Meetings & Events

Over 60 members and visitors attended this most interesting talk. Mark, who works for Dalriada Kingdom Tours, spoke on the early people of the Causeway and their occupations. The first person to drive a pony and trap down to the Causeway in the early C19th was Alec Purdy. Among the activities were kelp gathering, (to

Hugh gave an interesting and detailed history of Royal Portrush Golf Club from its beginning until the hosting of the Open this year. 1888 was its founding year as a 9 hole course and members were by invitation. The Railway Co. was a sponser. In 1889 it was decided to form an 18 hole course

The launch of volume 25, 2019 of the Bann Disc will take place on Tuesday 12 November 2019 at 7.00pm in The Sandel Centre, Knocklynn Road, Coleraine.  Members and guests are welcome.

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