already nearing the 20-goal mark in Crumlin Star colours. Their last league game – against Mossley on Thursday night – had to be abandoned due to an injury to Crumlin Star player Ciaran McNeill. Subsequently, the player’s injury didn’t turn out to be as serious as first thought. “We’ve been a wee bit slower than normal to get going this season,” admitted the Crumlin Star boss. “We’ve had five or six long-term injuries and I don’t particularly like going down the injury road and blaming that, but they are all definite starters. “In saying that, we’re in the Border Cup final, we’re in contention for the league and the kids we’ve brought in have done very well.” A few times over the past decade or more, Trainor has contemplated stepping away from the hotseat – but his decision to continue is made easier by having good players to choose from. “It’s very, very hard at times but the players have been fantastic. When you have good players, it makes it a lot easier. We’ve our new facility at the Marrowbone, we’ve an U18 team up and running now and doing very, very under Anto Crawford, and we’re trying to introduce some of them into the reserves and move them up. “I’ve still got the hunger to keep going, as long as the players don’t get fed up with me!” 2025 at 5:44pm GMTAn elderly pedestrian killed after being struck by a car in Co Down last weekend has been named by police Isobel Murphy (80), from the Braeside area of Comber died following the collision in the Ballygowan Road area of the town last Saturday The collision happened shortly before 4.45pm and Ms Murphy was pronounced dead at the scene upon the arrival of emergency services Pedestrian dies in Co Down crashOpens in new windowA PSNI spokesperson said: “Officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Collision Investigation Unit continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision. “Anyone with information or relevant footage is asked to call police on 101, quoting reference number 1177 22/02/25.” JACKSON Kathleen died 1st April 2025 peacefully in hospital much loved mother of Trevor and his partner Hilary and cherished grandmother of Bradley and Rhys Funeral Service will take place on Tuesday 8th April at 1pm in Gilmore’s Funeral Church [email protected] MATTHEW Knight’s goal two minutes from time secured a place in the semi-finals of the Steel and Sons Cup for Ballymoney United at the expense of holders Comber Rec in a dramatic last-eight encounter at Park Way Last year’s competition winners had overturned a 3-1 deficit at half-time and the tie was poised to be heading for a period of extra-time only for the north-west visitors to deliver the killer blow late on Afternoon sunshine flooded the Park Way venue with the sizeable crowd gathered around as the opening exchanges unravelled Comber’s Elliott Wilson sent an early attempt just wide of John Connolly’s left-hand upright before home custodian Corey Pollock was called into action as he gathered a Josh Tennant corner kick were in full voice two minutes later as the Rec grabbed an early lead via Elliott Wilson Immediately after the restart Tennant was again active up front for Ballymoney but the threat was dealt with by the home team The visitors’ contribution over the opening quarter-hour had been largely of a defensive nature but on 22 minutes Reece Watton pulled the scoreline back to level pegging at 1-1 Ballymoney had begun to find their groove and the team from north Antrim took control towards the end of the half as two goals – from Luke McConnell and Matthew Knight – in the five minutes before the interval gave Comber a mountain to climb The second half was only 14 minutes old when the home side found a golden opportunity to reduce the arrears who hit a hat-trick in the previous week’s win over Moyola Park in the Intermediate Cup saw his penalty effort strike the woodwork after ’keeper Connolly had conceded another penalty with a lunge on Elliott Wilson Referee Ben Shepherd signalled for a third penalty just minutes later and Nelson repeated the trick to restore parity The incident-littered second half found one further episode to record when Knight who some home supporters felt was fortunate to avoid red in the 85th minute sealed Ballymoney’s spot in the last-four with just a couple of minutes left to play Half-time substitute Simon Hanna was dismissed for a second bookable offence late on meaning he will miss Comber’s clash with Drumaness Mills this weekend First known as Comber Youth Club after formation in 1950 the club applied to join the Churches League in 1953 and were renamed 1st Comber Presbyterian They joined the Northern Amateur Football League in the mid-1950s undergoing another name change to become Comber Rec and in the 1957-1958 season won their first of three Clarence Cups In November 2012 Comber Rec Ladies was formed by Heather McCracken and Winston Kerr Ballymoney United Football Club play in the Ballymena and Provincial Football League The club was founded in 1944 and currently play home matches at the Riada Stadium The current managers are Lee McClelland and Stewart McMullan and the club chairman is Noel Lamont the club won the B Division KO Cup in 1998-1999 and the Intermediate League three times Ballymoney United produce a match programme for all home games The Steel and Sons Cup is an intermediate football competition organised by the County Antrim & District Football Association The trophy was donated to the County Antrim FA in 1895 by Mr David Steel a wholesale jewellers and silversmiths with premises on Royal Avenue The final has traditionally been played on Christmas Day The most successful club in the competition are Glentoran seconds with 13 titles For the third successive weekend my journey to feature match suffered lengthy alterations and although extra caution when setting out got me to Park Way well before kick-off it certainly is not recommended to travel to Comber from Newtownards via Dundonald Derriaghy CC  2     Belfast Celtic   1 Finaghy  0    Willowbank     2 Killyleagh YC  3     Linfield Swifts   0 My thanks to Ian Davis for having the team sheet and all match information prepared for me Saturday’s match was sponsored by Paul Foster Window Cleaning Ben Shepherd controlled the play very well and dealt with the incident-packed game with composure Neal Dorman was on photography duties for the Chronicle This coming Saturday will see Comber at home to Drumaness Mills in the NAFL Premier Division (2pm) The seconds are away to Crumlin Star II in the Walter Moore Cup (1.30pm) and the third and fourth teams are both in DAWFL action against Castle Juniors and Ballynafeigh Breda Star II respectively L: Wyndham and Comber Estate (Google Maps) More than 1,200 households in Camberwell were left struggling to keep warm after the last functioning boiler serving the Wyndham and Comber Estate broke down where some homes didn’t even have electricity an emergency system has now been installed residents say they have no idea how long it will last as they have just ‘patched up’ one of the old broken boilers Southwark Council confirmed a permanent replacement could take at least another week The last boiler was one of four that make up the heating system The system has been plagued with problems for years who live in Laird Block on the Comber side the boiler had broken down around ‘seven to eight times a month.’ Residents say they’ve repeatedly complained about unreliable heating who lives with her paraplegic husband Alan said: “We’ve had to rely on electric heaters it is the 180 leaseholders who are forced to foot the bill for the heating and hot water who has lived in the flat for 42 years and bought it in 2001 You expect it to increase but not by this much.” The last few annual service charges have been over £6000 “We’re being penalised because we bought our home,” Sue added commented: “When you’re reading the bills it makes you want to cry because you think – why am I going to work?” was supposed to have been refurbished recently leaseholders were charged £3000 each for the work but many believe it was just another patch-up job They were also promised cheaper bills – which did not happen who is now selling their flat because life has become ‘unmanageable’ and there’s no transparency about where the money is going They added: “The basics aren’t being done right It’s a nice community here but I can’t live like this anymore.” who is also chair of the Wyndham and Comber TRA said: “We have no idea when it will break again on Saturday 16 November the last permanent boiler on Wyndham Estate broke down I know this has been really unpleasant for those living on the estate and I’m sorry that they’ve had to experience cold while our engineers work to solve the situation “We immediately began setting up an emergency system which was completed on Sunday. Despite this the emergency system did not bring the temperatures up high enough so further work has had to take place which should be completed today “A new temporary plant relocated elsewhere is also being installed This system will ensure there is the required heat for the whole estate while works on the permanent system continue We thank residents for their patience while we work to resolve this and will continue to communicate with them as work progresses.” We'll never send you spam or share your email address Find out more in our Privacy Policy that through the charges that you pay that you are subsidising other council tenants that you piously judge not to be working The moral of this story is don’t buy local authority housing If you choose to buy Council housing you face the consequences of being a lease holder Please enter your username or email address to reset your password MAWHINNEY Dorothy died peacefully at home on 7th February 2025 and a cherished grandmother and great-grandmother Funeral service will take place on Thursday 13th February in Gilmore’s Funeral Church [email protected] HENDERSON Leah Robinson died peacefully in the Ulster Hospital on 7th January 2025 Funeral service will take place on Thursday 16th January in Comber Methodist Church at 1pm [email protected] It is with great sadness that the family of Sadie Walker (nee Coey) announce her passing on 23rd August 2024 at Craigavon Area Hospital under the excellent care of Ward 3 Funeral service will take place on Monday 2nd September at 12:00noon in St Mary’s Church of Ireland followed by committal in Loughview Cemetery Lovingly remembered by her devoted husband Harry [email protected] Died peacefully in hospital on 27th February 2025 Funeral service will take place on Friday 7th March in Gilmore’s Funeral Church Remembered and loved always by his family and friends [email protected] Parents gathered with placards outside Comber Grove Primary School The fourth Southwark school in two years will shut its doors due to a drop in demand for places Councillors rubber stamped the closure of Comber Grove Primary School in Camberwell at a cabinet meeting today Monday Labour-led Southwark Council took the decision to close the school after falling pupil numbers left the school with 100 spaces to fill If the school on Comber Grove had remained open 42 per cent of places would have been empty is suffering from a crisis of falling pupil numbers and has identified at least 16 schools at risk of closure The capital is predicted to experience a fall in demand of about 7,900 places for the first years of primary and secondary over the next four years Coburg Primary School in Walworth closed and merged with Camelot Primary School closed its doors at the end of the 2023/24 academic year St Francesca Cabrini Primary School in Forest Hill said Southwark was suffering from a ‘demographic toxic shock’ due to the plummeting number of school-age kids in the borough She said: “It started with the issue of Brexit and as we’ve seen means we just don’t have enough children to fill our schools “Last year we had 30 per cent of families leaving London chair of governors nor any parents from the school attended the cabinet meeting at the council’s Tooley Street headquarters where the closure was approved Cllr Ali said their absence didn’t mean they hadn’t been ‘completely engaged’ by the council about the proposals Parents had previously set up a petition against the school’s closure and held a rally opposing the plans outside the council’s offices The council said all pupils at Comber Grove Primary School will be able to secure a place at a good or outstanding local school A decision on the future of the school building has yet to be made said: “Obviously it’s something we take very seriously We’ve seen a large reduction in the number of young children in our city over recent years and that’s led to us having more primary school places than we needed “I know the team has been working very hard to ensure we keep all of our schools strong and to work out the best way to do that Southwark sold out their working class families for the wealthy and rich this is the result