1 Dear fellow Scottish,Scots-Irish-Americans; We ask for you help and support for- H.RES.1395,a resolution to urge Americans to observe the entire month of April as National Scots,Scots-Irish Heritage Month.This resolution recognizes the many contributions of the Scottish and Scots-Irish to this great nation.This resolution has just been introduced by Congressman Larry Kissell(D-NC8) You can help by contacting your House Representatives in the United States Congress and request that they support H.RES.1395.This will help to educate our children of a history that would otherwise be left out. Thank you,James Murray Monday 31 May 2010
H.RES.1395 National Scots,Scots-Irish Heritage Month
Thursday 27 May 2010
How to fix System error: Lsass.exe constantly rebooting windows xp
Recently fixed this problem after much effort and failed attempts. System restore and safe mode were inaccessible reinstalling windows `over the top` of itself was not an option either as the windows partition was not being recognised which meant only a clean windows install as a last resort. However I eventually tried the following couple of fixes with the final one doing the trick for me. Fix 1:- - Boot with your Windows system CD
- Go into the repair console
- Now change directory to the C:\windows\system32\config (cd blah blah)
- type: rename security security.bak
- enter
- type: copy c:\windows\repair\security .
- enter
- type: exit
- enter
- or reset the computer manually (Alternate description for same fix)
1. Boot into the recovery console using your Windows XP CD.
2. Type: CHDIR sytem32 and press Enter.
3. Type: CHDIR config and press Enter.
4. Type: Rename Security Security.bak and press Enter.
5. Type: Copy C:\Windows\repair\security and press Enter.
6. Type: Exit and press Enter (this will restart your computer). If all goes well, your PC should work. If not try this: Quote from above:
"I had this problem and managed to fix it without a reinstall.
Create the disc at www.ubcd4win.com on a good pc and boot off of it on the bad one. Once in go to Start, Programs, Registry Tools, Registry Restore Wizard. Tell it where Windows is installed (C:\Windows usually). Then pick the date that you want to roll back to. I chose the one closest to todays date and it recovered it fine. Reboot and bingo! It's back. (Well it was for me...!)" Fix 2:- How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from starting
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545 When you try to start or restart your Windows XP-based computer, you may receive one of the following error messages: Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SOFTWARE Stop: c0000218 {Registry File Failure} The registry cannot load the hive (file): \SystemRoot\System32\Config\SOFTWARE or its log or alternate System error: Lsass.exe
When trying to update a password the return status indicates that the value provided as the current password is not correct. (Alan - the following fix worked for me although I had to do the bottom part first to get past `access denied`. Tip the ~ (tilde) symbol on some computers that like to revert to a US keyboard layout without telling you can be found by pressing shift and the ` key (also ` ¬ ) otherwise it is shift and # on UK keyboard layout ) Boot into your Windows CD and choose recovery console or if you can press F8 and boot to DOS/command prompt and type the following (comments in brackets are not to be typed):- cd \
(the prompt should now be C:\>)
cd system~1\_resto~1
dir
(You will now get a listing of all the restore points, with names like rp1, rp2, etc. You will need to use the one second from last.)
cd rpx (where x is the number of the restore point we are using)
cd snapshot
copy _registry_machine_sam \windows\system32\config\sam
copy _registry_machine_security \windows\system32\config\security
copy _registry_machine_software \windows\system32\config\software
copy _registry_machine_system \windows\system32\config\system
copy _registry_user_.default \windows\system32\config\default
exit The computer should now restart. Try restarting normally. If Windows still fails to boot, then try an earlier restore point (ie. third, or fourth from last); there is no point in trying more than 3 different restore points. I get Access Denied message! On some systems, when you try the second step above, you will get an Access Denied error. In such circumstances, from the Recovery Console (or FreeDOS) Command Prompt, you will need to type in the following commands in bold; press the Enter key at the end of each line: cd \
cd windows\system32\config
ren system system.bak
exit
- Go into the repair console
- Now change directory to the C:\windows\system32\config (cd blah blah)
- type: rename security security.bak
- enter
- type: copy c:\windows\repair\security .
- enter
- type: exit
- enter
- or reset the computer manually (Alternate description for same fix)
1. Boot into the recovery console using your Windows XP CD.
2. Type: CHDIR sytem32 and press Enter.
3. Type: CHDIR config and press Enter.
4. Type: Rename Security Security.bak and press Enter.
5. Type: Copy C:\Windows\repair\security and press Enter.
6. Type: Exit and press Enter (this will restart your computer). If all goes well, your PC should work. If not try this: Quote from above:
"I had this problem and managed to fix it without a reinstall.
Create the disc at www.ubcd4win.com on a good pc and boot off of it on the bad one. Once in go to Start, Programs, Registry Tools, Registry Restore Wizard. Tell it where Windows is installed (C:\Windows usually). Then pick the date that you want to roll back to. I chose the one closest to todays date and it recovered it fine. Reboot and bingo! It's back. (Well it was for me...!)" Fix 2:- How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from starting
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545 When you try to start or restart your Windows XP-based computer, you may receive one of the following error messages: Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SOFTWARE Stop: c0000218 {Registry File Failure} The registry cannot load the hive (file): \SystemRoot\System32\Config\SOFTWARE or its log or alternate System error: Lsass.exe
When trying to update a password the return status indicates that the value provided as the current password is not correct. (Alan - the following fix worked for me although I had to do the bottom part first to get past `access denied`. Tip the ~ (tilde) symbol on some computers that like to revert to a US keyboard layout without telling you can be found by pressing shift and the ` key (also ` ¬ ) otherwise it is shift and # on UK keyboard layout ) Boot into your Windows CD and choose recovery console or if you can press F8 and boot to DOS/command prompt and type the following (comments in brackets are not to be typed):- cd \
(the prompt should now be C:\>)
cd system~1\_resto~1
dir
(You will now get a listing of all the restore points, with names like rp1, rp2, etc. You will need to use the one second from last.)
cd rpx (where x is the number of the restore point we are using)
cd snapshot
copy _registry_machine_sam \windows\system32\config\sam
copy _registry_machine_security \windows\system32\config\security
copy _registry_machine_software \windows\system32\config\software
copy _registry_machine_system \windows\system32\config\system
copy _registry_user_.default \windows\system32\config\default
exit The computer should now restart. Try restarting normally. If Windows still fails to boot, then try an earlier restore point (ie. third, or fourth from last); there is no point in trying more than 3 different restore points. I get Access Denied message! On some systems, when you try the second step above, you will get an Access Denied error. In such circumstances, from the Recovery Console (or FreeDOS) Command Prompt, you will need to type in the following commands in bold; press the Enter key at the end of each line: cd \
cd windows\system32\config
ren system system.bak
exit
Wednesday 26 May 2010
Orange walk strikes sour note in Bishopbriggs - Kirkintilloch Today
-->Orange walk strikes sour note in Bishopbriggs
Published Date: 18 May 2010
FURY has followed in the walk of an Orange Order parade through a quiet residential area.
The Reformation Memorial Loyal Orange Lodge 71 held a recent Saturday afternoon three-mile parade through Bishopbriggs to celebrate its 25th anniversary.But the march has come under fire from angry locals.
In a letter to the Herald, Bishopbriggs resident Elizabeth Diamond said: "The residents of our neighbourhood would like to know who authorised the Orange parade with a great banging of drums down Hilton Road.
"In almost 50 years of residence in Bishopbriggs, we have never known any such parades in our area – we do not want them and we do not need them.
"Surely, we are not going to be subjected to any more of these sectarian parades – of any description."
Elizabeth added: "As the parade passed the church on Hilton Road – which is called St John the Less and is Episcopalian as it happens – the drums were roaring. It's not acceptable in this day and age."
Another Bishopbriggs resident said: "The Orange Order is a discriminatory organisation. It has no place on the streets of a modern Scotland or a modern East Dunbartonshire.
"These parades are a waste of taxpayers' money at a time when every penny in the public purse is priceless."
A spokesperson for East Dunbartonshire Council said there were no costs incurred by the council from Orange Order parades.
A spokesperson for Strathclyde Police's operations department told the Herald a Freedom of Information request would be required to ascertain specific costs for policing parades in East Dunbartonshire.
Richard Grimshaw, of the Reformation Memorial Loyal Orange Lodge 71, informed the Herald: "We are trying to let more people know the more positive side of our organisation in this the 450th anniversary of the Reformation.
"We've been active within Bishopbriggs for 25 years in our efforts to uphold our traditions and charity work, and assist in good causes."
What's your view? E-mail the Herald by clicking here
The full article contains 335 words and appears in n/a newspaper.Page 1 of 1
- Last Updated: 18 May 2010 4:13 PM
- Source: n/a
- Location: Kirkintilloch
PICTURE GALLERY: Hundreds attend official opening of re-built Lavin Orange Hall
PICTURE GALLERY: Hundreds attend official opening of re-built Lavin Orange Hall
http://www.ballymoneytimes.co.uk/competitions/PICTURE-GALLERY-Hundreds-attend-official.6321617.jp Published Date: 26 May 2010 IN glorious sunshine and with hundreds in attendance, Lavin Orange Hall which was destroyed by fire almost four years ago, has been officially re-opened. The hall, bigger and more suited to the demands of one of the most respected Lodges in the country, saw the Orange Order's top brass from throughout the United Kindgom in attendance including the Grand Master, Robert Saulters, Past Grand Master, Rev. Martin Smyth, Grand Secretary, Drew Nelson, and the Grand Secretaries of England and Scotland, David Taggart and Edward Hyde respectively. Locally, the BM of Ballymoney Dsitrict, William Archibald, attended along with the County Grand Master, Joe Gaston. The chairperson of Lavin Ladies Commiteee, Mrs. May Gage, also occupied a seat on the platform.
Orangemen and bandsmen from across Northern Ireland turned out in a solid gesture of support for Lavin LOL 913 to witness Bro. Saulters officially open the hall followed by the act of dedication from Rev. Smyth. David Hanna, the WM at Lavin, in the opening address, said a lot of hard work had gone in since the hall was destroyed by fire in July 2006. He praised the generosity of neighbours, fellow Orangemen and all those who had help them rebuild the building. Four small words from Bro. Hanna encapsulated much of what everyone in the Lodge and band were no doubt thinking when he said: "It's good to be home." Bro. Smyth said he had established a relationship with Lavin with a number of former members of the Lodge which reflected the quality of brethren in the community.
He spoke of the friendships he made with David and Herbie McCaughan while in America before going on to slam those who destroyed the hall four years ago. Bro. Smyth said: "Those who dastardly destroyed this hall did themselves more harm that they have done the brethren for as we look at the hall I believe and I'll misquote the scriptures here that the glory of the present hall will be better than the glory of the former one." Referring to the presence of Bros. Taaggart and Hyde from the mainland, Bro. Smyth spoke of the strength of the Union and how that union was like a three-fold cord that could not easily be broken.
