LISNASKEA HISTORICAL SOCIETY TRUSTEES REPORT FOR YEAR ENDED 3010412024
Charlty Regd. Northern Ireland: NIC107828
Charity address: 22 CookRnnel Square, Maguiresbridge. Co. Fennan￿h. BT94 4RE
Committee.. Chairpevson - George Elliott: Secretary- VKloria Herbert: Treasurer- Linda Swindle;
Vice-chairperson - Russell Storey; Underlminuies Secretary - Kathleen Cassidy; Public Relations
Officer- Nuala Reilly,. Hosptalty Provider- Anne Elliott: and PresKlent- John Cunningham. {@AGM
1611012023)
Obieciives and Aims - The Sooety has been estsblished for the benefii of the people of Lisnaskea,
Co. Fennanagh, without distinction of age. sex. race. pdiiul or religious persuasion, by associating
inhabrtants in a common effort to advan￿ education and to provide f&ilities lo leam. discuss and share
heritage and history in a friendty atmosphere.
The beneficiaries are the members of the so(xety and the general public who attain an increased
awareness of the varieties of traditions that go to make up the present. and gain knowledge of the
experiences of people in fornier generations. There is no private be[￿fft from the activities of the
society and no payments are maje to members who volunteer their help with the programme of events
(excepts'ng incidental beneffts). We are a welcoming society whose members are adutts, predominantly
elderty, who share a common interest in local history.
The public benefits that Ilow from any presentatM)ns, research or wblication of any articles of local
interest by society, raises cornmunty awareness of Iheir heritage and traditions, thereby encouraging
others to engage in a similar process by helping k￿al people tx)th within and outside the to
develop their skills and knowledge. As a rural communty, rural isolation is a huge conctm especially
among our mainly membership of older peo*. We aim our aciiviiies at helping those feeling isolated,
by providing a regular, safe, friendly pla* to meet and leam together, helping both their mental heatth
and welkbeing. Other public benefft is from interadion via our f￿￿￿k page where people actively
engage by sharing snipws of their known oral history, photographs and comment on historical rtems
we h￿h1￿m there. We deal with numerous queries from homelabroad via our facebook, email, in
person. assisting when and where we can wtth l)oth famity history and bcal history querieslresearch
and Ixcasionally meeting them rf time pennits and sharing our rich history. We also liaise regularty with
other local groupslchariiies so building awareness and connededness localty.
The charity hosts monthly heritage tslk&lledures for the general public in the Castle Path Centre.
Lisnaskea on a variety of topics. The charity also arranges outside annual events where public get to
enjoy fresh air, aiding heamh and vRII-being. e.g. an educational Okle Tyme Market Day Invo￿1ng three
local Primary Schools in the Commarket Yard. Lisnaskea in June 2023. The expenses for this event
typically indude hire of venue and personnel, Public Liabilty Insuran￿ for events, hire of
demonstratorslexhibitors, refreshments for attending schoolchildren and hire of media system. We
annually support EHOD NI, 2023 we had a heritage walk and talk tour of our Lisnaskea Main Street with
17 attending. No bus outing VRS held this year due lo vast increase in all costings and considerations of
membership issues with cost of living concems. Inst￿ we opted for a shorter local tours- Belleisle
Castle tour in January 2024. This was well attended and prevbooking system worked well. Meetings are
minuted and agreed at talk and committee meetings. Committee airn to keep abreast of our wid&
ranging responsibilrties.
V￿y, our secretary, attended a Safeguarding course {Desgnat&J Off￿r Refresher) on 26 June 2023
in her role as Safeguarding Officer. The society were nominated for Heritage Angel Award Nl by Lough
Eme Landscape Partnership, organised by Ulster Architectural Hentage, for Best Project involving
Young People in our annual Olde Tyme Market Days for %vhich we were Highly Commended. The award
was a￿pted at Ihe Award Ceremony at Braid Arts Centre. Ballymena on 27 March by Linda Swindle
and Russell Storey, on behalf of the FJOC4ety.
Our 2023 AGM was held in the Castfe Park Centre. Lisnaskea on 16 November 2023. Members a￿e
were duly elected, making this a full commitiee. We welcomed Nu*a Reilly as Public ReLations Offi￿r,.

Kathleen Cassidy as Minutes Secretary, a vital rote. taken on ￿th enthusiasm and Anne Elliott was
dected as Hospiialrty Provider, taking on the role of organising needs for S￿Iety events with ease.
Opening Bank Bal. @ 01.05.2023 £3.427.67
Petty Cash in hand @ 01.05.2023
Income:
Expendiiure..
ProfftlL066:
Closing Bank Bal. @ 3010412024
Closing Cash Bal. @ 30.04.2024
£9.53
£1,755.44
£1.328.05
£ 427.39
£3,846.96
£17.63
Six Monthly talks were hekl under the leadership of chaimian, George EllN)tt on the third Monday of the
month in the Studio Room, Castle Park Centre, Lisnaskea. Attendance vafied month to month, and one
event we enjoyed the largest attendance at a meeting since the group began over 30 years ago (pr
chaiitable status). EHOD event in September wenl well, with a town lour led by members of Lisnaskea
Historical Soc4ety sharing h￿Ory at varK)us sections of the Lisnaskea Main Street tour, finishing in
Frank's Bar where George g￿e a history of the premises. A hentage tour was caffled out in January at
Belleisle Castle. A sizeabk income was generated from sales of our sooety book @ £420, these are
available from McBrien's Newsagents and Ennisknllen Castle online bookshop. Donations gratefully
received from Fairs & Markets Committee toward Olde Tyme Markel Day £750 helped offset expenses.
Help from LELP at OTMD also greatty appreciated. in organising and assisting at Ihe event itself.
Overall. a Suc￿$$fUl year, ending with a profft of £427.39. This will be used to fund the upcAJming Olde
Tyme Market Day event in June 2024. A small grant of £36 was received via LELP this year, however
this was to offset of expenses paKI by us the foregoing accounting year in relation to archaeobgical dig
talk.
£tstQsQrf 2¢1?120