Meetings & Events

The company AVX is based in the U.S.A. and its Coleraine plant, which was extended in 1999/2000, has been in Hillman’s Way for 40 years. It began as an assembly plant for capacitors (electronic devices used to store electronic charges) and then moved to making them. Several million are made each day. It is a

For report and photos see NEWS section.

Before Geoff gave his talk vice-chairman Mike Jones told us that Dunboe Gardens are to be refurbished also the Bruce family vault. Geoff spoke of Benjie Bruce the 4th son of Sir Hervey Jukes Lloyd Bruce, 4th Baronet of Downhill, who spent much of his early life in Downhill House. He became a British diplomat

Over 50 people, members and visitors, attended John’s illustrated talk. In 1848 the railway line came from Belfast to Ballymena and by 1853 there was a line from Derry to Coleraine’s Waterside Station. Portrush was becoming a popular holiday resort and the railway reached there from Coleraine’s Northbrook Station in 1855.Over the years the station

Over 50 people (visitors and members) attended our much loved speaker Ken and his talk on the Bruces of Downhill Castle.   The House was built in the late 18th century by the Earl Bishop and was occupied by 4 generations of the Bruce family some of whom were eccentric. It was destroyed by fire

In January 2018 our member Billy Bones gave a talk on Pantomime in Coleraine, however, it was a dreadful night with snow and ice so the attendance was low. Billy very kindly agreed to re-do his presentation. He explained that pantomime originated in ancient Rome, sometimes with a single male performer. Billy “fell in love”

Volume 24, 2018 will be launched on Tuesday 6 November 2018 at 7.30 p.m. in the Sandel Centre, 6 Knocklynn Road, Coleraine. Guest speaker will be Claire Sugden MLA.

This year’s outing will be to Dunmore House, Carrigans, Donegal followed by St.Columb’s Park and Ashbrook House in Derry/Londonderry. See NEWS section for report and photos.

This will be held in the Lodge Hotel, Coleraine starting promptly at 6pm with the meal at 6.30pm. The after-dinner quiz will be conducted by John and Dorothy Moore. Guests are welcome. See NEWS section for report.

Jeremy, who had been house manager of the theatre, gave a most interesting and entertaining account of its history. An enthusiastic member of the Steering Group formed (1972 -76) to found the theatre was the vice-chancellor’s wife – Mrs Burgess. Peter Morrow was the architect of the “new style” building which could seat 400 people.

(THIS WAS A CHANGE TO THE ORIGINAL PROGRAMME) This was a fascinating story linking Castlerock to Princess Alexandra, wife of the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII). In 1876 Elizabeth Jane Greer of Springvale, Castlerock, married a famous author of schoolboy stories Talbot Baines Reed of London. In 1885 the Prince & Princess visited Ireland

Alison explained the reasons for the 1718 migration from the Dunboe area to America also the conditions they met on arrival. Presbyterians and Roman Catholics felt persecuted by the Church of Ireland to which they had to pay tithes. Poor harvests and famine were an incentive to the taking of a brave decision to sail

In his illustrated talk Ken told us that he arrived in the New University of Ulster in Coleraine from Durham in 1968 to lecture in the History Department. There he developed a degree in film and media studies. He explained the background to the establishment of the University – the Lockwood Report of 1965 recommended

This was a very well attended talk by members and visitors. Geoff, who worked for the Geological Survey for many years, commenced his talk with an overview of bauxite, coal, iron ore, lignite and salt mining in N.Ireland. There are historical references to lignite working near Old Ballywillan Church from 1875 until 1920. Iron ore

A good attendance for the first meeting of the season heard Norman Thorpe of the Shackleton Aviation & Space Museum, give an illustrated talk on RAF Ballykelly which was opened in June 1941. (It was 1 of 5 airfields in the area – Eglinton, Maydown, Mullaghmore and Limavady). Liberators, leased from the U.S.A., were flown

See News for report