Ulster History Circleo ULSTER HISTORY CIRCLE,. Annual Report andAccounts 2023-2024 51( NÈVM I, PERSON OFTH CENI U Sean Hollywood Plaque 12h Decembor 2023 at 11.30 am Front Row, 14 Corniae MeKlnn•y¥rfnelpal St Colmon'•. Helena Young- NOY Marltlm• As•ocbatlon, Patrlcla Sl•vln Istsan's s18t•rl, Councll Chairp•rson. Couneillor Valerie Harte, Chrls Spurr- Chalrman Ulster Hlstory Clrcl•, Or. Elbhlin Mhie Aoldh - We• Chalr Ulster History Circl B*ck Row, l-r David P•arse- Actor and past pupll, Kenneth Irvln•- Ulst•r Hlstory ClYel•, Donal O'Hanlon - ChalmianlDirtetor N•wpolnt Player¥. Sean Og M¢Ategr- Secrthry Down County County GAA. Rory McSh•n•, J•m•s IAcAr•v•y - Chalmi•n NO Marlthme AvAoclatlon. Photo- ¢ourtMy of Llz Boyl•. Registered as a charity with the Chanty Commission of Northern Ireland_. NIC100124
Ulstsr History CircAnnUal Report 2023-2024 Contents: Members of the Ulster History Cir¢l• ........................................................................... Choirman's Fortrword. Thtr 2023-2024 Blue Plaque Programnw.......................... Images from the 2023-2024 81ue Pl4que PTC#3ram...... Financial Surnrnary............. Proposing, Funding and Achieving o BI Pl¥u•........................................................ The Dictionary of Ulstèr Biography............................................................................. Furth•r Images from the Cirde's 202&2024 Blue Pl•4u8 Programm•... page M•mb•rs of tha Ulster History Circle 2023-2024 Offic•r•: Mr Chris Spurr Dr. Eibhlin MhicAoidh Mary Delargy Maud Hamill Choim•n vi-chair secr9ry Treur•r I•ppoint•d UHC Junts 20231 Mik? Catto, rim Clfftord Iresign•d August 20231, Dr.P•tsr Cdlin8. Dr. DAV Hum• MBE. Nu•lo M¢Alli$ltr H¥rt Ir•$ign•d JUM 20231. Kenneth If¥in•, Liam Lcgan. Lesli8 mcK•ag, S¥amu$ M¢K••, Brion M¢Kwin Iresign8d teMbr 20231, McReynokls, Patricia Pyne lappoinled O¢ttsb•r 20231, Trevor Pathhill MBE. Richard Froggatt- Editor- Th• Dietionary ol U18t•r Biography. This report covers the period frorn April 2023 to Mar¢h 2024. Th•r• wa8 a total of 10 tr.J# h•k4 and th• Annual General Meeting totsk plac• in May prior to th• rngular monthly m••ting. A Background Not• The Ulster History Circle was found nearfy forty yeor¥ ago by Jamè# H&vlhom•. Ihts thtsn COntrolr of BBC Northern Ireland. Observing htsw pp1a of achv•mnt wore often comm8mated elsewhere by plaques. he realld there w?¥ nonIverSal schame in place locally to cebbfate those per%>ng whose achIeventS had mad• a gignrficant eontnbution to the history of Ulster. Mr Hawthome cr)nsidered thwe was sn opportunty for blue plaque programme and his inspirats'on created The Ulster History Cirde. Thtr first Circle plaqu• was to the artist Williarn Conor and i¥ on Slronmillis Road, 8•ffa8L opposit• Botsnic Garden8. Sine• thi8 beginning in the mid 19809. the Circle has put up 273 plaques tt> ¢8brat• athi8v•r8, in county and city in Northem Ireland . and In many trywns •nd vilbagts tco. Th•r• ar• elwen Cirde plaques in the Republic of Ireland, four in Don89al, h¥0 in Co Monaghan. and five in County Cavan. Every year the blue plaque programmè continuès to expand, thanks to those who support its activthes. There is no similar body within thtr wholts of island ol Ireland doing what the Circle does. With no mnies of its (y*m. the Ulster HL8tory Circle relies on finance from outside lunders. and rts actIVrt depend on the efforts of ts m•mr$. a whd volunteer working commrttee, whith has • rtuthr limrted by COnth"1)n, to fvrtnty.
