Tag: Wishaw Branch Club

Aghadowey Murray Celebrate 90 Years, and a belated 10th anniversary for Wishaw.

At the end of October Aghadowey Murray celebrated its 90th Anniversary as a Branch Club. A dinner was held at the Royal British Legion in Ballymoney, with the President, Bro. Gordon McMorris, and Secretary, Bro. David Hoey, of the Parent Club in attendance.

On the evening the history of the Club was read by Bro. Raymond McKeeman.

Two fifty year jewels were presented, to Bros. William Doey and Noel Stevenson.

  

Bros. Doey and Stevenson then ceremonially cut the celebration cake with Bro. McMorris, along with The President of Aghadowey, Bro. Edward Acheson (right) and Vice-President Bro. Richard McMullan.

Entertainment for the evening was by the always excellent Kellswater Flute Band.

The following day the Parent Club Secretary, Bro. Hoey, headed over to Glasgow and the delayed visit to Wishaw Murray Club. The original plan had been to attend in June 2020 for the 10th Anniversary of the founding of the Club. However, COVID. And the trip was postponed to October 2020, to June 2021 and finally realised at the end of October 2021.

The Secretary officiated at the Installation of the Club Officers for the coming year and commended the Officer team for sustaining the Club through difficult times and looking forward to seeing Wishaw Murray continue to grow in the years ahead.

Following the formalities of the day there was an afternoon of harmony, with good company and the good cheer magnified by a couple of sessions from the County Flute Band. Always good to listen to at any time.

331st Relief of Derry in Wishaw

Unable to travel to Londonderry for the 331st Anniversary of the Relief of Derry on Saturday 8th August, members of the Wishaw Murray Branch Club turned out on Sunday, 9th August 2020 at the Armed Forces Memorial Garden in Belhaven Park, Wishaw, to commemorate locally.

The park was gifted to the people of Wishaw by Lord Belhaven in memory of his son Lieutenant Colonel The Hon Ralph Gerard Alexander Hamilton, Royal Field Artillery, Master of Belhaven who was killed in action during the 1914 – 1918 war. A memorial headstone in the park details an impressive military history; served with the 7th Division in Flanders in 1914.  In August 1915 he took out C Battery 108th Brigade R.F.A. in the 1st 2nd 3rd Battles of Ypres, Loos, the Somme Offensive and Messines. He was killed in action by a shell on Easter Monday, March 31st, 1918 at Castel, near Amiens whilst commanding 106th Brigade R.F.A. defending the ridge where the German advance was finally stayed. Buried in Rouvrel cemetery.

The short service began with a short prayer by acting Chaplain, Bro Murray Douglas Dunbar while President, Alan Love rendered a short history on the siege and the part played by the Ulster Scots followed by a wreath being laid by one of our youngest members Bro Kristofer Weir followed by the closing prayer and the National Anthem.

The President of Wishaw Murray thanked all who had attended and noted that it was particularly pleasing that so many of the younger members had attended this important event and freventlyhoped that next year would be in Londonderry.