Upcoming Events

Over recent months Loughries Historical Society have been busy preparing for a special event to commemorate and celebrate the signing of the Ulster Covenant 100 years ago.

To mark this ocassion, Loughries will host a dinner in the Town Hall, Newtownards on Friday 28th September 2012 at 7.00pm - the Ulster Covenant was signed by thousands of Newtownards folk in this very building, 100 years ago to the day!



There will be a 4 course meal provided with lone piper Stephen Rodgers providing a piping lament or two also members of Lord Londonderry's Own CLB will provide some musical entertainment.

 

Keynote speaker for the evening will be Drew Nelson LLB, Grand Secretary of the GOLI, also Jack Greenald, local historian will give a short presentation of the Ulster Covenant Day in Newtownards back in 1912.

 

Also in the Town Hall building Ards Borough Council will have an Ulster Covenant Exhibition on display which will include some local artefacts and memorabilia from the time.

On Monday 17th September 2012 an unveiling of a commemorative plaque will take place in the Town Hall, Newtownards.

 

Members of Loughries Historical Society had been lobbying Ards Borough Council, through our elected representatives - to have a brass plaque unveiled in the Town Hall to commemorate and recognise that the Ulster Covenant was signed in this great historical building......... and as Ards Borough Council is a listening Council, they have agreed to place a plaque to commemorate this significant element of Ulster/Newtownards history.

Report and pictures to follow.

HMA

Ulster Covenant Drum

With the Centenary of the signing of the Ulster Covenant less than a month away, I came across this drum in Carrowdore Co. Down - owned by Mr. Magee.

The drum marks / commemorates the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Ulster Covenant in 1962. I have not seen this drum out playing.... ever, nevertheless it is always great to see that the drum is still in excellent condition.

It is intended that the drum will be on display at the much anticipated Ulster Covenant Exhibition, that will be on public view in September at the Town Hall Newtownards, then throughout a number of venues throughout the Ards Peninsula in the Autumn - List of venues to follow.

 

 

HMA

New PC

After a couple of months of computer problems, break downs, crashes and frustration I have decided to buy a new PC. I am off to PC world to by this new hp pc, new monitor, wireless sound system, Microsoft office and wireless printer.

I have the loft converted and was intending to use it as an office / chill out zone - then enviably it became a toy room and scaletrix race track - well I reclaimed 1/2 it back last week and bought a new desk and chair, then cordoned off my 1/2 of the attic.

Looking forward to catching up with a number of projects I have been planning - but needed a computer, well a working computer at least !

So peace and quiet will prevail...... perhaps not - time shall tell.

HMA

The Light - Proclaimers

Every now and again a song comes along and grabs you...... well, this happened to me recently.

 

I listen to all kinds of music, but the Proclaimers were not one I had listened to much until I heard this!

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

HMA

Bloggin

Sorry to all the folk who take the time to look in from time to time on my blog - I am of course very grateful to each and every one of you.

Sadly I had a second computer crash, therefore I had been offline for quite some time now and unable to blog etc.

I will be purchasing a new PC in the coming week or so, therefore more time for bloggin etc. I have a lot of matters I need to catch up with which includes updating my blog.

Keep lookin in !

HMA

11th Night Drummin

On the '11th Night' as usual, the local lambeg drumming fraternity met 'Under The Arch' in Newtownards - 14 drums and quite a few more drummers turned out for this annual event.

I am trying to gather up a few more photo's of the night - give me a day or two and I will post more, however I was sent this photo through FaceBook and although I am not a vain person, I thought I would post the photo - it is of such good quality.

This is me playing my drum 'Prudence' - it is in Black and White, you can see that it had been raining with the wet ground.

This photo was taken as I approached the drummers at the arch, Regent Street in the background.

Thanks to Adam Shaw and Andrew McCullough for the photo.

HMA

Ulster Scots Boy's Day Out - Fishing at Portaferry

Friday was a glorious summers day here in Ulster, therefore what better way to spend an afternoon than to go on a day's fishing.

Mark Thompson, Graeme Thompson, Darren Gibson, myself and 4 of our weans, departed Portaferry harbour and headed off into the Irish Sea - this in itself was a great experience and a very scenic voyage.

Thoughts of the first Ulster Scots Settlers, the 1798 Rebellion etc, entered my mind as we sailed through the entrance to Strangford Lough and out into the Irish Sea.

The sea did not give up too many riches, however we did catch quite a number of fish, although we did throw quite a few back, nevertheless we still caught enough to encourage us along the way.

Highlight of the day was watching the weans using the 'Priest' - a small club type wooden stick used to kill the fish, usually with one blow, however sometimes it took many blows from our 'blood thirsty weans' to put the fish out of their misery!!

Here are a few snaps of the trip: -

HMA