Peter Etherson, our firm but fair Quizmaster presided over a quiz in Walsh’s Hotel on Thursday 26th January at 8.00pm . All the questions were prepared by Peter and the feedback was that, while the standard was suitably challenging, the topics and range of the questions were very well-judged. It is intended to run a Quiz Night every month to act as a fund-raiser for the Society as well as being an enjoyable social evening for everybody attending.
Congratulations to the winners: Ann Brennan, Carol and Matt Collier, Clare, Frank and Veronica McKendry.
On 19th January 2017 David Morrow gave a beautifully illustrated lecture here in the Heritage and Cultural Centre on the subject of the flora and fauna to be found in the area of Upperlands. He drew on his deep knowledge of the subject to deliver an interesting and enjoyable talk and open our eyes to the subtleties of the natural world around us. We will all glean a great deal more from our country walks having been inspired by David to look out for the details and delights of our local habitats. No doubt many of us will now be looking forward to visiting the walks and pathways around Upperlands too, as described so well by David.
Autumn was a very exciting time on the farm for myself and my four brothers. At that time of year there was always something interesting happening when we arrived home from school. One of the most exciting activities for us was reaping the corn. Then the neighbours would be there to help with tying the sheaves while myself and my brothers would take turns at sitting on the rear seat of the reaper operating the gear lever that engaged the driving mechanism.
We had lots of fun playing hide and seek around the stooks, watching and learning from the men mowing the hay, gathering sheaves to make stooks and later on ‘carrying in’ to my father when he was building huts of corn. These were the more enjoyable tasks for us when we were young but we also felt that we could have much more fun in the cornfield if none of the older people were around.
On Sunday, after Sunday school, when all was quiet we would disappear after dinner and head outside to make our own fun and have a good time. Uel, my older brother, whom we knew as the ringleader would always devise something. One Sunday he noticed that our neighbouring farmer had just cut his field of corn and of course, the recently built stooks had not yet wilted or bent over. They were standing very upright as if in a military stance. Uel decided that these stooks were just exactly what we needed to have our game of leap frog. The stooks were of uneven height some had four sheaves others had three, so of course we were daring each other as to which one of us could jump the highest without knocking over the erect sheaves. We played for hours, had a great time but did not realise that half of the field of stooks were demolished as a result of our activities.
We headed home and on arrival we were asked by mother where we were, to which our reply was, ‘Just playing in the field’. ‘What field’? asked mother. ‘Ah just out the lane,’ was Uel’s reply. ‘Alright then, now get ready for bed and don’t forget you have school in the morning’.
Monday morning arrived, we were packed of to school and on the way we passed by the field we had so much fun in the previous day. Perhaps at the same time as we were having our mid-morning break the neighbouring farmer arrived in with my father for a chat and to discuss the problem he had experienced during the night with his field of corn. ‘Sam, did you hear the storm last night, the wind must have been fierce?’ No, I didn’t hear a thing’, was the reply. ‘That’s very funny, because do you know that field of corn we cut on Friday? It was completely flattened last night, must have been the wind. I’m surprised Sam that you didn’t hear it.’ My father would have thought for a moment or two and silently said to himself, ‘I know what happened to your field of corn stooks’.
The autumn was a favourite time of the year for most farmers. That was when they could harvest the crops that had been planted in the spring. By now the long hot summer was but a distant memory, the days were becoming shorter and the nights much longer. The golden landscape, the trees shedding their leaves, the pigeons coming home to roost in the beech trees before their last leaves fluttered to the ground were signs that a long harsh winter was approaching. Autumn brought the threshing of the corn and seed hay – the result of nature having done its duty over the earlier months.
At threshing time neighbouring farmers would arrive at the farm with an implement of their choice to take up their position around the haystack and threshing machine carrying out the task which they felt most suited them. It could be forking sheaves, taking off and tying bags of corn, threading the baler, feeding the thresher or maybe just wandering around not committing to any task in particular, but having a good craic with everyone. Father would often make the comment about such a person, ‘Sure he’s only here for his dinner’.
At 12.30 my mother would blow the whistle letting everyone know that dinner was on the table. The old Fordson tractor’s revs would be lowered, the drive belt pulley disengaged and, with a snatch of Freddie Caldwell’s sleeved arm, the belt driving the thresher would hit the ground at about 10mph. With the result of its rotational movement, the belt would screw its way along the ground and come to rest many yards away from its working position.
