Men's Fellowship

President: Brian McLaughlin: Vice-president: Rev. Dr Isaac Thompson; Treasurer: Graham Lowe; Programme Secretary: Robert McNeely; Minute Secretary: Bill Houston; Social Secretary: Bill Houston; Press Secretary: Hugh McGrattan.

Programme Sub Committee: Brian McLaughlin, Rev Dr Isaac Thompson, James Heaney, Robert McNeely (Sec)

Meets Thursday mornings (10.30) from September to March.

For the past 30 years, the Ballywillan Men's Fellowship has provided a weekly meeting-place for the retired and semi-retired men of the district.

During that time, several hundred speakers have entertained and enlightened the members through varied talks and presentations.Just as importantly, hundreds of friendships have been made in the informal atmosphere of pre-meeting gatherings where tea, coffee, biscuits and craic are enjoyed in equal measure!

Never intended as a strictly Ballywillan Only gathering, the Fellowship has lived up to its initial expectations and can claim members from every church denomination in the area,as well as many with no church connections at all. Current membership stands at 36 within an age range from the fifties to the nineties.

Members come not only from the Portrush district, but from a wide area extending up to a dozen miles away and including Coleraine and Portstewart. In the past year they have enjoyed a programme of varied talks and presentations.

Meetings are normally held in The Frazer Room. A full programme of speakers has been arranged until Easter, when the session will end in traditional style with lunch at a local restaurant. Indeed, lunch is usually enjoyed two or three times during the year, with wives and friends invited.

There is a small annual fee (£15) with another £1 per meeting, which helps to defray speakers' expenses. Surplus funds are usually shared between one or two social welfare type charities. Fellowship are always keen to welcome new members.

PROGRAMME 2024 - 2005

Sept 26th - RNLI @ 200 Mark Mitchell

Oct 3rd - News and updates from Portrush Heritage Group - John McNally

Oct 10th - Reach Portrush - Val McDonald

Oct 17th - Forgive us our Press Passes - Mark Simpson

Oct 24th - Breakfast by Eswatini Team

Oct 31st - Freshwater Flies - Peter Langton

Nov 7th - Killymoon Castle's Connection to D Day - Clarke Hill

Nov 14th - Magilligan's Anti Aircraft Guns - Grace McAllister

Nov 21st - Mountsandel News - Derek Sinnamon

Nov 28th - Modern Ordnance Survey - Jonathan Bell

Dec 5th - The Joys of Aviation Archeology - Jonny McNie

Dec 12th - CHRISTMAS LUNCH

Jan 16th - Committee Meeting

Jan 23rd - ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Jan 30th - The History of Golf in Portrush - Gerry McAleese

Feb 6th - Mining in the Portrush Area - Geoff Warke

Feb 13th - Preparing for the Open - Gary O'Neill

Feb 20th - The Role of a Lord Lieutenant - Alison Millar

Feb 27th - BREAKFAST

Mar 6th - Sticks and Strings - Rev P Kerr

Mar 13th - The Life and Times of Mary Ann McCracken - Speaker TBA

Mar 20th - The Chronicle "180 Not Out but Always Out" - John Fillis & Hugh McGrattan

Mar 27th - North Coast Images - Kenneth Wood

April 3rd - SPRING LUNCH