Monthly Archives: June 2012

Today we visited the magnificent South African Memorial at Delville Wood prior to our Memorial Service tomorrow at Guillemont,when I will give my speech in French, Ulster Gaelic and English, especially thanking Irish Minister of State Dinny McGinley. The Battle … Continue reading →

Today we are in France and Belgium with the Somme Association.The following are our group, old friends and new friends together,representing Councils throughout Northern Ireland.. Alderman Frazer Agnew, Deputy Mayor of Newtownabbey is our tried and trusted Leader on the … Continue reading →

  The Voltaire and Rousseau Bookshop,Glasgow Today is my birthday and I am off to the Somme Battlefields in France with the Somme Association. of which I am the Founder and Chairman. But today is also the 300th birthday of … Continue reading →

British-Irish relations have taken a momentous step forward when The Queen shook hands in public with Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness. The historic encounter between the former IRA commander – now Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister – and Queen Elizabeth II was … Continue reading →

Statement by President Michael D. Higgins following Cooperation Ireland event at Belfast’s Lyric Theatre, 27th June, 2012 In my role as Co-Patron of Cooperation Ireland, I was very pleased to participate in this morning’s event organised by that organisation to … Continue reading →

    The Queen arrived in Enniskillen today for a two-day tour celebrating her Diamond Jubilee. Today I watched on TV, with my friend the Lord Bannside, the cathedral service of thanksgiving in the town, which was the scene of a devastating … Continue reading →

  Tonight I attended, with my friend Roger Blaney, the Installation Dinner of Belfast’s new Lord Mayor, Alderman Gavin Robinson. The toast to him was proposed by the First Minister Peter Robinson. Gavin was elected to office on 1 June 2012 … Continue reading →

  Action Cancer is a Northern Ireland cancer charity, established in 1973 by cancer specialist,my old teacher Dr George Edelstyn and supported by my friend Eddie Irvine. The founder’s vision for the future was that people in Northern Ireland would be … Continue reading →

  This afternoon and tonight I was at the Hampton Court Palace to see Van in concert. I had gone to see him in St James Palace on 18th January this year. HAMPTON COURT PALACE, 17th JUNE 2012 IT WAS … Continue reading →

Tonight, as a Serving Brother, I attended the Diamond Jubilee Dinner of The Commandery of Ards, The Venerable Order of St. John of Jerusalem at the Culloden Hotel, Cultra, Co. Down. The Commandery was re-formed by the Grand Prior HRH The Duke … Continue reading →