It is with deep regret we announce the passing of Eric Rainey MBE.

Eric was the Warden on Strangford Lough for the National Trust for many years before retiring to Cloughey. He then worked tirelessly for the community of Cloughey joining the CDCA and taking a great interest in the environment. This is why this announcement is on our Environment page as he would liked nothing better. As well as the environment he lobbied for years to get the Council to take ownership of Cloughey Beach and it was only last year that he finally managed to achieve this, the result of dogged determination. He received many awards for his efforts from Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful and encouraged others to take part in regular beach cleans. He loved to involve the local school children to promote a caring attitude towards our environment. In 2014 after the bad storm he was instrumental in the setting up of the Ards Peninsula Coastal Erosion Group. This group succeeded in alerting our Executive to the lack of a Government body to take responsibility. Unfortunately the Executive has been suspended for the last two years so the process has somewhat stalled.

Eric had been battling Cancer for many many years but he did not let something like that get in his way but unfortunately it was a battle he finally lost late on 17th May 2019.

Eric was one of life's gentlemen and will be sadly missed in the village and our thoughts are with Sheilagh and the family circle.