Ulster History CirdeAnnual Report 202>2024 11 IJ KIVITI CIIILIQiL% Annual Report 2023-2024 Foreword Throughout the past y?ar th¢ U15ter History Circle's Vrk to erect cOmffrative blue plaques and organise unveilin9 ceremoniès has continued to progress and a total of ten plaques have bn put up across fve of th• nine counties of Ulster and in Bewast ¢ity. In Apnl 2023 Conway Square in N&wtownards, Co Ocff•m saw the unveiling of a plaque to the statesman Robert Stewart. Viscount Ca5tlereagh KG,. in May the artist Gladys Maccabe was Co[Morated at her tr)rmer studio on Stranmillis Road, Bellast. and in Co Armagh in June. Lurgan College hosted a plaqu¢ to past pupil Dr Mollie McGeown, nephrologist. and h?atth ¥¢rVi pionr. Two plaqu•s w•r• unveiled in September, th• first In Amiagh City lo Hugh 8r8en. moth6matieian, and astronomer at the Royal Observatory. Greenwich. and in Cootehill, Co Cavan, the novelist, publi8her and businesswoman Mary Anne SadIr of Montreal and N York was commemorated. In November three plaqu? leMOnieS took plac•, in Cultyhanno. Co Amwgh to Cardinal Tomas O Fiaich. archbi?hop. historian, schdar. and Gael at the pl of his birth exactly ICQ years bofore. In Dèrrylin, Co F•managh. on Amistice Day to Monica de WKhfeld Inée MasBy-Beresfordl. a bader of the Danish r88iStance in Wortd War 11, and in Lame. Co Anth"m io Dr Jans M¢Henry. Ulst•r-Scots wntor and US consul in Londonderry in fv 1840$. 2023 ¢nded wrth th• un¥èiling In December in Newry ol a plaqu• lo Sean Hollywood. teacher. actor and directof. eivil rights activist. hurt&r, and Gael. on what woukd have been his eoth birthday, at Sl Colman's College where he taught. On Internabonal Women's Day in March 2024, we wer• plead to tM to th• Circle's annual practice olcommemoratsng a woman Of¥chVeMentwrth o plaqu• to Maighréad Nic Mhaicln, Irish speaker. tran¥lator. writer. and xholar of RuJsi•n. 8t h•1 fom)r s¢hool. St Dominic's Grammar. in Belfost. All our plag unv?ilings èr• indivtslual, distinct, and •xc6ptional, and the first ¢ilizen3 ol Ihe cili•$ and tyorough$ Cerned, and family m8mbers of the persons commemorated attended many ol thè unvèiling e•r•mon8. Thanks are due to th08e bt)Jkx vtho have 8UPPOrted the pq4$w• h•v• put up during th• pa$tytsr".Ard$ arKI North Down Borough Council.. 8ellasl Crty Coun¢il., Am•Jh Crty. 8anbnd9• and CraKJa¥on Borough Counal; Cavan County CounrAI.' Foras na Gael¢. th• Vl8i•r-S¢otsAgn¢y, and N•wry Maritim&Assoo'ation. Several of these organizations hav? commrtted to a partn•rship wrth th• Cirdè lor annual plaque or more. The Circki was also extremely grateful tts r• g kind donation from t Sadlier family in AmerKa. Ourvolunleer mmb•rs ¢ontinu• to give their Invaluab supportto the Circle, generougly shanng theirexpertig• and kn¢wl•d9•. All d•saNa thanks for the contribulson they make to our effortg, especially Ihm who volunt to lead a plaque unveiling. The Circle now ho¥ an inl?rnal ¢ompl•ints proe•dur• In plac•. and this has bwn accepted by th8 Charity Commiss¢on for Nortrn Ir•land. Thm m8mb8rn our CA)Nnittee during the year, Ind were welcomed. Tha Dictionary ol Ulstsr BraPhY reprejents an impwtant part ol thtr Cir¢l•'s w?rk •nd in¢4j¥S thou8And• ol entries. The Dictionary. muth broader In scope than our plaqu programmè. 0{$ a nch and coth'nualty expanding base ol entries, all written and •drt•d in 8 voluntsry cap to an extremely hh standard. aThJ ha8 ts own dedicated webwte al Wv.Ulstarblography.eo.uk Thè Cireltr alway8 ha8 a bu•y programnw of plwue unveiling8 in pwregy. but it is polb1&10 propw • p•rnon of achievement for consideration. However, rt is advisable to undersland that many of thè pl¢)poSa we receive for a blue plaque are not always 88Ptd. It 18 aL80 important to remamber that as well as a suggestion of where a plaque rnight b• loeat•d, any new plaque proposal m(t also indicate how this mvJht be fvjnded. a thé Circl? hay no mon•y of our own. To discover more about our plaque prr4ramrre. l nTage you to read the infomation induded in this Annual Report. or to access th¥ Htsw the S¢h•mè Works pag• on our bSrt& at v.U1SterhIBtoryrc1e.Drs.uk In ¢onelugion. it Is my pleasure once again to thank all those who have supported the Ulster History Cirde across th• past year, both with funding and in friendship. and to thank in advance those who will do so in th• future. Chris Spurr, Chalmian. May 2024.
