Monthly Archives: November 2012

Columban November 23rd is the Feast of St. Columban.  In his book, St Columbanus, Pilgrim for Christ, Fr. Aidan Larkin, SSC gives a thumbnail biographical sketch: “The child would grow to manhood and become first a monk, then a priest, … Continue reading →

THE end of an era  came with the news on Wednesday that one of North Down’s best known councillors and two times former mayor, Ruby Cooling, had died. She was 87 and had been ill for some time. Sadness and … Continue reading →

I attended this Book Launch by the Deputy Mayor of North Down, Alderman Marion Smith. My old friend James O’Fee also attended. Colourpoint Books now distribute my Pretani Press titles The book is a beautiful and original one exploring Bangor’s past through … Continue reading →

The Other Irish The Scots-Irish Rascals who Made America What do Davy Crockett, Mark Twain, and Neil Armstrong have in common? They are descendants of feisty Scotch-Irish immigrants who travelled the ocean to the New World in the 1700s. Rebellious, independent, … Continue reading →

  On March 12th, 2011, as High Sheriff of Belfast, I was honoured to have been invited to the Ghana Independence Day Celebrations in Northern Ireland at the Willowfield Parish Church Halls, Woodstock Road, Belfast. The celebration was characterised by … Continue reading →

                                                                                                 Jim Dornan and myself                                                                                                                                The O’Fee Brothers  Assembly Hall, Bangor Grammar School, College Avenue, Bangor At the start of 2013, Bangor Grammar School will relocate to its new £20m campus at Gransha … Continue reading →

                             Fr Des Wilson and the Aisling Roll of Honour Award                    Fr Des, Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast Tierna Cunningham and myself   Tonight, as a former recipient, on the invitation of Máirtín O Muilleoir, I was delighted to present … Continue reading →

Globe & Mail, Sunday, November, 11, 2012 Canada’s Forgotten First Remembrance Day Peter Vronsky  “We will remember” is a call heard at many military memorial ceremonies and parades but it was only in 1931 that Ottawa passed an act permanently … Continue reading →

Tonight, on the invitation of Andrew Charles, I attended this dinner with my friend Professor Wesley Hutchinson. We sat with Geoffrey Dudgeon and Andrew’s wife Rebecca Black The dinner was  held at Queens University Great Hall .Entertainment was provided by the widely acclaimed Regimental Band of … Continue reading →