Bro. George Wright then handed over a gift to Bro. Saulters and in doing so revealed that the hall had cost £165,000d to rebuild and praised the generosity of fellow Orangemen and the general public at large as well as the major contribution made by Lavin Ladies Committee. In his address. Bro. Saulters spoke of the marked difference in mood from that of 2006. He said he had been making his way to Dunloy Orange Hall on the morning of the fire when he heard the news of the devastation on the radio. He immediately drove to Lavin and saw that the building was still smouldering with members standing around with tears in their eyes.
"I was destined to speak in Ballycastle that afternoon and when I saw the band and lodge making their way to the field it was a sight for sore eyes and what a great reception they got,"he said. Bro. Saulters described the new halfl as magnificent and reflected great credit on the Lodge. He recalled that when he visited Lavin on January 30, 2002 he was presented with an oil painting of the hall as it was then. The Grand Master then surprised everyone by presenting Bro. Hanna with a plaque and a painting of the new hall. He said the premises would encourage new membes to the hall and said that Lavin had many friends not only from the local community but from all quarters. Bro. Saulters congraulted everyone who had worked hard to make the hall happen.
"You have shown a wonderful spirit in the face of diversity," he said. Bro. Saulters used the occasion to call for Unionist unity.He said a single unionist party was needed to maintain the union, claiming there was too much division..
He said: "The UUP is veiwing its operations after its failure to gain a single MP, the TUV failed to significantly dent the DUP's vote, and DUP leader Peter . "We will continue to dilute the union if we fight and bicker among ourselves," said Mr Saulters. Mr Saulters said the Orange Order had members "who represent all the many shades of unionism". "There is a huge groundswell of opinion that there must be a drive towards unionist unity or at the very least better joined-up thinking between unionists," he said. "Personally, I believe there should be one big unionist party which represents all the views that I hear. "It must be a party that is big enough and modern enough to allow people with conflicting opinions to work together for the common purpose of maintaining the union." A band parade took place following the platform proceedings. * Last Updated: 26 May 2010 2:16 PM
* Source: n/a
* Location: Ballymoney Pics: David Hanna, W.M. of Lavin LOL 913, welcomes the Grand Master of the Orange Order, Robert Saulters, to the official opening and dedication on Friday night, along with Rev. Martin Smyth, Past Grand Master.BM21-228JC Three veteran Orangemen pictured at the opening of Lavin Hall.. Included are James McKay, Willie Kirkpatrick and William Calderwood.BM21-229JC David Hanna, W.M. of Lavin Lodge, with Mr. Bertie Quinn, contractor, at the opening of the new Orange Hall on Friday night.BM21-230JC Officers and guests at the official opening of Lavin Orange Hall. Included are Robert Saulters, Rev. Martin Smyth, David Hanna, James Walker, James Murphy, Drew Nelson, Grand Secretary, David Taggart, Grand Secretary, England, Edward Hyde, Grand Secretary, Scotland, George Wright.BM21-231JC
The oldest member of Lavin Flute band warms up for Friday night's parade to mark the opening of the new hall. Tommy Murphy has been a loyal bandsman for more than 50 years and has no intention of hanging up the flute.BM21-232JC
http://www.ballymoneytimes.co.uk/competitions/PICTURE-GALLERY-Hundreds-attend-official.6321617.jp Published Date: 26 May 2010 IN glorious sunshine and with hundreds in attendance, Lavin Orange Hall which was destroyed by fire almost four years ago, has been officially re-opened. The hall, bigger and more suited to the demands of one of the most respected Lodges in the country, saw the Orange Order's top brass from throughout the United Kindgom in attendance including the Grand Master, Robert Saulters, Past Grand Master, Rev. Martin Smyth, Grand Secretary, Drew Nelson, and the Grand Secretaries of England and Scotland, David Taggart and Edward Hyde respectively. Locally, the BM of Ballymoney Dsitrict, William Archibald, attended along with the County Grand Master, Joe Gaston. The chairperson of Lavin Ladies Commiteee, Mrs. May Gage, also occupied a seat on the platform.
Orangemen and bandsmen from across Northern Ireland turned out in a solid gesture of support for Lavin LOL 913 to witness Bro. Saulters officially open the hall followed by the act of dedication from Rev. Smyth. David Hanna, the WM at Lavin, in the opening address, said a lot of hard work had gone in since the hall was destroyed by fire in July 2006. He praised the generosity of neighbours, fellow Orangemen and all those who had help them rebuild the building. Four small words from Bro. Hanna encapsulated much of what everyone in the Lodge and band were no doubt thinking when he said: "It's good to be home." Bro. Smyth said he had established a relationship with Lavin with a number of former members of the Lodge which reflected the quality of brethren in the community.
He spoke of the friendships he made with David and Herbie McCaughan while in America before going on to slam those who destroyed the hall four years ago. Bro. Smyth said: "Those who dastardly destroyed this hall did themselves more harm that they have done the brethren for as we look at the hall I believe and I'll misquote the scriptures here that the glory of the present hall will be better than the glory of the former one." Referring to the presence of Bros. Taaggart and Hyde from the mainland, Bro. Smyth spoke of the strength of the Union and how that union was like a three-fold cord that could not easily be broken.
Bro. George Wright then handed over a gift to Bro. Saulters and in doing so revealed that the hall had cost £165,000d to rebuild and praised the generosity of fellow Orangemen and the general public at large as well as the major contribution made by Lavin Ladies Committee. In his address. Bro. Saulters spoke of the marked difference in mood from that of 2006. He said he had been making his way to Dunloy Orange Hall on the morning of the fire when he heard the news of the devastation on the radio. He immediately drove to Lavin and saw that the building was still smouldering with members standing around with tears in their eyes.
"I was destined to speak in Ballycastle that afternoon and when I saw the band and lodge making their way to the field it was a sight for sore eyes and what a great reception they got,"he said. Bro. Saulters described the new halfl as magnificent and reflected great credit on the Lodge. He recalled that when he visited Lavin on January 30, 2002 he was presented with an oil painting of the hall as it was then. The Grand Master then surprised everyone by presenting Bro. Hanna with a plaque and a painting of the new hall. He said the premises would encourage new membes to the hall and said that Lavin had many friends not only from the local community but from all quarters. Bro. Saulters congraulted everyone who had worked hard to make the hall happen.
"You have shown a wonderful spirit in the face of diversity," he said. Bro. Saulters used the occasion to call for Unionist unity.He said a single unionist party was needed to maintain the union, claiming there was too much division..
He said: "The UUP is veiwing its operations after its failure to gain a single MP, the TUV failed to significantly dent the DUP's vote, and DUP leader Peter . "We will continue to dilute the union if we fight and bicker among ourselves," said Mr Saulters. Mr Saulters said the Orange Order had members "who represent all the many shades of unionism". "There is a huge groundswell of opinion that there must be a drive towards unionist unity or at the very least better joined-up thinking between unionists," he said. "Personally, I believe there should be one big unionist party which represents all the views that I hear. "It must be a party that is big enough and modern enough to allow people with conflicting opinions to work together for the common purpose of maintaining the union." A band parade took place following the platform proceedings. * Last Updated: 26 May 2010 2:16 PM
* Source: n/a
* Location: Ballymoney Pics: David Hanna, W.M. of Lavin LOL 913, welcomes the Grand Master of the Orange Order, Robert Saulters, to the official opening and dedication on Friday night, along with Rev. Martin Smyth, Past Grand Master.BM21-228JC Three veteran Orangemen pictured at the opening of Lavin Hall.. Included are James McKay, Willie Kirkpatrick and William Calderwood.BM21-229JC David Hanna, W.M. of Lavin Lodge, with Mr. Bertie Quinn, contractor, at the opening of the new Orange Hall on Friday night.BM21-230JC Officers and guests at the official opening of Lavin Orange Hall. Included are Robert Saulters, Rev. Martin Smyth, David Hanna, James Walker, James Murphy, Drew Nelson, Grand Secretary, David Taggart, Grand Secretary, England, Edward Hyde, Grand Secretary, Scotland, George Wright.BM21-231JC
The oldest member of Lavin Flute band warms up for Friday night's parade to mark the opening of the new hall. Tommy Murphy has been a loyal bandsman for more than 50 years and has no intention of hanging up the flute.BM21-232JC
How to Remove Bing from Firefox and get it to Work the Way it Used to
InstructionsThings You'll Need:
- a computer
- Firefox
- a desire to get rid of Bing
- the ability to follow instructions
If you're reading this article, you probably already have Firefox open. If not, load it up!
Locate your Firefox address bar. This is the box at the top of your page where you type in your searches, NOT the Google search bar that you might occasionally use.
Type the following into the address bar:
about:config
Type it EXACTLY the way shown above. Do not improvise or type it the way that YOU think it should be typed. Do not add commas, parentheses or quotation marks. You're serious about getting Google back as your default search engine, right?
It will look almost exactly like this.You'll see a scary warning that says, "This might void your warranty!".
Ignore it, and click on the little box that says, "I'll be careful, I promise!".
This is what a Firefox filter bar looks like.After you promise to be careful, Firefox will take you to a page full of intimidating computer stuff. Don't waste time looking around, and DON'T mess with anything!
There will be a filter bar at the top of your page. The filter bar looks exactly like the box you use to search for websites using IE, Firefox, or Google.
In the filter bar, type in:
keyword.URL
Again, type it in EXACTLY as shown. Do not add commas, quotation marks, or parentheses.
Your screen will probably look exactly like this. This is a photo from my own computer.Double click on "keyword.URL".
A window (if you aren't familiar with computer jargon, a window looks like a small box) will open up.
Using your backspace or delete key, erase the text in the window.
Replace the text with the following:
http://www.google.com/webhp?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
The "http" part is not optional. Type it exactly as shown above.
Goodbye, and good riddance!Click OK, and say adiós to Bing!
Do a practice search to make sure that Google is your default search engine again. If not, repeat steps 1-4.
When repeating step 5, replace the text with the following:
http://www.google.com/search?btnI=I%27m+Feeling+Lucky&q=
If the previous http text didn't work, this should do the trick!
Please consult a professional if repeating step 5 does not help. I am not liable for any damage you do to your computer (not like you'd get much if you tried to sue me anyway).
via ehow.com
Has Bing Hijacked your Firefox? One day I was typing things into the URL bar and Google either appeared or I was taken straight to where I wanted to go. Now Bing, the stinking pile of Microsoft `search excrement` appears. I looked everywhere in the settings and right clicked around the top of Firefox which allows you to remove unwanted toolbars, changed the default search in the search box beside the URL bar , all to no avail. Well here is the solution. Follow these instructions exactly and copy & paste the relevant text rather than typing it and you should be back to normal.
