Meetings & Events

Thirty members and visitors braved a cold and snowy night to hear Billy Bones speak on his time in Coleraine pantomimes. He gave a short history of pantomime and explained some of the traditions e.g. “goodies” enter stage right and “baddies” enter stage left also audiences are encouraged to participate verbally in the drama. Billy

Our speaker related the story of a triple shooting which occurred in Dunmore House, Carrigans, Co. Donegal. The house was occcupied by Colonel Robert McClintock, his wife Jenny, their son William and his fiancee Helen Macworth. William had served in the army but had suffered severe spinal injuries from falling off a horse. On 24.9.1938

Talbot was born in London in 1852 and was a frequent visitor to Castlerock where he married Elizabeth Jane Greer in 1876. He also saved his cousin from drowning there. In addition to being in the type founding industry he became a writer of boys’ fiction and contributed to the Boy’s Own Paper and the

Jay Nethercott, James Weston and Chairman Robert Anderson James Weston gave an illustrated history of the Ulster Gliding Club from its foundation in 1930. He explained the early methods of launch – bungey or catapult at various locations e.g. Tyrella Beach in Co. Down, Magilligan, Knockagh. In 1932 a glider cost £150. Heights and distances

We will visit Sinclair Seaman’s Church in Belfast, The Gasworks Museum in Carrickfergus and then the Moravian Village of Gracehill.  Lunch will be in the Chimney Corner. See News section for report and photographs.  

Stanley’s illustrated talk was in two parts. Firstly he spoke of his work in the Coleraine based Monsanto fibre manufacturing plant which was built in 1958 at Somerset. It produced Acrilan which was used in the making of carpets, shirts, socks etc.. The factory closed down in 1985. The second part of his talk was

In the early 19th century the original Town Book of Coleraine was compiled by John Claudius Beresford an  Irish Society agent. It was a detailed list of the town’s buildings, tenants and acres (agricultural holdings). Andrew’s book has made the original more “user friendly”. He has included information from several sources including the 1756 and

The launch of this year’s Bann Disc will take place on Wednesday 12 October 2016 in Coleraine Public Library, Queen Street, at 7.00pm. See BANN DISC section for photographs.

Aaron spoke on Henry Barre Beresford, a relative of Tristram Beresford who came to Coleraine with the Plantation. He was born in 1781 and was the land agent to the Marquis of Waterford who owned land in the Limavady area. He was interested in agricultural husbandry and land improvement and was considered to be a

A very interesting talk attracted nearly 60 members and guests. Leonard spoke of his great uncle Robert from Bushmills who was awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery in WW1. Robert, born in 1885, worked at Dundarave,  the MacNaughten estate in Bushmills. During the war he was batman(servant) to L/t Sir Henry MacNaughten who fell

See News section for report

Our first talk of the autumn season, which was very well attended by members and visitors, was given by Ken McCormack. He spoke of Frideswide Bruce who was  brought up in Killyleagh and married a much older man Daniel Mussenden. She was the cousin of Frederick Augustus Hervey, 4th Earl of Bristol and Bishop of

Pearl, a well known local historian, gave an illustrated talk on Robert  McCahon Dicky who emigrated from Kilrea to Canada where he was a student of theology  in Manitoba University from 1894 – 97. He moved to the Klondike during the gold stampede of 1897 and raised money for a church and hospital with the

Dr. Crawford’s illustrated  talk explained that the Coleraine Hoard was found buried in a field in Ballinrees near Coleraine in 1854. The Hoard consisted of over 1,000 Roman  silver coins and artefacts dating from the 5th century. Some of the coins were clipped i.e. defaced. As the Romans were not known to have come to

Committee Member Anne-Marie Huston and Mark Doherty Mark spoke of his great uncle Patrick Joseph Doherty who lived at the Irish Houses, on the Castlerock Road, Coleraine. He joined the Royal Navy in 1915 and became a stoker, 1st class, on HMS Lion battlecruiser and flagship commanded by Vice-Admiral Beatty. The British fleet’s task was

Ian spoke of the fate of HMS Drake the armoured cruiser which was hit by a German torpedo off the north-east coast of Rathlin Island on 2 October 1917. Captain Radcliffe managed to sail the ship as far as Church Bay where it sank in 40 feet of water. Eight hundred men were rescued but

See News for report.