Ul8t•r History CIrcAnnUal Report 202&2024 The Blua Plaque Programme 2023-2024 .ILHIEW Pl•qu• Nufflb•r P4v•on omm•rnornt•d Loc1n of Plaqu• Unv•llltyi I9Apn1 un¥d by Fundlng 8ody Rob•rt $r•rt Vl•couhtC4•ll•rw 11769-18221 St•ts•m•n Ard$Art C•ntre Tth¥h H•ll Corn¥ay Sqw• Ntrkninards North Launtrw ol Mount SteArt cjnu1 285 Gl4dy• Ma¢Mb• 1191&20181 Arf¥l Wrlt•r, 17 Strar¥TrI B81r cty CtyJnul 266 Moll1• Il¢G• 11923-20041 Phy•lcl4n. N•phvolool•t H••lth S•Trlr• Lurgin Col Coi ¥ LuT9•n 23id JIA Johnny Fi•llnd. Arrpw9h Cty. Cia8von 2•7 Hu9h Br••n 11791-18401 M4th•m4tlcla Aitrtynom•r 19AbY Stre•1 Am)ty c Armw Cty. BanW)e •nd Cragavon Bwih cou1 Irtm. thro(ty r 261 Miry Ann• S•dll•r 11820-19031 Nov•llcEdlt¢r, Publl•h•r. Owln•B•wn•n Motltrml and N•wYa Co¢t•hill Lty Fhlgtr Sts•oi 21•t CwnolknT PN Bi&Jy C8v•n Ctyjnty Couwl C•v•n leg C4rdln•l Toml O Fl•l¢h 11923-19901 Archbl•hop #lAl9h. Hknl(rl•n. S¢hol4r, G• Monlc• d• Wkhl•ld In•• M•••y4•rnfordl 118919151 D•nlih R••l•tsnG• Lud•r 'An CThro•bWTh•r' 58 Kinyb Rolld Cultyhonn• Jchbhop and PThn•t• Ir¥nd. 270 KInY P•nth Church 146 M•in Str Oerrylin bek• Durath 271 Or. Jam•¥ McH•nry 11786-18461 Ulil•r4cot• wt•r Am•rtMn Con•ul Lond•tyd•rry 8•4n Hollywood 11943-19901 L4m• Muwxn Arti C•ntr•. 2 VKiort• Rc•J. 24th J•noAJkn O L Co utsior.scca 272 Sl C¢YmDn' Co Vioknl HIM Polrw Skni T•4¢h•v, A¢toi•nd r•¢I•1 Rts Finn Gouoh Hurl•r. Fovlb•ll•r, G4 1th19hraad Nlc Mh•l¢l 11859-19831 Trnnilitor. Wrft•T, S¢holrol RU1•n of Se•n Hc4tyw(yJ T¥K+tw 273 Sl Dominic'l GrAnMn8r Sc Falg Ro•d .1 IILJI Robert Stwart Ploque. . Pet8ralld L*y Rose Laurrtzen. Mount Skn¥rt. KArw oWJ8, Chnm Swr. Clwrnan. UHC. . Robin Ellv)ttfrcm Nvh Chris Spurr.
