Minutes of the meeting of Coleraine Probus Club

Attendance: 39 members were in attendance.

Apologies: James Dinsmore, Leo Dolan, Jim Donaghy, Jack Henderson, John Ludlow, Ian Murray, Billy Platt, Ernest Preece, and Cecil Spotten. (9)

The President, Jim Archer, welcomed members and special guests Cathy Higgins and James McDowell.

Weekly Business:
Minutes: The Minutes of 18th October 2016 were read, approved by the members present and signed by the President.

Matters arising: None not covered by the agenda.

Correspondence: None.

Social: Joe Alcorn reported that 34 members and guests enjoyed an excellent club lunch on 25th October. Thanks are due to Eric Fulton for overseeing the event.

Welfare: Nothing to report. An apology was received from Cecil Spotten.
Treasurer: Nothing to report.

AOB : 1: Members were reminded of the new publication “The Town Book of Coleraine” by Andrew Kane (Son of Graham Kane) Invitations are available for the Launch event - 7:30pm Wednesday 2nd November 2016 in the Town Hall, Coleraine.

2: Great War Exhibition at First Coleraine Presbyterian Church featuring local soldiers.

Speaker: The President then welcomed this mornings speaker, Dr. Johnston McMaster who will be speaking on the subject of “The 1916 Rising and the Complexity of Remembering”.

Dr. McMaster gave a scholarly and detailed account of the complex history of the 1916 Rising making reference to a series of previously failed insurrections in the years 1798, 1803 and 1848. The Great War defined the 20th century and Irish Republicans considered that England’s difficulty was Ireland’s opportunity.

A question and answer session followed the talk.

A brief summary of this talk is available in the speaker’s record book and here on the club web site.

A vote of thanks proposed by Nigel Semple was passed to Dr. McMaster by the President. The members showed their appreciation.

The Next Meeting: Will be on Tue.8th November 2016 when the speaker will be Ken Wood on the subject of “The Somme VC’s”

The President thanked members for attending and hoped to see everyone at the next meeting on Tue. 8th November 2016.
The meeting closed at 12:07 pm.

Signed: Jim Archer
President
Date: 8th November 2016.