Untitled
SERMON: Teachings From The Tabernacle #5: The Ark of the Covenant http://ping.fm/mqwD5
via Ping.fm
Saturday 22 May 2010
Orangeman Robert Saulters in call for unionist unity
via news.bbc.co.uk on 5/21/10
Orangeman Robert Saulters in call for unionist unity
Page last updated at 21:21 GMT, Friday, 21 May 2010 22:21 UK
Robert Saulters said there was a range of unionist opinion within the Order A single unionist party is needed to maintain the union, the head of the Orange Order has said.
Grand Master Robert Saulters said there was "too much division".
The UUP is reviewing its operations after its failure to gain a single MP, the TUV failed to significantly dent the DUP's vote, and DUP leader Peter Robinson lost his seat to the Alliance.
"We will continue to dilute the union if we fight and bicker among ourselves," said Mr Saulters.
He was speaking in north Antrim at the reopening of Lavin Orange Hall, which has been rebuilt after it was destroyed by an arson attack in July 2006.
'One big unionist party'Mr Saulters said the Orange Order had members "who represent all the many shades of unionism".
"There is a huge groundswell of opinion that there must be a drive towards unionist unity or at the very least better joined-up thinking between unionists," he said.
Lavin Orange Hall was rebuilt after being destroyed in a fire in 2006 "Personally, I believe there should be one big unionist party which represents all the views that I hear.
"It must be a party that is big enough and modern enough to allow people with conflicting opinions to work together for the common purpose of maintaining the union."
Last December, the Orange Order convened secret unity talks between the DUP and Ulster Unionists at its Belfast headquarters.
The two parties discussed the possibility of electoral pacts and forming a unionist bloc at Stormont, although the talks did not involve the Conservative Party, the UUP's election partners.
The talks did not result in a concrete merger, although the two parties fielded unionist unity candidate Rodney Connor in Fermanagh and South Tyrone in an attempt to unseat Sinn Fein's Michelle Gildernew.
Mrs Gildernew retained her parliamentary seat by a margin of four votes.
Friday 21 May 2010
Boyne account to go under hammer - Belfast Today
via www.newsletter.co.uk on 5/21/10
Boyne account to go under hammer
The eye-witness account of the Battle of the Boyne is up for sale at a London auctioneers next month
Published Date: 21 May 2010
A HANDWRITTEN account recording intimate details of the Battle of the Boyne is due to go under the hammer at a London auction next month.
The original writings, penned by Jacobite soldier Captain John Stevens, reveal the extent of the disorder within the ranks of King James' army, ultimately defeated by forces led by King William of Orange in 1690.Among the revelations, Capt Stevens claims that thousands of troops on the Jacobite side were heavily drunk during battle, with a fatal mix-up over drink rations leading to many soldiers passing out before a single shot was fired.The journal relating to the Boyne campaign is among a volume of manuscripts by the author, relating to the latter part of the 17th century, and is expected to fetch in the region of £10,000-£15,000.Asked whether the Orange Order would show any interest in the literature, a spokesman said: "The Orange Order will examine every opportunity to increase our Williamite archive but obviously it will depend on a number of factors, including authenticity and cost."The Loyal Order already retains numerous artefacts in relation to the Battle of the Boyne and has indicated its desire to showcase its collection in an extended museum at the organisation's Schomberg House headquarters in east Belfast.Original items held by the Order include gloves worn by King William at the Boyne and his horse's saddlecloth.Last year, the Grand Lodge of Ireland became the custodian of another major part of Williamite history.The Paymaster General's Book was presented by Belfast City Council to the Order on permanent loan. Thomas Coningsby was alongside King William for much of the Williamite Wars.A spokesman for the auctioneer, Bonhams, admitted he expected interest to emanate from across the Irish Sea to Stevens' work."I think it's reasonable to assume there will be interest in this from Northern Ireland (given the significance to the Orange Order) but equally there may well be interest from museums and other public institutions both in Great Britain and Northern Ireland," he said.Capt Stevens' personal account is due to go on sale on June 8.
Page 1 of 1
- Last Updated: 21 May 2010 8:46 AM
- Source: News Letter
- Location: Belfast
July Celebrations Concert 2010
No abortion ad for Ulster but the mainland continues dance with death [tags:abortion,prolife,pro life,pro choice]
Britain is about to get it`s first abortion advertisement in the form of a 30 second video from sexual health clinic Marie Slopes International - to air next Thursday 24 May on Ch4 and will continue to be shown throughout June. Abortion advertisements are banned in the UK by law, but the organization has been able to get around the rules because of their non-profit status, and because they will not make any money from the ad. The ad is slated to air during an episode of “The Million Pound Drop Live”, a new game show, and doesn’t actually mention abortion directly. Instead, it asks “Are you late?” and directs directs those facing an unplanned pregnancy to Marie Stopes International's 24-hour helpline.MSI, which earned around £60 million from abortions and other sexual health and reproductive services in 2008, claims it will "confront the taboo" as well as raising awareness of sexual health and will help women to make a more informed choice about their pregnancies. MSI, which earned around £60 million from abortions and other sexual health and reproductive services in 2008, claim the campaign will help women to make a more informed choice about their pregnancies and sexual health. It will run in England, Scotland and Wales but not Northern Ireland as abortion is only allowed in northern Ireland on medical grounds. Some Pro-life opponents of the ad are threatening to take legal action and warned that it is a cynical attempt to normalise abortions. Mike Judge, Head of Communications at The Christian Institute, dismissed the need for abortion ads.
Mr Judge said: “Given that one in five British pregnancies ends in an abortion, it is hard to imagine that women are in the dark about abortion services.”
“This TV ad is not about information, it is a campaign ad by the abortion lobby to normalise what is, after all, an extremely sensitive subject. A TV commercial is not an appropriate medium for this”,
“Will the ad mention the medical risks of abortion – like financial services have to mention financial risks when advertising? Will pro-life pregnancy counselling services be permitted to advertise? Will this lead to a tit-for-tat ad war on abortion? “This is not the direction we should be heading in. The decision to allow this ad makes a mockery of last year’s consultation which concluded that rules banning abortion ads for TV should not be changed.” The Christian Legal Centre said it was poised to take legal action to block it. Director Andrea Minichiello-Williams said: "The notion that the destruction of human life can be advertised freely on TV as a service to the public is outrageous and we will do all we can to stop the advert." Society for the Protection of Unborn Children spokesman Anthony Ozimic added: "We are taking advice regarding the legality of the advertisement." Michaela Aston, a spokeswoman for anti-abortion charity Life, said: "To allow abortion providers to advertise on TV, as though they were no different from car companies or detergent manufacturers, is grotesque.
"By suggesting that abortion is yet another consumer choice, it trivialises human life and completely contravenes the spirit of the 1967 Abortion Act, which was supposed to allow for a small number of legal abortions in a limited number of hard cases, but has been twisted and distorted to allow for mass abortion on demand." Channel 4 has been prevented from screening the commercial in Northern Ireland because the province is the only part of the UK where the 1967 Abortion Act does not apply.
The issue is a uniting one where all of the political parties in the Stormont assembly, except the very small Progressive Unionists, are opposed to the extension of the act to Northern Ireland. And where all the main Churches are also opposed including the Orange Order and Roman Catholic Church. A leading sexual health charity based in Belfast said it was another example of how women in the province were treated differently to the rest of the UK. Dr Audrey Simpson, director of Northern Ireland for the Family Planning Association, said: "I think a lot of people would say it is inappropriate to use this ad on television because it would encourage women to have abortions. "They use the argument that if you give people information it encourages them to go and do something. But women already have access to that information." The FPA said it highlighted the need to decriminalise abortion in Northern Ireland. MSI chief executive Dana Hovig said that it is "a shame" that the ad cannot be aired in Northern Ireland as well as the rest of the UK. "Abortion continues to be severely restricted there and women in Northern Ireland are forced to travel to England for abortion services," she said. "Therefore the advertising of abortion facilities, their contact numbers or addresses is against the law in Northern Ireland." However, anti-abortion group Precious Life welcomed the fact that the ad will not be broadcast in Northern Ireland. Speaking to UTV News, the group's director Bernie Smith said: "Commercialising the killing of unborn children is despicable. "One in three women has an abortion in the UK. This commercial will go on to traumatise women suffering the after-effects of having had an abortion." A CHURCH of Ireland (Anglican / Episcopal) cleric has welcomed the decision by Channel 4 not to broadcast in Northern Ireland the UK's first advert for abortion services.