Ulster History Cirde Annu•l Rèport 202&2024 The Blue Plaque Programme 2023-2024 Glady• Ma¢¢ob¢ Plaque. . ProfeBwr Chfl8 Maccabe. son ol Gkndys Mx¢ob• blw pl•4L . l.r C•therine MrKee¥trr, Ptelldeni. Utsr Sory•ty cl WbmatyArtts. Cthi MK(¥b•. csr. Chwnwn. Cwd•. J•nny Macca, Miko C•tto, UI$w Hiilory Circkry. Phllip D¢n8ld S•amu• Md(ee, Ulaior Hknlory C¥•. Mollle IMGraArnI MCGEOWN 1923.2C¢)I .kdS4, Mollle McGeown Plaquo. Johnny Frqel•Thg Unvei th• blue pue to hm gr•ndmDIIw. . l.r. 181 ol Luig•n Cd•. Kykry MCCaln M8E. Dr P•i•r Ft••lwAI. Frn•knr. Chne Spurr. Chaim- UW•r Hislory Cird•. 1 J•nK• Fr••l•rwJ. . Guestj enjoying the unveillng ¢•r•m¢ny Hu irn. (I Hugh Breon Plaque. . ProfeJ&or MKhMI eurton. Dii•cw.skn•oh OheM¢ory •thJ Pl•ne¢•thm ur¢4•I1 thè ue Ueatrj by Ch• Spurr. Chwffl. Llhtsr Hotory Cit¢l•. LO May¢r ofArm4h Cty. BDDbrJ• Cr•¥a¥cffj Couwl. M•ffj•rf Tith •nd s c4wknof Arm8gh County Mu50um. . Chn& Spu. Ilic Burton. Ctyjndlbr M•rgar•t firffj ThJ M•ith• Ctstthy Pl•w•rnrn. • Ki•r•n McC¢nvill, Creggan Local Hilt Swty. Eh11 hAthdh. Vice Chair- ULster HI5tryy crt and Craid TrrnblB. Fcrn M G•• Mar Anne SAILIER 1820-1j N¢w¢W. Ethl i-ril Mary Anne Sadller Plaou•. . cath8oir3Ch of Cavan County c1n, Coundk)rPlil) plDJw. . I r cne1110T Sarah O'Reilly. CllrClThYotd Kel. Lsl Mcww. Uhter CitL4e. N48mh Snw TD. CHr Athn FotiN, cathaoiraCh Cllr. Philip 8rth, Eoin Doyl, Cllr M&deleineArgue. ChrNT Spurr. Ch•mwn. ar•1 CwJn C¢xty LK¥w. Emma Clancy. . I r Jon•th8n Snyth. Author wth L17 MrKeagu8. C¥c. &rryth TD •ThJ Sr
Ulstèr History Circle Annual Report 202&2024 CEI IS11 ACllllVtR Ulster History Circle Flnanclal Summary 2023-2024 R•c•lpts and Pyment• Account for the y•ar •nd•d 31st Mah 2024 Recglpt• BeKa5t Cty Council Armagh. Banbndge & Craigavon BC Cavan County Coun¢il For48 na Gaeilge Newry Manlirne AssorAation (Plaque sponsor•d by McJeTn Fireplace & Monurnental Works Limit•d} Ulstor Scot¥ Agency Total Grant Incorne Other Incom•- 0on8tion8 £1,300 £2,600 £1,294 £2.600 P•ym•nt• Plaquè Manuf8Cture and Fribng Plaque Den Meetsng Experbs Events AdMinistratn Printing and stab.ot Insurance Int•m•t CharyeB Accounting 1£6.3801 (£1201 1£1,1451 1£1,0351 1£3141 (£1851 1£5431 1£7%} £1.300 £5.41JO £14,494 £838 Totsl Exp•ndltur• {£10,450) Total Incom• £15.332 N•t Incom• £4.87S Stat•m•nt of A••gtslLlobllltl Oponlng R•8ourc N•t Incom• £9,037 £4,875 N•t A•ts carrt•d lorw•rd £13,912 R•pr•8•nt•d by: 8alanco por Bank Stat•m•nt Uncashed Cheques N•t Bank Balanc• £14.105 (£1931 £13.912 LAJPDINÉALO FWCH J.1 Cardlnal Tomas O Flalch Plaque. . Guo$t8 gaihEr at hou on Road. Cullyhor . Eibhlin Mhickndh, Ch•ir. Uhtsr History circ at n4U¢$lth I r . NlcCorNik. L1 SAW. Marya Nic Fheaithair, cncIlI0rv$r Hartt. Ch•iT ol lxxne 8 Omtrict thwl. . l.r. Tom O Fiaich nephew ofthe C8rdin01. P4cCoDvile. Harte.+tr&*Nhcp ofNJmaah MarKry Fhoaith8irthJ Eibhlin MhicAadh.