Dinner at midday on a working farm was a very formal affair, each worker entered the kitchen, after removing their cap (which they placed behind them on their seat) and took up their position around the table, the same position they had taken in previous years when helping at threshing time. One particular very close neighbour, Hugh McKeown, arrived every year with his pitchfork with the intention of forking sheaves of corn from the stack up on to the thresher. Normal protocol dictated that whoever was forking from the stack ensured the bottoms of their trouser legs were tied tightly with a piece of binder twine, this of course was to prevent any mice or small rats making their way up the wearer’s trousers. My father often told the story about Hugh, who one year unfortunately forgot to tie his trousers at the bottom with of course the inevitable happening. So, at this particular threshing event, when Hugh was sitting at the dinner table enjoying his well-earned meal, a little mouse made the journey from the leg of his trousers up through his waistcoat and shirt eventually popping out on to his shoulder where it sat wondering what to do next. Then a neighbour from across the table shouted ‘Hugh there’s a mouse on your shoulder’. Suddenly, at hearing the noise, the mouse took one giant leap into the unknown and landed straight in the middle of Hugh’s plate of stew. I think my father exaggerated a little here when he went on to say that Hugh picked up the mouse by the tail, wiped it down with his hand and then threw it out through the door, returning to carry on with his dinner. My father’s final comment was, ‘You see, Hugh doesn’t like to waste good food.’
In an exciting new development the MHS Heritage & Cultural Centre will be opening their ‘Book Corner’@ 17 Coleraine Road on the 4th February.
Everyone is invited to drop in and browse the shelves looking for that unexpected hidden treasure, useful manual or the perfect novel!! Categories covered include: fiction, history, gardening, cookery, art, crafts, farming, sport, natural history, local interest and, of course, a children’s section.
As well as an interesting and ecclectic selection of books tea and coffee will be available at the Centre and we hope to provide a welcoming ambiance where you can meet your friends or just take the opportunity to relax with a cup of coffee and a good read.
As well as providing an extra amenity in Maghera we are setting up the bookshop to help raise funds for the work of the MHS Heritage & Cultural Centre. Our aim is to promote the history, heritage and culture of the town and preserve it for future generations.
If you have any unwanted books you would be willing to donate to the bookshop that would be of great benefit to us and we would be very appreciative.
Look forward to seeing you all when we are up and running.
Denver Boyd, Chair of the Maghera Historical Society, presented a most enjoyable and informative talk on the subject of genealogy and researching family history on the 11th January in the Heritage and Cultural Centre . Denver’s interest in the subject stretches back over thirty years from when he first began to study the background of his own family. What started out as a hobby has grown into a full-blown obsession. Listening to Denver speak it was easy to understand the fascination of the subject – gathering information on our forebears involves a great deal of detective work and inspiration. Studying historical documents, even those of the recent past, is not a straightforward process more akin to untangling a convoluted web than following a clear trail.
Denver’s knowledge and enthusiasm brought a sense of adventure and discovery to the exploration of family roots. Building on the success of the evening the MHS will host a series of workshops where Denver will be available to advise and guide anybody interested in tracing their personal and family history. The workshops will be held in the Heritage and Cultural Centre over the next four Wednesdays. All are welcome, so if you are interested in finding out more about who you are and where you come from we look forward to seeing you.
DATES OF WORKSHOPS:
All workshops take place from 7 – 9pm in the Heritage and Cultural Centre: Admission £5
On 24th November 2016 in the Heritage & Cultural Centre Hilary Richardson, who has been involved in Guiding for over fifty years, shared her experiences with us. Hilary spoke about the opportunities guiding afforded her for travel in Europe, India and South America. This interesting, informative and well-illustrated talk showed us the value of the guiding movement as well as giving us an insight into other cultures and ways of life.
Hilary, a retired schoolteacher, is a member of Ballinascreen Historical Society
The Maghera Historical Society held its first annual Christmas Dinner and Dance in Walsh’s Hotel on the 25th November. This was a very enjoyable evening, very well-attended and hopefully the first of many such events. Music was by Kenny Archer and all the organization was carried out by Annette and Pat Rafferty to whom we are all very grateful. Walsh’s Hotel was an atmospheric venue and thanks are also due to all the staff who help make the night such a success
Kenny Shiels gave a very personal and insightful talk in the Heritage and Cultural Centre on the 15th December which looked beneath the surface of his long and successful career in the world of football. The event was very well attended and all there really enjoyed the evening. Our thanks to Kenny for such a thoughtful overview of his life and times. While the focus of the evening was obviously the ‘beautiful game’ Kenny’s approach and his professional presentation made his story accessible and interesting to everyone.