It was announced this week that the station would not show an ad in Northern Ireland. A spokeswoman for Channel 4 said: "Marie Stopes International offers a range of pregnancy advice services which include providing abortion services. "Unlike the mainland UK, abortion remains effectively illegal in the Republic of Ireland and severely restricted legally in Northern Ireland. "Channel 4 took these circumstances into account when deciding not to broadcast the advert in Northern Ireland. "This decision was explained to Marie Stopes when they booked the advert and we have not been asked to reverse this decision." The move has been welcomed by the editor of The Church of Ireland Gazette, Canon Ian Ellis, but he feels "dismayed" that the commercial will be broadcast to viewers in the rest of the UK. "Abortion is an extremely serious matter indeed and poses the most profound moral questions," he said. "These are far from resolved in the public mind. To allow abortion providers to advertise on TV is wholly inappropriate because it suggests that to choose an abortion is like choosing any other service or product. "Human life must not be allowed to be treated in this way." Such differentials probably exist because of the influence that churches have in Northern Ireland have compared to the secular UK mainland. The Progressive unionist Party under the leadership of Dawn Purvis issued the following: In 1984, the now defunct Northern Ireland Assembly debated a motion opposing the extension of the 1967 Abortion Act or anything similar to Northern Ireland. The religious influence with the politicians is reflected in sections of the debate such as “we have to leave the question of deformity in the providence of Almighty God”; “Parents should accept what God has ordained”; “If a deformed child is born after rape it ought to be accepted as the will of God”. (FPA, 1997) The law surrounding abortion in Northern Ireland is certainly ambiguous, it is based on the 1929 Infant Life (Preservation) Act which was subsequently enacted for Northern Ireland in 1945 as the Criminal Justice (NI) Act. The Act states that a person would be found guilty of “child destruction” if they destroyed “the life of a child capable of being born alive”. (FPA, 1997) This was presumed to mean that abortion was illegal after the 28th week of pregnancy but there was no clarity as to what happened in the first 27 weeks – was it legal or illegal to perform an abortion? Another section of the Act stated if the abortion was performed “in good faith” to save the life of the mother, then no person would be found guilty. This is very similar to the views of Protestant churches on the issue of abortion i.e. that abortion should be allowed to save the life of the mother. In 1938, Dr Alex Bourne challenged the law in England in relation to abortion when it was not necessary to save a woman from actual death. Dr Bourne had carried out an abortion on a 14 year-old rape victim. He testified in court that had the young woman been forced to continue with the pregnancy, she would have become “a mental and physical wreck”. The judge acquitted Dr Bourne stating that the law should be interpreted in “a reasonable sense” and that the doctors opinion and “knowledge of probable consequences” should be viewed as his “operating for the purpose of preserving the life of the mother”. (FPA, 1997) This became known as the ‘Bourne Judgement’ and entered into English case law as a precedent. Public attitudes in Northern Ireland have changed considerably over the last number of years with recorded increases in the level of support for abortion at the request of the woman i.e. 25% in 1992 to 30% in 1994. On all grounds, Protestants are more likely to support legal abortion than Catholics e.g. in cases of severe handicap, 74% of Protestants as against 39% of Catholics. On the grounds of sexual assault or the physical or mental health of the woman, a majority of Catholics supported in each case. (FPA, 1997) The attitudes of Protestants in the surveys, closely resembles the view of the main Protestant churches i.e. that abortion can be justified in cases where there is a threat to the mother’s life or well-being or in cases of rape or incest. Catholic attitudes vary somewhat from their churches view. The Catholic Church believes abortion to be morally wrong in every case although this was not the view until the late 19th Century. Before that, a female child could be aborted before the ‘quickening’ (i.e. feeling movement) but not a male child. The ‘quickening’ was regarded as the moment of ‘ensoulment’ and occurred on the 40th day for the male child and the 80th day for the female child. (C Coppens, Moral Principles and Medical Practice) This view changed when the church ruled that “the embryonic child has a human soul, and therefore is a man from the time of its conception”. (Tribunal of the Holy Office, 1889) No exceptions exist in the Catholic Churches view that abortion is wrong even in cases where the mother’s life is at risk. The Tribunal of the Holy Office indicated in March 1902 “that no action is lawful which directly destroys foetal life” even if the mother is in “immediate danger of death”. (C Coppens) More recently, two Private Member Bills calling for the extension of the 1967 Act, failed to achieve the required fifty signatories. One of the sponsors, Mr Harry Barnes, a Labour MP was reported to have said that no Bill would succeed without the support of the 18 Northern Ireland MP’s, who incidentally are all male and include a Presbyterian Minister. In 1990 during one of the debates, Virginia Bottomley, Secretary of State for Health said that “Abortion is offensive to the overwhelming majority of those in the province… there is no will in Northern Ireland for such change”. (FPA, 1997) The Orange Order rowed into the debate in Northern Ireland after recent attempts to get the Labour government to extend the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland. In a statement they said: "Grand lodge views with deep concern the proposed extension of the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland. As an Institution we believe in civil and religious liberty and the entitlement of all to basic human rights. The most basic human right is the right to life itself. Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights begins with the phrase, "Everyone's right to life shall be protected by law." Abortion denies this right to vulnerable infants and so contravenes the European Convention. The official figures alone show that around 550 babies per day are being aborted which we believe to be totally unacceptable, as the vast majority of these abortions are being carried out for reasons other than medical. While respecting the rights of mothers the Grand Lodge of Ireland believes that a child is a separate and unique person from the moment of conception and so should have the same rights as other individuals. As a Christian organisation we believe that the Bible teaches that the unborn child is a human being with inalienable rights to full personhood. We therefore strongly urge all right thinking people to voice their opposition to the extension of this abhorrent Act to Northern Ireland. We wish to express the support for the Members of Parliament from Northern Ireland for their stand against any change to the status quo, and call on all our members to support such a stand in their prayers." In 2009 MSI was responsible for one in three abortions performed in England and Wales, and women with unwanted pregnancies who contact MSI are charged £80 for a consultation. In 2008 a staggering 215,975 abortions were performed in the UK. Last month it was revealed that a baby boy who survived a botched abortion at 22 weeks was wrapped in a sheet and left to die by staff at the Rossano Calabro hospital in Italy. But the day after the abortion the baby boy, who still had his umbilical cord attached, was discovered moving and breathing by a Roman Catholic priest. He was taken to another hospital where he died the next day. The latest official figures for 2008 show that there were 195,300 abortions in England and Wales and 13,817 in Scotland. Some 90 per cent of abortions were carried out at under 13 weeks gestation, while 73 per cent were under 10 weeks. Marie Stopes said about 80% of the abortions it provided in 2009 were carried out for free on the NHS. Abortion numbers in the UK are the highest in Europe with 219,336 terminations taking place in one year according to a new study. Britain also has the highest number of abortions for girls under 20 with 48,150 of the abortions falling into this age group. These figures, released by the Institute for Family Policies, are the latest statistics available from the European Union for the year 2007. Britain now ranks fifth in the world for the number of abortions performed, behind only Russia, the US, India and Japan. The number of abortions performed in the EU during 2007 was equivalent to the combined populations of the EU’s ten smallest states with Britain, France and Romania accounting for half of the terminations. Earlier this year the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) indicated that plans to permit abortion adverts had been put on hold. A statement from the advertising watchdog said: “In March 2009, the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) consulted on a proposal to include a rule in the BCAP Advertising Code about post-conception advice services. “In recent weeks, Ofcom and BCAP have identified some outstanding matters for further discussion on the proposal.” “Therefore, when the new Broadcast Advertising Code is published, the regulatory position for advertisements for post-conception advice services will remain unchanged.” 
Mr Judge said: “Given that one in five British pregnancies ends in an abortion, it is hard to imagine that women are in the dark about abortion services.”
“This TV ad is not about information, it is a campaign ad by the abortion lobby to normalise what is, after all, an extremely sensitive subject. A TV commercial is not an appropriate medium for this”,
“Will the ad mention the medical risks of abortion – like financial services have to mention financial risks when advertising? Will pro-life pregnancy counselling services be permitted to advertise? Will this lead to a tit-for-tat ad war on abortion? “This is not the direction we should be heading in. The decision to allow this ad makes a mockery of last year’s consultation which concluded that rules banning abortion ads for TV should not be changed.” The Christian Legal Centre said it was poised to take legal action to block it. Director Andrea Minichiello-Williams said: "The notion that the destruction of human life can be advertised freely on TV as a service to the public is outrageous and we will do all we can to stop the advert." Society for the Protection of Unborn Children spokesman Anthony Ozimic added: "We are taking advice regarding the legality of the advertisement." Michaela Aston, a spokeswoman for anti-abortion charity Life, said: "To allow abortion providers to advertise on TV, as though they were no different from car companies or detergent manufacturers, is grotesque.
"By suggesting that abortion is yet another consumer choice, it trivialises human life and completely contravenes the spirit of the 1967 Abortion Act, which was supposed to allow for a small number of legal abortions in a limited number of hard cases, but has been twisted and distorted to allow for mass abortion on demand." Channel 4 has been prevented from screening the commercial in Northern Ireland because the province is the only part of the UK where the 1967 Abortion Act does not apply.
The issue is a uniting one where all of the political parties in the Stormont assembly, except the very small Progressive Unionists, are opposed to the extension of the act to Northern Ireland. And where all the main Churches are also opposed including the Orange Order and Roman Catholic Church. A leading sexual health charity based in Belfast said it was another example of how women in the province were treated differently to the rest of the UK. Dr Audrey Simpson, director of Northern Ireland for the Family Planning Association, said: "I think a lot of people would say it is inappropriate to use this ad on television because it would encourage women to have abortions. "They use the argument that if you give people information it encourages them to go and do something. But women already have access to that information." The FPA said it highlighted the need to decriminalise abortion in Northern Ireland. MSI chief executive Dana Hovig said that it is "a shame" that the ad cannot be aired in Northern Ireland as well as the rest of the UK. "Abortion continues to be severely restricted there and women in Northern Ireland are forced to travel to England for abortion services," she said. "Therefore the advertising of abortion facilities, their contact numbers or addresses is against the law in Northern Ireland." However, anti-abortion group Precious Life welcomed the fact that the ad will not be broadcast in Northern Ireland. Speaking to UTV News, the group's director Bernie Smith said: "Commercialising the killing of unborn children is despicable. "One in three women has an abortion in the UK. This commercial will go on to traumatise women suffering the after-effects of having had an abortion." A CHURCH of Ireland (Anglican / Episcopal) cleric has welcomed the decision by Channel 4 not to broadcast in Northern Ireland the UK's first advert for abortion services.
