Doran Says Ballymartin Is Forgotten Village

SPEAKING  after a recent canvas of Ballymartin, Sinn Féin’s Council candidate in the Mournes, Sean Doran has said that if elected, one of his priorities would be to campaign for additional resources for the village. He added,  “While I accompanied my party colleague Councillor Willie Clarke in an extensive canvas of the village,  many residents made clear their disillusionment with the people who have represented them on Newry and Mourne District Council. “There are eight housing estates in the village with many young families and a number of well populated side roads, but there is no community hall, no play areas and not even a swing or slide available. To compound matters further, the local beach is being polluted by untreated raw sewage.  The Post Office has been closed for several years now and there is no longer a village shop meaning local people have to travel to Kilkeel or Annalong to get even the most basic groceries. “Although the local GAA club do sterling work in the area, the children still have to cross a busy main road to get to the pitch and there is not as much as a pedestrian crossing to keep them safe.  The lack of facilities leads to anti social-behaviour and regardless if I get elected on May the 5th I will be lobbying for improvements in all these matters.”]]>