Denver Boyd. Newly Elected Chair of the Maghera Historical SocietyJames Armour. Director of the Maghera Heritage & Cultural Centre Ltd.
At the recent Annual General Meeting of the Maghera Historical Society on the 1st December 2016, Denver Boyd was elevated from his position as Vice-chair to Chair of the Society. At the same meeting James Armour stood down from his position as Honorary secretary of the Maghera Historical Society and stated that he would not be putting his name forward for re-election as he wished to pursue the organisation and running of the newly-formed Maghera Heritage and Cultural Centre Ltd. as a separate, but closely allied, organisation. Denver follows in the footsteps of Joseph McCoy who stepped down after two years in the Chair in order, as Joseph put it ‘that a fresh pair of eyes and a new perspective be brought to the position’. All at the Heritage and Cultural Centre would like to thank Joseph for his dedication and hard work over his term of office and also for being the initial inspiration behind the MHS. We wish Denver well in his new role and know that the Maghera Historical Society will continue to flourish and grow under his guidance and leadership.
Two years ago, the Maghera Historical Society was put on a formal footing at a public meeting called by James Armour. At that time a constitution was adopted – with one of the main aims being: To provide a suitable centre in Maghera where information, records, publications, photographs, memorabilia, folk memories and artefacts, connected with the history of the town and the surrounding districts can be collected, preserved, displayed and consulted in a venue that is open to the public. This centre is also to be used to run a programme of events relating to the culture and heritage of the area and to engage and work with the local community in an open and inclusive way, involving people from all backgrounds and cultures to celebrate and promote the present-day culture and the past heritage of Maghera.
With the opening of the Heritage and Cultural Centre premises in the town in October 2015 these aims came to fruition and in the past year the Centre has lived up to the ideals set out above with almost forty events of all descriptions taking place, each of which re-enforced the culture and heritage of the area in an open, inclusive and welcoming way.
To deal with the amount of work generated by the Maghera Heritage and Cultural Centre Ltd. and to strengthen and clarify its identity, it has been decided that it will be managed separately from the Historical Society. As the name suggests the Maghera Historical Society will focus on the history of Maghera and its surroundings, exploring, researching and preserving its distinguished past.
The Maghera Heritage and Cultural Centre Ltd. will be concerned with the heritage of the town going back as far as living memory, and Maghera’s present-day culture. These themes will be reflected in the output of the Centre which will consist of the gathering of oral-histories, the preservation of all that is best in the built fabric of the area, exhibitions, workshops and events featuring aspects of life in the town and the publication of a bi-annual magazine and other material relating to the locality.
Both the Maghera Historical Society and the Maghera Heritage and Cultural Centre Ltd. although two separate entities, will ensure that all their work is carried out in an open, inclusive way which fosters cross-community social interaction, and pride in the town.
So we wish Denver Boyd and James Armour, together with their committee members and helpers, every success in their endeavours over the coming months and years as both organisations, hopefully bring increased benefits to the local community and improve the quality of life in Maghera and the surrounding districts in a very concrete and meaningful way.
Our magazine ‘Maghera Times’ was launched at the meeting by the editor Maeve O’Neill who thanked all the contributors for their support.
After a welcome break for refreshments the evening was finished off with a rousing session of traditional music organised by Pat Rafferty.
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In an exciting new development the MHS Heritage & Cultural Centre will be opening their ‘Book Corner’@ 17 Coleraine Road on the 4th February.
On 24th November 2016 in the Heritage & Cultural Centre Hilary Richardson, who has been involved in Guiding for over fifty years, shared her experiences with us. Hilary spoke about the opportunities guiding afforded her for travel in Europe, India and South America. This interesting, informative and well-illustrated talk showed us the value of the guiding movement as well as giving us an insight into other cultures and ways of life.
Kenny Shiels gave a very personal and insightful talk in the Heritage and Cultural Centre on the 15th December which looked beneath the surface of his long and successful career in the world of football. The event was very well attended and all there really enjoyed the evening. Our thanks to Kenny for such a thoughtful overview of his life and times. While the focus of the evening was obviously the ‘beautiful game’ Kenny’s approach and his professional presentation made his story accessible and interesting to everyone.