It was announced this week that the station would not show an ad in Northern Ireland. A spokeswoman for Channel 4 said: "Marie Stopes International offers a range of pregnancy advice services which include providing abortion services. "Unlike the mainland UK, abortion remains effectively illegal in the Republic of Ireland and severely restricted legally in Northern Ireland. "Channel 4 took these circumstances into account when deciding not to broadcast the advert in Northern Ireland. "This decision was explained to Marie Stopes when they booked the advert and we have not been asked to reverse this decision." The move has been welcomed by the editor of The Church of Ireland Gazette, Canon Ian Ellis, but he feels "dismayed" that the commercial will be broadcast to viewers in the rest of the UK. "Abortion is an extremely serious matter indeed and poses the most profound moral questions," he said. "These are far from resolved in the public mind. To allow abortion providers to advertise on TV is wholly inappropriate because it suggests that to choose an abortion is like choosing any other service or product. "Human life must not be allowed to be treated in this way." Such differentials probably exist because of the influence that churches have in Northern Ireland have compared to the secular UK mainland. The Progressive unionist Party under the leadership of Dawn Purvis issued the following: In 1984, the now defunct Northern Ireland Assembly debated a motion opposing the extension of the 1967 Abortion Act or anything similar to Northern Ireland. The religious influence with the politicians is reflected in sections of the debate such as “we have to leave the question of deformity in the providence of Almighty God”; “Parents should accept what God has ordained”; “If a deformed child is born after rape it ought to be accepted as the will of God”. (FPA, 1997) The law surrounding abortion in Northern Ireland is certainly ambiguous, it is based on the 1929 Infant Life (Preservation) Act which was subsequently enacted for Northern Ireland in 1945 as the Criminal Justice (NI) Act. The Act states that a person would be found guilty of “child destruction” if they destroyed “the life of a child capable of being born alive”. (FPA, 1997) This was presumed to mean that abortion was illegal after the 28th week of pregnancy but there was no clarity as to what happened in the first 27 weeks – was it legal or illegal to perform an abortion? Another section of the Act stated if the abortion was performed “in good faith” to save the life of the mother, then no person would be found guilty. This is very similar to the views of Protestant churches on the issue of abortion i.e. that abortion should be allowed to save the life of the mother. In 1938, Dr Alex Bourne challenged the law in England in relation to abortion when it was not necessary to save a woman from actual death. Dr Bourne had carried out an abortion on a 14 year-old rape victim. He testified in court that had the young woman been forced to continue with the pregnancy, she would have become “a mental and physical wreck”. The judge acquitted Dr Bourne stating that the law should be interpreted in “a reasonable sense” and that the doctors opinion and “knowledge of probable consequences” should be viewed as his “operating for the purpose of preserving the life of the mother”. (FPA, 1997) This became known as the ‘Bourne Judgement’ and entered into English case law as a precedent. Public attitudes in Northern Ireland have changed considerably over the last number of years with recorded increases in the level of support for abortion at the request of the woman i.e. 25% in 1992 to 30% in 1994. On all grounds, Protestants are more likely to support legal abortion than Catholics e.g. in cases of severe handicap, 74% of Protestants as against 39% of Catholics. On the grounds of sexual assault or the physical or mental health of the woman, a majority of Catholics supported in each case. (FPA, 1997) The attitudes of Protestants in the surveys, closely resembles the view of the main Protestant churches i.e. that abortion can be justified in cases where there is a threat to the mother’s life or well-being or in cases of rape or incest. Catholic attitudes vary somewhat from their churches view. The Catholic Church believes abortion to be morally wrong in every case although this was not the view until the late 19th Century. Before that, a female child could be aborted before the ‘quickening’ (i.e. feeling movement) but not a male child. The ‘quickening’ was regarded as the moment of ‘ensoulment’ and occurred on the 40th day for the male child and the 80th day for the female child. (C Coppens, Moral Principles and Medical Practice) This view changed when the church ruled that “the embryonic child has a human soul, and therefore is a man from the time of its conception”. (Tribunal of the Holy Office, 1889) No exceptions exist in the Catholic Churches view that abortion is wrong even in cases where the mother’s life is at risk. The Tribunal of the Holy Office indicated in March 1902 “that no action is lawful which directly destroys foetal life” even if the mother is in “immediate danger of death”. (C Coppens) More recently, two Private Member Bills calling for the extension of the 1967 Act, failed to achieve the required fifty signatories. One of the sponsors, Mr Harry Barnes, a Labour MP was reported to have said that no Bill would succeed without the support of the 18 Northern Ireland MP’s, who incidentally are all male and include a Presbyterian Minister. In 1990 during one of the debates, Virginia Bottomley, Secretary of State for Health said that “Abortion is offensive to the overwhelming majority of those in the province… there is no will in Northern Ireland for such change”. (FPA, 1997) The Orange Order rowed into the debate in Northern Ireland after recent attempts to get the Labour government to extend the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland. In a statement they said: "Grand lodge views with deep concern the proposed extension of the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland. As an Institution we believe in civil and religious liberty and the entitlement of all to basic human rights. The most basic human right is the right to life itself. Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights begins with the phrase, "Everyone's right to life shall be protected by law." Abortion denies this right to vulnerable infants and so contravenes the European Convention. The official figures alone show that around 550 babies per day are being aborted which we believe to be totally unacceptable, as the vast majority of these abortions are being carried out for reasons other than medical. While respecting the rights of mothers the Grand Lodge of Ireland believes that a child is a separate and unique person from the moment of conception and so should have the same rights as other individuals. As a Christian organisation we believe that the Bible teaches that the unborn child is a human being with inalienable rights to full personhood. We therefore strongly urge all right thinking people to voice their opposition to the extension of this abhorrent Act to Northern Ireland. We wish to express the support for the Members of Parliament from Northern Ireland for their stand against any change to the status quo, and call on all our members to support such a stand in their prayers." In 2009 MSI was responsible for one in three abortions performed in England and Wales, and women with unwanted pregnancies who contact MSI are charged £80 for a consultation. In 2008 a staggering 215,975 abortions were performed in the UK. Last month it was revealed that a baby boy who survived a botched abortion at 22 weeks was wrapped in a sheet and left to die by staff at the Rossano Calabro hospital in Italy. But the day after the abortion the baby boy, who still had his umbilical cord attached, was discovered moving and breathing by a Roman Catholic priest. He was taken to another hospital where he died the next day. The latest official figures for 2008 show that there were 195,300 abortions in England and Wales and 13,817 in Scotland. Some 90 per cent of abortions were carried out at under 13 weeks gestation, while 73 per cent were under 10 weeks. Marie Stopes said about 80% of the abortions it provided in 2009 were carried out for free on the NHS. Abortion numbers in the UK are the highest in Europe with 219,336 terminations taking place in one year according to a new study. Britain also has the highest number of abortions for girls under 20 with 48,150 of the abortions falling into this age group. These figures, released by the Institute for Family Policies, are the latest statistics available from the European Union for the year 2007. Britain now ranks fifth in the world for the number of abortions performed, behind only Russia, the US, India and Japan. The number of abortions performed in the EU during 2007 was equivalent to the combined populations of the EU’s ten smallest states with Britain, France and Romania accounting for half of the terminations. Earlier this year the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) indicated that plans to permit abortion adverts had been put on hold. A statement from the advertising watchdog said: “In March 2009, the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) consulted on a proposal to include a rule in the BCAP Advertising Code about post-conception advice services. “In recent weeks, Ofcom and BCAP have identified some outstanding matters for further discussion on the proposal.” “Therefore, when the new Broadcast Advertising Code is published, the regulatory position for advertisements for post-conception advice services will remain unchanged.”
Untimely Death No. 1: Abortion by Rev Ian Brown
Download now or listen on posterous
7307195955.mp3 (4886 KB) Download now or listen on posterous
Ever Right To Have Abortion? by Dr. Alan Cairns
Download now or listen on posterous
6210923334610.mp3 (1082 KB) Download now or listen on posterous
Thursday 20 May 2010
Ulster American Society Latest News for May 21, 2010
| Latest News |
| May 21, 2010 |
| 2011 Northern Ireland Tour Thank you again to our members and friends who took our 2011 Northern Ireland Tour survey. An update -- we are working with a tour operator to develop a unique, 10-day tour for May/June 2011 that includes visits to Ireland and Scotland. We'll let you know when the itinerary is finished and the price finalized. Until then, please email info@ulsteramerican.org or call +1 (267) 328-6123 with any questions. |
| Heritage Photo NI If you have ancestral connections to Northern Ireland, Heritage Photo NI can provide you with a personalised insight into your past, in the form of a unique photographic record of your Northern Irish heritage landscape. Visit web site. Second homes: Live along some famed fairways In Northern Ireland, the new Lough Erne resort includes a Nick Faldo course; new homes with lifetime family memberships start at about $500,000. Read story. President Obama's Irish Ancestors Click here to read the article "President Barack Obama -- Family history and modern America" by Brian Mercer Walker, Professor of Irish Studies at Queen's University Belfast, from the recent edition of the Ulster Historical Foundation's Familia publication. Learn how experts traced a branch of President Obama's family tree from Hawaii, through Kansas and Ohio, to Co. Offaly, Ireland. US Envoy Backs Integrated Belfast US President Barak Obama's special envoy to Ireland Declan Kelly has been today 'backing Belfast'. Read story. |
| Click here to visit the Ulster American Society's web site. |
| Ulster American Society, Inc. , PAPO Box 375 Lansdale United States |
Funding/Courses for Victims/those injured during Conflict
Hi Colleagues
IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF YOUR GROUP BEEN RELATED TO A VICTIM, OR BEEN INJURED/CARING FOR AN INJURED INDIVIDUAL, AS A RESULT OF THE CONFLICT AND IF SO ARE YOU AWARE OF FUNDING, ASSISTANCE AND THE RANGE OF COURSES AVAILABLE FOR SUCH INDIVIDUALS? The Northern Ireland Memorial Fund offers assistance and various types of support for those who have lost members of their families or for those that have been injured as a result of the conflict. Specific criteria apply but examples include the following: * SHORT BREAK SCHEME-Up to maximum of two per person which cover travel and accomodation for a short break to the UK and Ireland;* EDUCATION AND TRAINING SCHEME-For those relatives of the victims who are purusing recognised courses or accredited training with assistance for course fees, books, provision of laptop, etc;
* BACK TO SCHOOL SCHEME-Assistance for relatives of victims for purchase of school uniforms, books, etc; Details of these and others are summarised in the tables within the ATTACHED WORD DOCUMENT but further information can also be obtained from the Northern Ireland Memoral Fund's main office-contact details as follows: The Northern Ireland Memorial Fund
Unit 1
Massey Avenue
BELFAST
BT4 2JT Tel:028 9076 1166 / Fax: 028 9076 1144 W: www.nimf.org.uk; E: nimfgao@belfast.org.uk OR CALL INTO YOUR LOCAL WAVE OFFICE-SEE ALSO BELOW. WAVE CENTRES ARE ALSO OFFERING A RANGE OF COURSES IN VOLUNTEERING, TRAUMA AND ADDICTION, FATIGUE, ETC FOR VICTIMS THEIR RELATIVES AND/OR CARERS. These courses seek to engage the "Helping Relationship" enabling society within Nortern Ireland to deal with the legacy of a violent past, are available at various levels accredited by the Open College Network, and also include those which lead to Certificate and Diplomas through QUB. They can usually delivered FREE of charge for groups with minimum numbers of participants ranging from 10-12 (support may be availaBle for running costs associated with venues?). More information is available at: www.wavetraumacentre.org or by contacting the Truama Training Team on 028 9077 9922
(E: traumatrainingadmin@wavebelfast.co.uk) or by visiting your regional Wave Office as follows: 5 Chichester Park South
BELFAST BT15 5DW
T: 028 9077 9922
F: 028 9078 1165
E: admin@wavebelfast.co.uk 6 Mallview Terrace
ARMAGH, BT61 9AN
T: 028 3751 1599
F: 028 3751 1599
E: admin@wavearmagh.co.uk 18 Holmview Avenue
OMAGH BT79 OAQ
T: 028 8225 2522
F: 028 8225 9979
E: admin@waveomagh.co.uk 13 Castlecroft, Mian Street
BALLYMONEY BT53 6TD
T: 028 2766 9900
F: 028 2766 9900
E: admin@waveballymoney.co.uk 23a Bishop Street
LONDONDERRY BT48 6PR
T: 028 7126 6655
F: 028 7126 2643
E: admin@wavederry.co.uk FINALLY, STAFF FROM THE ULSTER SCOTS COMMUNITY NETOWRK OFFICE IN MARKETHILL AND ALTNAVEIGH HOUSE ARE IN PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS ON THE ORGANISATION OF AN INFORMATION SESSION ON FUNDING AND SUPPORT SUCH AS THE ABOVE, THAT ARE OPEN TO ALL, BUT IN PARTICULAR FOR THOSE GROUPS WHOM HAVE MEMBERS THAT ARE VICTIMS AND FOR EX-UDR/RIR ASSOCATIONS IN THE MID ULSTER AND NEWRY AND MOURNE AREA. FURTHER DETAILS LATER. Kind Regards
Charles Neville PhD Community Development Officer
Ulster-Scots Community Network
Markethill Office:
27 Main Street, Markethill
Co. Armagh BT60 1PH
E: charlesn@ulster-scots.com; T: 07824510304
Tuesday 18 May 2010
Marching bands urged to apply for grants
Community groups, Ulster-Scots groups and marching bands have been urged to avail of the various funding opportunities available to them. Currently the Arts Council of Northern Ireland is accepting applications for grants for musical instruments. You can apply here (3rd June 2010 deadline)
http://www.artscouncil-ni.org/award/bands.htm The Arts council also has other funding schemes available which may be of interest to certain history, re-enactment, or community groups for the purchase of equipment and the funding of projects. Take a look here for more:-
http://www.artscouncil-ni.org/subpages/funding.htm The Ulster-Scots Agency runs various financial assistance schemes for dance & musical tuition, lectures, drama / re-enactment / living history projects, summer schools and festivals
http://www.ulsterscotsagency.com/community-projects/apply-for-funding/ Don`t forget your local council usually has some form of small grant scheme for Arts & culture available as well. And there are various EU Peace and Rural Development Council schemes to help with community groups and building projects. EU Peace III Funding
http://www.dfpni.gov.uk/index/finance/european-funding/eu-funding-2007-2013/peace_iii_programme_2007-2013.htm Rural Development Council Funding
http://www.rdc.org.uk/ Example local Council grant schemes:
Magherafelt Council Events & Festivals Grant
http://www.magherafelt.gov.uk/grants/index.php Cookstown Council Arts & Culture Small Grants
http://www.cookstown.gov.uk/resident/artsandculture/smallgrants/ Marching bands urged to apply for grants
http://dup.org.uk/articles.asp?ArticleNewsID=2100 William McCrea today urged the Marching Band sector to apply for new Instruments funding made available by the Arts Council by 3rd June 2010: “The marching bands sector is a key part of Ulster’s cultural wealth. It maintains the active involvement of thousands across Northern Ireland. It is right that this contribution is recognised by the Arts Council funding. I would encourage the marching bands to apply for the £200,000 funding made available by the Arts Council. The DUP will seek to expand this level of support in future years to ensure the sector gains the respect, recognition and resources it deserves.”
