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 2023 - 2024

Sept 21st - NI Fire Service

Sept 29th - Community Rescue Service - Sean McGarry

Oct 5th - African Adventure - Dennis & Jill Wilson

Oct 12th - Life and Hymns of Cecil F Alexander - Eva Baxter/Adrian Anderson

Oct 19th - breakfast at 10.00am - A Grand Day Out - Patricia Dallas

Oct 26th -The last days of the Bruces' at Downhill - Geoff Warke

Nov 2nd - Known now but always known - Rev Dr Isaac Thompson

Nov 9th - Titanic Tartan - Clifford Smith

Nov 16th - The construction of the Antrim coast road - Donnell O'Loan

Nov 23rd - History of Portrush in Eight Objects - Keith Beattie

Nov 30th - Fields of life - Ross McQueen

Dec 7th - Ministry for the broken - David Hoy

Dec 14th - CHRISTMAS LUNCH

Jan 18th - Committee Meeting

Jan 25th - ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Feb 1st - A Fishy Japanese Tale - Wesley Stewart

Feb 8th - North Antrim's connection to the slave trade - Maurice McHenry

Feb 15th - Archive film footage of NI - Trevor Adams

Feb 22nd - Where you lead I will follow - Mary Dunlop

Feb 29th - BREAKFAST - followed by a Tribute to the late John Johnston by Bill and Liz Houston

Mar 7th - Mission Aviation Fellowship - Rev Bill Moore

Mar 14th - North Coast Videos - Kenneth Wood

Mar 21st - 200 Years of the Ordnance Survey - Peter Wilson

Mar 28th - SPRING LUNCH