Ulster History Circl• Annugl R¢port 202>2024 CHIEVL Proposing, Funding, and Achieving a Blue Plaque An Ulstèr History Circle blue plaque unites a person vnth a i0¢at in ththr lile. aj the Cirde ¢anie5 Out car•ful and ext•nsiv research 1nto th• sile of each plaque. Street Indexes are chacked over. site vtsts mJe, and owners and tenants consultgj for permission to allow Ihe plaqw on their prem1508. Th•se 8ctivrts can take considerable limè, eypecially wh¢n se•king pernission to put up a plaque. Th• plaque wording Is refullY chosen." invitations are designed and Issued". a p•rson to unvèil lh plaqye invrted. guest speakèrs arranged. as each unveiling 15 accompani8d by a tslk on the person beirvJ honoured. and family membèrs, as well as members of professional bodi a$sOClated with the pL4qyè recipkent. a WKi Irted. Th¢ whoi• ss relully planned and ecpofdinated, towards creating a single special event. rson must be deeeas•d at K•ast nty year5, unless wouk4 reached th'r 100th birthday by thè date ol th• proposed plaque unv•iling. the person must b? associated wrth Uter (nin• count) by reaw of birth. •dun. work. r8sidence. or vcKation the porson should be acknry•¥ledg and recoonised as having made a signfficant conthbution to •dueation, indu$try. c¢mm•fce. KIc4, arts and Iitsratur•, int¢matwal affairs or othor calling anywher in the worfd. th• person mu$t hav• a buikling a8swated •Mh th•m in UIBt•r'. a place of birth. •du¢ation, rèsidence. work, or Similar. the Cirde's plaqu•s ar• to p•r8ons of a¢hw•trnnl ond do not comm•mor•t• buildings, pla. organisats.ons or moywnents. A proptrsal for a plaque should contain th• reasons for a yrson'$ nominatY>n. a short bK>gr¥phical note. •nd suggestion of wh•re a plaquè might Ited. All propos•18 should also giv• an Inditstion ol how the plaque will be funded. The Circle has no funds of rts (n, and r•lie8 on Iocol authryrtrt•. busin•8se8, org8nl8atnS, and individuals to pay for rts plaqutr8. Egch proposal is ¢arelully consKler•d by the Cirde ¢ommrttee. rf acc4pt•d. rt In9 the list of PfOSP plaqu8s. The list always ha8 a ¢ensid•ratyi• number of plaques wnding. so a new aptanCe con tak• ctynsiderable time tty pro¢•8s. The Circle undertakes all th• necassary work as outlined abovè in order to achiev• the plaque unveiling but can onty Lsndert8ke a plaque proJ•cl when fvndino Is agreed téforh•nd. and in placts. Propog018 lor plaqugs can be 8ubmitt•d 10 the Cirde •t". ul8t•rhi8toryclrdel@9mail.crn Thè Cir¢l•'s w•bsit• has undergono a SnClftt impro¥em•nt and red•vekprMnt aTrJ can b• ar¥x8ed at.. i.ulsterhi$tory¢lrde.org.uk The Dictionary of Ulster Biography Th& Di¢lionary ol Ulster 8wrophy (DUB) has ts ongins in the published work 119931 of th sam• nam. compi1•d by Kate Newmann Its inrtial 1644 entr were dKJth'sed by the Cirde in 27. and forni the ba$is of the present on-line DUB. which i¥ edited, in a voluntary