http://www.artscouncil-ni.org/award/bands.htm The Arts council also has other funding schemes available which may be of interest to certain history, re-enactment, or community groups for the purchase of equipment and the funding of projects. Take a look here for more:-
http://www.artscouncil-ni.org/subpages/funding.htm The Ulster-Scots Agency runs various financial assistance schemes for dance & musical tuition, lectures, drama / re-enactment / living history projects, summer schools and festivals
http://www.ulsterscotsagency.com/community-projects/apply-for-funding/ Don`t forget your local council usually has some form of small grant scheme for Arts & culture available as well. And there are various EU Peace and Rural Development Council schemes to help with community groups and building projects. EU Peace III Funding
http://www.dfpni.gov.uk/index/finance/european-funding/eu-funding-2007-2013/peace_iii_programme_2007-2013.htm Rural Development Council Funding
http://www.rdc.org.uk/ Example local Council grant schemes:
Magherafelt Council Events & Festivals Grant
http://www.magherafelt.gov.uk/grants/index.php Cookstown Council Arts & Culture Small Grants
http://www.cookstown.gov.uk/resident/artsandculture/smallgrants/ Marching bands urged to apply for grants
http://dup.org.uk/articles.asp?ArticleNewsID=2100 William McCrea today urged the Marching Band sector to apply for new Instruments funding made available by the Arts Council by 3rd June 2010: “The marching bands sector is a key part of Ulster’s cultural wealth. It maintains the active involvement of thousands across Northern Ireland. It is right that this contribution is recognised by the Arts Council funding. I would encourage the marching bands to apply for the £200,000 funding made available by the Arts Council. The DUP will seek to expand this level of support in future years to ensure the sector gains the respect, recognition and resources it deserves.”
-- Alan aka Kilsally Treasurer, Salterstown LOL 482 Loyal Sons Of Derry Secretary, Ballyronan District LOL No 10 South Londonderry, Northern Ireland Faugh A Ballagh Lámh Dhearg Abú Tha Hamely Tongue:- Houl yer whist - keep quiet / don`t butt in Ye hallion - you tearaway Skreigh o day - crack of dawn / day Scundered - fed up 1 Corinthians 1:27-29: For God has chosen the weak things in the world, the foolish, the nothings.. That no flesh will Glory in His presence. Isaiah 29:19: The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. Ulster-Scots Online http://www.ulster-scots.co.uk The Orange Chronicle http://www.orange-order.co.uk Facebook http://www.facebook.com/kilsally Twitter http://www.twitter.com/kilsally My Space http://www.myspace.com/kilsally Flickr http://www.flickr.com/kilsally YouTube http://www.youtube.com/ulsterscotsonline Wordpress http://kilsally.wordpress.com/ Blogger http://www.blogger.com/profile/12355423947535095842 Google Buzz https://www.google.com/profiles/Kilsally
Tyrone Pipe Band Championship 2010
Saturday saw the 2nd annual Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association - Northern Ireland Branch, Tyrone Championships take place in Dungannon Park.
It is one of the smaller competitions drawing local Pipe Bands but it still managed to draw some of the major bands including the two top bands in Ireland, both former Champions of various accolades right up to the World title. St Laurence O`Toole from Dublin and our own Field Marshall Montgomery Pipe Band. Field Marshall came away top on the day in Grade 1 and all the results can be read over here:-
http://www.rspbani.org/viewchampionship.php?id=27 It`s early days yet in the Piping season especially with the European Championships being hosted in Belfast this year on the 31st July.
St Laurence O`Toole Pipe Band in action Upcoming Piping Events: Scottish Championship
10:00am
Sat 22nd May 2010 Co. Fermanagh Championships
12:00pm
Sat 29th May 2010 Co. Antrim Championships
12:00pm
Sat 5th June 2010 Mid Ulster Cookstown
9:00am
Sat 12th June 2010 CO Down Championships Bangor
11:00am
Sat 19th June 2010 British Championships
Annan
Sat, 26th All-Ireland Championships
Ballina
3rd July Heart 'o Down Championships
Newcastle
24th July European Championships
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Sat, 31st July Ulster Championships
Lisburn
7th August World Championships
Glasgow Green, Glasgow
Sat, 14th August
http://www.theworlds.co.uk/ North-West Championships
Portrush
21st August Links: Field Marshall Montgomery Pipe Band
http://www.fmmpb.com/ St Laurence O`Toole Pipe Band
http://www.slotpb.com/ RSPBA NI Branch
http://www.rspbani.org/
http://www.rspba.org/
It is one of the smaller competitions drawing local Pipe Bands but it still managed to draw some of the major bands including the two top bands in Ireland, both former Champions of various accolades right up to the World title. St Laurence O`Toole from Dublin and our own Field Marshall Montgomery Pipe Band. Field Marshall came away top on the day in Grade 1 and all the results can be read over here:-
http://www.rspbani.org/viewchampionship.php?id=27 It`s early days yet in the Piping season especially with the European Championships being hosted in Belfast this year on the 31st July.
St Laurence O`Toole Pipe Band in action Upcoming Piping Events: Scottish Championship
10:00am
Sat 22nd May 2010 Co. Fermanagh Championships
12:00pm
Sat 29th May 2010 Co. Antrim Championships
12:00pm
Sat 5th June 2010 Mid Ulster Cookstown
9:00am
Sat 12th June 2010 CO Down Championships Bangor
11:00am
Sat 19th June 2010 British Championships
Annan
Sat, 26th All-Ireland Championships
Ballina
3rd July Heart 'o Down Championships
Newcastle
24th July European Championships
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Sat, 31st July Ulster Championships
Lisburn
7th August World Championships
Glasgow Green, Glasgow
Sat, 14th August
http://www.theworlds.co.uk/ North-West Championships
Portrush
21st August Links: Field Marshall Montgomery Pipe Band
http://www.fmmpb.com/ St Laurence O`Toole Pipe Band
http://www.slotpb.com/ RSPBA NI Branch
http://www.rspbani.org/
http://www.rspba.org/
Saturday 15 May 2010
Relentless International North West 200
Today sees the NW200 motorcycle road races taking place on the Antrim coast. You can watch it live via the dedicated BBC NW200 website as well as via the `red button` on your digital remote control on ordinary TV and highlight programs on Sunday and Monday evenings which should be available via the BBC iPlayer during the week.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/nw200/ For a preview of what you are missing here is the 2006 Northwest 200 races
And here is a 3 minute lap of the 19mile course
The official North West website is at:-
http://www.northwest200.org/ Relentless International North West 200 in association with Black Horse - 15th May 2010 The International North West 200 is Ireland’s largest outdoor sporting event, attracting crowds in excess of 150,000 as well as the biggest names in the sport including Michael Rutter, Steve Plater and John McGuinness. Taking place annually in May, the International North West 200 circuit runs between the towns of Portrush, Portstewart and Coleraine – an area of outstanding natural beauty and home to the world famous Giant’s Causeway. The triangle circuit is one of the fastest in the world. In 2005, Michael broke the record for the fastest speed in the history of the event with 201.1mph..... Roads Close: Tuesday 5pm and re-open 9.30pm, Thursday 9.30am and re-open 3pm Race day 15th May roads close at 10am and re-open 6.45pm.
Poots encourages motorcyclists to bike safely at the NW 200
http://www.dup.org.uk/articles.asp?ArticleNewsID=2130 Environment Minister Edwin Poots has challenged motorcyclists and drivers to do more to reduce the number of motorcyclist casualties on our roads. The Minister was visiting the North West 200 today and met with some of the top riders who will take part in tomorrow’s big races. The professional riders were echoing Mr Poots’ sentiments urging motorcyclists to bike safely. Mr Poots said: “Like myself, thousands of motorcycle racing enthusiasts will be visiting the North West 200 to see one of the most spectacular events in our sporting calendar. However, everyday we see motorcyclists and drivers engaging in some very risky behaviour, often travelling too fast for the conditions or overtaking where it is obviously not safe to do so. I also see car drivers and other road users putting the lives of motorcyclists at risk by pulling out at junctions or overtaking without warning. Half of all motorcyclist casualties are caused by other drivers and, with that in mind, I urge car drivers to think about motorcyclists and how their actions might put them in danger. A bike is three times harder to see than a car - so extra effort and a greater level of awareness are essential where bikes are concerned." Too many motorcyclists are being killed and seriously injured on the roads. So far this year, two motorcyclists and one pillion passenger have been killed on Northern Ireland’s roads. Last year 16 motorcyclists were killed and 398 were injured – 138 of them seriously. Although motorcycles represent 3% of all licensed vehicles in Northern Ireland, motorcyclists account for 13% of all road deaths. Motorcyclists are over-represented in the road fatalities and are highly at risk. The Minister said: “I would appeal to all bikers and drivers, whether or not they plan to attend the North West 200, to leave the racing to the experts and consider the consequences should you become involved in a collision. Remember – it’s not just you who crashes.” The Department has heightened road safety messages in place to specifically target the NW200 audience. The DOE advertisement ‘Thinking Ahead’ focuses on motorcyclist error, making them aware of the dangers on the road and urging them to take care. This message is featuring in a heavily targeted outdoor campaign over the NW200 period. Mr Poots continued: “Be under no illusion, speed kills and wrecks lives. Bikers have a responsibility to ride their bikes in a proper and safe manner. So please bike safely.”