capacrty. by the Cirde to a v•ry hvjh stantJard Marby of the original entri now include addrtional detsils, and new entr9 ar• add•d evtrry month, wth th• resurt that thè DUB currently offèrs infomation on over thousand peop. By publishing on-line. tho DUB bentfits from regular updating. and there are many eontempofary enlnes. for although a per8on fflust be tlec2ased to bè included ln the dictionary. the 20-year delay related to blue plaques does not apply. The DUB g)ntain$ biographical inlomation on all th• persons commmorated in the Circle's Bluè Plwuè Programme. induding many of thosè peopl• cel•brat¢d by the Cirtle's plaqv•s up untrl M8rt1 2024. The DUB has th• 8pe¢ial advant¥g6 of being free for all to access. and i¥ tsasity searchablè. It B recognised as a valuable r•feren source. and th• DUB website r•ceNes tero of thousaTh1s ol visitors ev•ry year trom ?cros$ the worfd. As wth the Circle's plaques. the DUB concerns rtsellvhth prson$ bom in, orstrorffjtyaswciated with Ulster. The Edittsr always wèlcom•s suggesbtsns for entn6s from new contributots, who wll rtteN• fvll ackn¢y4 ol authorship. ond copyright, allhough there is no payment made fX enlnès. The Editor c8n b• contseted * the DUB websrt•, which is at.. W*w.nv•IsterbICqr¥by.¢O.uk
Ulster History Circle Annual Report 202>2024 Monlca de W]chfeld .1x5 Monica dg Wi£hfold PI•quo . Chris Spurr. ChBirman- Ulster Hi&lory LO Dunknth, L•VW• •rKI kn Crolw. CEO UI- $A9. wn801 oflhe bluv plww. . I r McK¢e. UHC. Lord •nd W LKwl••lh. A•¥NJ••l•w of Pwth. ClY¥ Swr. Ch•Thw. IK. Le81 McKeHgu• Alistor McR•yndd4. Uter CirdTr. . Lady Vibgke Dunleoth UDveih the blue aque with L(¥d Bnan Dufikh. O•Mw. Ins-1845 Dr. James McHenry Plaque. . JaneAllen DL lor Co Antrlm Un¥11 Ihe be pkn3LKV. . I r M8yor ol Mid 8nd E8aiAniikn eoiouph COU1, COU1 G8rnrrfth8 Muhwn•. Iw Ctozkw CEO. Ulr-Sffts4•4w. JAl O.L. Qr D•vKI HunNI, MBE, L. Minomf ts Corrfflunfow, P•W Rwh. Unknj Sts olfic•. 8•lh •nd Chlm Spurr. Ch•iim•n- Ul•t•r Hlltory CirG. . | an Crozier. Paul Roe1. Dr. Owd HL¥nO MBE. Mayor G•rnidiM MuWnn¥ Chri$ Spurr and Kenrth Itvine 1r History Cif¢ 1943-1m . ifflllllll Ilklll 3•an Hollywood Pla4u•. . Piincipal ol Sl Colm•n'$ Col•, C¢YM M¢Klnw. . The fnmily ofSe4n Holwood unveil the ue u0, l.r. . Rita Finn. Rory Gough, pthrnii Slwi rhj M¢GokJit . l.r Jarnes McAievey, Chaiimin. N&¥ry MJnbrrP4toty•tK 09 ,s•v. cr Mi¢h881 Ke•nan IMF8MW. •porb6orolblu• pWI •nd Nlc mcIN | IT4d I Molghroad Nl¢ Mhalcln Ploqu•. The fBmily and extended families of Mayhiéad. . Two senior pupiLs fvorn Sl. DominK's un¥eJl the t4ue lrtJLKknJ in Ilx PrirHW Phdy PWI•sw. Rory G9y- Chair Boord of ¢vernDTS #r Dr Amdrea Raww. St . I r Chris Spurr. Chairman. Ul$lw Hi$lory Ciicle. Dr Peter coln$. Uljtw Cwth. Prc•2Mor Frthe 8rim. M&Kwn FthThn. Mary Delorgy, Ulitel History Circ, cr- Ukntsr HMtL¥y Cirde, Or. Ewn MhKAc•Jh arnj t¥. G•wOpJTi¥th- F¢A MGtiWJo.