Notes to readers: 1. The International North West 200 is Ireland’s largest outdoor sporting event, attracting crowds in excess of 150,000. Taking place annually in May, the International North West 200 circuit runs between the towns of Portrush, Portstewart and Coleraine. The North West 200 race takes place on Saturday 15 May with practice races happening earlier in the week. 2. The DOE advertising campaign “Thinking Ahead” seeks to encourage motorcyclists’ safety and supports the Police “Bikesafe” initiative. The campaign uses the strapline “It’s not just you who crashes”. 3. The outdoor campaign will intervene with the target audience as they travel to and from the NW200 period, ensuring inclusion of all main routes and heavy penetration of routes around the North West Triangle. As with all our outdoor interventions, the campaign will use ‘safe’ advertising sites, such as bus shelters and garage forecourts.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/nw200/ For a preview of what you are missing here is the 2006 Northwest 200 races
And here is a 3 minute lap of the 19mile course
The official North West website is at:-
http://www.northwest200.org/ Relentless International North West 200 in association with Black Horse - 15th May 2010 The International North West 200 is Ireland’s largest outdoor sporting event, attracting crowds in excess of 150,000 as well as the biggest names in the sport including Michael Rutter, Steve Plater and John McGuinness. Taking place annually in May, the International North West 200 circuit runs between the towns of Portrush, Portstewart and Coleraine – an area of outstanding natural beauty and home to the world famous Giant’s Causeway. The triangle circuit is one of the fastest in the world. In 2005, Michael broke the record for the fastest speed in the history of the event with 201.1mph..... Roads Close: Tuesday 5pm and re-open 9.30pm, Thursday 9.30am and re-open 3pm Race day 15th May roads close at 10am and re-open 6.45pm.
Poots encourages motorcyclists to bike safely at the NW 200
http://www.dup.org.uk/articles.asp?ArticleNewsID=2130 Environment Minister Edwin Poots has challenged motorcyclists and drivers to do more to reduce the number of motorcyclist casualties on our roads. The Minister was visiting the North West 200 today and met with some of the top riders who will take part in tomorrow’s big races. The professional riders were echoing Mr Poots’ sentiments urging motorcyclists to bike safely. Mr Poots said: “Like myself, thousands of motorcycle racing enthusiasts will be visiting the North West 200 to see one of the most spectacular events in our sporting calendar. However, everyday we see motorcyclists and drivers engaging in some very risky behaviour, often travelling too fast for the conditions or overtaking where it is obviously not safe to do so. I also see car drivers and other road users putting the lives of motorcyclists at risk by pulling out at junctions or overtaking without warning. Half of all motorcyclist casualties are caused by other drivers and, with that in mind, I urge car drivers to think about motorcyclists and how their actions might put them in danger. A bike is three times harder to see than a car - so extra effort and a greater level of awareness are essential where bikes are concerned." Too many motorcyclists are being killed and seriously injured on the roads. So far this year, two motorcyclists and one pillion passenger have been killed on Northern Ireland’s roads. Last year 16 motorcyclists were killed and 398 were injured – 138 of them seriously. Although motorcycles represent 3% of all licensed vehicles in Northern Ireland, motorcyclists account for 13% of all road deaths. Motorcyclists are over-represented in the road fatalities and are highly at risk. The Minister said: “I would appeal to all bikers and drivers, whether or not they plan to attend the North West 200, to leave the racing to the experts and consider the consequences should you become involved in a collision. Remember – it’s not just you who crashes.” The Department has heightened road safety messages in place to specifically target the NW200 audience. The DOE advertisement ‘Thinking Ahead’ focuses on motorcyclist error, making them aware of the dangers on the road and urging them to take care. This message is featuring in a heavily targeted outdoor campaign over the NW200 period. Mr Poots continued: “Be under no illusion, speed kills and wrecks lives. Bikers have a responsibility to ride their bikes in a proper and safe manner. So please bike safely.”
Notes to readers: 1. The International North West 200 is Ireland’s largest outdoor sporting event, attracting crowds in excess of 150,000. Taking place annually in May, the International North West 200 circuit runs between the towns of Portrush, Portstewart and Coleraine. The North West 200 race takes place on Saturday 15 May with practice races happening earlier in the week. 2. The DOE advertising campaign “Thinking Ahead” seeks to encourage motorcyclists’ safety and supports the Police “Bikesafe” initiative. The campaign uses the strapline “It’s not just you who crashes”. 3. The outdoor campaign will intervene with the target audience as they travel to and from the NW200 period, ensuring inclusion of all main routes and heavy penetration of routes around the North West Triangle. As with all our outdoor interventions, the campaign will use ‘safe’ advertising sites, such as bus shelters and garage forecourts.
Friday 14 May 2010
Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland: The Cross of Christ
"but when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons . ." Galatians 4:4
"who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to sins, should lives unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed . . "
1 Peter 2:24John Beck had been a missionary to the Indians of the far North for some time without making a single convert until the day a rough, rude, chieftain lifted a page on which Beck had written a little of his translation of the Passion Story of Jesus, and demanded "Make these strokes live." While he read the passage Beck saw tears in the man's eyes and when he finished the Indian said he wanted to know more of what he had just heard. It was then that Beck realized that people only truly see God as they see Him in Jesus Christ.
This is proved in their response to the Cross of Christ. The Cross which has so much to say about the selflessness, courage, humility and loyalty of Jesus is making one profound statement, God loves us like that. It was a demonstration of the unchanging truth that in Jesus there is an attitude to people that is that of God to them. In Jesus the love of God is expressed in terms so that no one can be in doubt of it, through a human life.
We see God in Jesus who fed the hungry, healed the sick, comforted the sorrowing and illustrated to people a quality of life pleasing to God and useful to them. In his care for the friendless and the disregarded He showed how God regarded people and how He cared for them.
The Cross shows us the love of God. A great liner was moving out from the dock when an old clergyman was seen waving good-bye to his son who was off to China as a missionary. One onlooker said as he walked away from the scene,
"I realized that here was not only the sacrifice of the son, but of the father as well."
The great single truth the Church teaches about God is that God is like Jesus. As people see Him on the Cross they say:
"God loves me enough to do that for me."
The love of God is expressed in the Cross. Not to see the love of God there is to miss what is the heart of the Gospel.
Professor James Denney talking to his students on the tendency to minimise the Cross among some Protestants said:
"If I had the choice between such a one and a Roman priest holding up the Cross to a dying man and saying 'God loves like I had rather be the priest."God loves like that is the message of the Cross.
In Jesus we see what God is like. In Jesus we see what people should be like in their love of God and their service of people.
Jesus went to the Cross because wicked men determined to destroy "the loveliest life the world has ever seen." On the cross placarded is the destructive power of sin. Peter Abelard made the point that if only people could see the Cross, really see what it means, they would hate sin and adore God.
It took the life and death of Jesus to tell us what God is like. As Jesus lived to serve all sorts and conditions of people so He died for all of them - the Jews who hated Him, the Romans who wondered about Him and the people who ran away from Him when he needed them. At the moment of death He prayed:
"Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."
Charles Wesley put the thought into poetry and song:
"For ALL my Lord was crucified,
For ALL my Saviour died.
Grace for every soul is free,
ALL may hear the effectual call;
ALL the light of life may see
ALL may feel He died for all."The sacrificial life of Jesus began with the Incarnation and ends with the Resurrection. Calvary and the Cross was not the end. The Christian is not dependent on a man who lived and died but on a Christ who rose again and is "alive for evermore." Paul had proved the reality of that when he said:
"The life I now live is not my life, but the life which Christ lives in me; and my present bodily life is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20
Sin disturbs human relationships. The effect of the work of Christ in bringing people together in a common faith is unity for disunity, trust for suspicion, love for hate. The hostility of sin is defeated by the love shed abroad by faith in Christ.
There is this couplet:
"There is no life but by death to self.
There is no resurrection save through Calvary."Again the hymnist has words on the matter:
"O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from Thee;
I lay in dust life's glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red,
Life that shall endless be."
Rev. Canon Dr. S.E. Long
Thursday 13 May 2010
Orange Order At Balmoral Show
http://grandorangelodge.co.uk/press/PressReleases-2010/100511-orange_order_at...
Press Statements
Orange Order At Balmoral Show
11 May 2010
The Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland will have a promotional stand at the Royal Ulster Agricultural Show, for the third year in a row.
The stand will be in the King's Hall and has been organised by staff from Orange Order headquarters and senior officers of the institution.
The Grand Master of the Orange Order, Robert Saulters said:
"The response to the stand in the past two years has been tremendous. People were delighted to see us and were keen to talk about the various items we had on show and look at our display.
"Thousands of people visit the show each year, many of them Orangemen and their families, and it gives us a chance to catch up with old friends and to make new ones."
This year one of the displays on the stand will feature the Byerley Turk, the ancestor of thoroughbred bloodstock horses.
Born around 1684, the Byerley Turk is believed to have been captured from a Turkish officer by Captain Robert Byerley of the Sixth Dragoon Guards at the Seige of Buda in Hungary in 1686.
The horse saw service with Captain Byerley in King William's Army at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.
Earlier in 1690, a race meeting was held at Down Royal at which the top prize, was won by Captain Byerley's charger.
The Byerley Turk died in 1706 at the age of 27 but his line continued throughout the bloodstock of the British Isles.
Wednesday 12 May 2010
Maiden City Festival continues to develop
The Maiden City Festival just gets bigger and bigger and shows what can be done with a once controversial event. There are several websites of importance. Discover Northern Ireland (http://www.discovernorthernireland.com/Maiden-City-Festival-Londonderry-Derry-P16025 ) & the Derry Visitor ( http://www.derryvisitor.com/Festivals-in-the-City-2010.T613.aspx ) sites promote the event as a `flagship celebration of diversity in Northern Ireland`. The News Letter carries an informative article today by William Allen looks at the festival.
The Official Festival website with full itinerary is at:
http://www.maidencityfestival.com
With the accompanying tourist oriented Siege Heroes Trail website at:-
http://www.siegeheroestrail.com
Along with the connected Apprentice Boys of Derry website at:
http://www2.apprenticeboys.co.uk
They also have all the usual social media sites on the go:-
http://www.youtube.com/user/MaidenCityFestival
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Maiden-City-Festival/109602072347
http://www.flickr.com/photos/maidencityfestival
Maiden City Festival is 'a symbol of hope' http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/Maiden-City-Festival-is-39a.6287677.jp Published Date: 12 May 2010 By William Allen
THE Maiden City Festival in Londonderry seems to get better every year and, while its success in tackling misperceptions about the Apprentice Boys of Derry may be difficult to quantify, it is nevertheless without question. There is a belief that the lack of major confrontation and organised protests during Apprentice Boys parades these days is not just due to a process of negotiations under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce, but to the proactive steps taken by the Loyal Order to promote itself and its history.
Current Assembly Speaker, William Hay is one of those who has played a part in securing successive agreements on parades in Londonderry and he is in no doubt that the Maiden City Festival has had an impact.
"It's been a hugely successful initiative, and one that deserves more funding to ensure it keeps growing, funding that will allow the organisers to plan further ahead.
"What the Maiden City Festival has done is help educate the wider community on the culture and history of the Apprentice Boys; it's led to a better understanding of what the organisation is about. It's a symbol of hope in this city in terms of parading," said the Foyle MLA, who is himself a prominent member of the Apprentice Boys.
The Maiden City Festival is described on its website as "a showcase for Protestant culture of tolerance and openness, and for the heritage that is entrusted to the Apprentice Boys of Derry. The Maiden City Festival is the way in which the Protestant community of Londonderry, a minority community, is able to make a contribution to the life of the City and to the diversity of cultural expression".
That contribution has so far been considerable, and what makes it even more impressive is that it has worked so well despite limited funding.
While funding has sometimes been an issue, with the festival having to rely on obtaining funds from one year to the next, it's safe to say that it delivers terrific value and has grown considerably since it was first mooted as a way of correcting misperceptions that Protestant culture was all about parading. William Hay is not the only person to believe that it's been a significant success story, as more and more local organisations see a dividend from participation.
Highlights have included Bluegrass on the Walls, and a tribute to William Love, performed by the Black Skull Corps of Fife and Drums. And one of the other initiatives that has proved popular - and is therefore being expanded - is Culture Bite, a diverse range of lunchtime performances in cafés and lunch spots; another aspect deemed worthy of expansion is the Siege Story, which offers a way of more fully exploiting the historic backdrop of the city's walls.
One of the organisers, David Hoey said: "We are looking to expand the diversity section in terms of growing our Culture Bite cafe/ lunch programme.
And with the Siege Story we are hoping to provide short performances around the walls, enhancing the attractiveness of the walls as a tourist feature.”
He said the thinking behind the festival was to show how much Protestant culture could contribute to civic life and, despite changes in funding, it was working.
Mr Hoey said: “When we started it was the height of the parades issue and one of the important things we believed was that we needed to get away from the notion that Protestant culture was only parading. We wanted to show the Protestant community had something very positive to contribute to civic life.
Commemorations are an important part of the week but the festival itself is part of the cultural footprint of Londonderry.
“We had around £10,000 from the Community Relations Council the first year and around that from the city council, and funding has gone up and down, but we have a festival that’s three or four times bigger.
“We also have learned to extract cultural value from the resources that are already there. Also, in 1998 we were on our own, but now there is much more collaboration and we are hoping to work on building on that in future years. We always wanted it to be the foundation of something we could grow.”
Growth is measurable - while sections are expanding, the number of visitors going to the Memorial Hall, with its exceptional museum, grew considerably last year.
Hopes are high of even greater success this year, as the Maiden City Festival organisers have embraced modern media, with a website, a Youtube channel, a weblog, and a presence on Facebook and Flickr.
While the main events take place over a one-week period in August, work goes on in the background pretty much all year round, not least recently in terms of making the most of high tech developments and the social networking opportunities afforded by the internet.
“We have developed a substantial web presence and have launched a podcast,” added Mr Hoey.
“It’s a matter of progression. If you include the Apprentice Boys of Derry, our web presence is getting 120,000 visits a year. Our Youtube site has had 30,000 views in the past year. We have 25,000 visitors engaging during the festival week but the number has been expanding. This has been our first big year of a web presence, and we will be tracking the impact of that,” explained Mr Hoey.
The hopes are that people will now know much more about the history of the Apprentice Boys or the Maiden City Festival and will see that Londonderry is worth visiting in August, with the promise of excitement, entertainment and spectacle over that week in August, leading up to August 14 when the Relief of Derry parade gets under way.
Asked whether the festival had achieved everything hoped of it when it was first envisaged, Mr Hoey said its contribution has been “significant”.
He added: “People are more prepared to take a look.
I think demonisation has gone, and we are moving into better understanding.”
2013 has become an important date in Londonderry, due to the bid to become UK City of Culture and the Maiden City Festival is developing ambitious plans, that can be more fully explored once this year’s event has passed. And those plans will hopefully be developed whether or not Londonderry wins the UK title.
Mr Hoey concluded: “We have 2013 in our sights...we have an exciting project on our hands for 2013. We are always trying to plan ahead and change the shape of things - a festival needs to be constantly changing. We are always looking at what offers potential, and then making it reality.”
The Official Festival website with full itinerary is at:
http://www.maidencityfestival.com
With the accompanying tourist oriented Siege Heroes Trail website at:-
http://www.siegeheroestrail.com
Along with the connected Apprentice Boys of Derry website at:
http://www2.apprenticeboys.co.uk
They also have all the usual social media sites on the go:-
http://www.youtube.com/user/MaidenCityFestival
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Maiden-City-Festival/109602072347
http://www.flickr.com/photos/maidencityfestival
Maiden City Festival is 'a symbol of hope' http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/Maiden-City-Festival-is-39a.6287677.jp Published Date: 12 May 2010 By William Allen
THE Maiden City Festival in Londonderry seems to get better every year and, while its success in tackling misperceptions about the Apprentice Boys of Derry may be difficult to quantify, it is nevertheless without question. There is a belief that the lack of major confrontation and organised protests during Apprentice Boys parades these days is not just due to a process of negotiations under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce, but to the proactive steps taken by the Loyal Order to promote itself and its history.
Current Assembly Speaker, William Hay is one of those who has played a part in securing successive agreements on parades in Londonderry and he is in no doubt that the Maiden City Festival has had an impact.
"It's been a hugely successful initiative, and one that deserves more funding to ensure it keeps growing, funding that will allow the organisers to plan further ahead.
"What the Maiden City Festival has done is help educate the wider community on the culture and history of the Apprentice Boys; it's led to a better understanding of what the organisation is about. It's a symbol of hope in this city in terms of parading," said the Foyle MLA, who is himself a prominent member of the Apprentice Boys.
The Maiden City Festival is described on its website as "a showcase for Protestant culture of tolerance and openness, and for the heritage that is entrusted to the Apprentice Boys of Derry. The Maiden City Festival is the way in which the Protestant community of Londonderry, a minority community, is able to make a contribution to the life of the City and to the diversity of cultural expression".
That contribution has so far been considerable, and what makes it even more impressive is that it has worked so well despite limited funding.
While funding has sometimes been an issue, with the festival having to rely on obtaining funds from one year to the next, it's safe to say that it delivers terrific value and has grown considerably since it was first mooted as a way of correcting misperceptions that Protestant culture was all about parading. William Hay is not the only person to believe that it's been a significant success story, as more and more local organisations see a dividend from participation.
Highlights have included Bluegrass on the Walls, and a tribute to William Love, performed by the Black Skull Corps of Fife and Drums. And one of the other initiatives that has proved popular - and is therefore being expanded - is Culture Bite, a diverse range of lunchtime performances in cafés and lunch spots; another aspect deemed worthy of expansion is the Siege Story, which offers a way of more fully exploiting the historic backdrop of the city's walls.
One of the organisers, David Hoey said: "We are looking to expand the diversity section in terms of growing our Culture Bite cafe/ lunch programme.
And with the Siege Story we are hoping to provide short performances around the walls, enhancing the attractiveness of the walls as a tourist feature.”
He said the thinking behind the festival was to show how much Protestant culture could contribute to civic life and, despite changes in funding, it was working.
Mr Hoey said: “When we started it was the height of the parades issue and one of the important things we believed was that we needed to get away from the notion that Protestant culture was only parading. We wanted to show the Protestant community had something very positive to contribute to civic life.
Commemorations are an important part of the week but the festival itself is part of the cultural footprint of Londonderry.
“We had around £10,000 from the Community Relations Council the first year and around that from the city council, and funding has gone up and down, but we have a festival that’s three or four times bigger.
“We also have learned to extract cultural value from the resources that are already there. Also, in 1998 we were on our own, but now there is much more collaboration and we are hoping to work on building on that in future years. We always wanted it to be the foundation of something we could grow.”
Growth is measurable - while sections are expanding, the number of visitors going to the Memorial Hall, with its exceptional museum, grew considerably last year.
Hopes are high of even greater success this year, as the Maiden City Festival organisers have embraced modern media, with a website, a Youtube channel, a weblog, and a presence on Facebook and Flickr.
While the main events take place over a one-week period in August, work goes on in the background pretty much all year round, not least recently in terms of making the most of high tech developments and the social networking opportunities afforded by the internet.
“We have developed a substantial web presence and have launched a podcast,” added Mr Hoey.
“It’s a matter of progression. If you include the Apprentice Boys of Derry, our web presence is getting 120,000 visits a year. Our Youtube site has had 30,000 views in the past year. We have 25,000 visitors engaging during the festival week but the number has been expanding. This has been our first big year of a web presence, and we will be tracking the impact of that,” explained Mr Hoey.
The hopes are that people will now know much more about the history of the Apprentice Boys or the Maiden City Festival and will see that Londonderry is worth visiting in August, with the promise of excitement, entertainment and spectacle over that week in August, leading up to August 14 when the Relief of Derry parade gets under way.
Asked whether the festival had achieved everything hoped of it when it was first envisaged, Mr Hoey said its contribution has been “significant”.
He added: “People are more prepared to take a look.
I think demonisation has gone, and we are moving into better understanding.”
2013 has become an important date in Londonderry, due to the bid to become UK City of Culture and the Maiden City Festival is developing ambitious plans, that can be more fully explored once this year’s event has passed. And those plans will hopefully be developed whether or not Londonderry wins the UK title.
Mr Hoey concluded: “We have 2013 in our sights...we have an exciting project on our hands for 2013. We are always trying to plan ahead and change the shape of things - a festival needs to be constantly changing. We are always looking at what offers potential, and then making it reality.”
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