Month: October 2025

Wednesday 29 October 2025: Speaker Mr Norman Quinn

The speaker on Wednesday 29th October 2025 was Mr Norman Quinn who shared his life story from school days in Omagh Academy to retirement in Newtownstewart. He began by exhibiting a painting done by a German prisoner of war who had been assigned work in the army post office during the first World War under the command of Norman’s grandfather. On leaving school Norman joined the merchant navy as a radio operator and travelled the world on a succession of cargo ships. His ports of call included Cape Town, Ceylon, Singapore, Hong Kong and the islands of Southeast Asa. While docked in Peru he experienced an earthquake in which 20,000 persons perished.

One particular voyage ended in India where he spent 6 months before travelling back to the UK overland via Pakistan, Afghanistan, Persia and the countries in between, On leaving the merchant he worked in the Reform Stores in Newtownstewart for a time before his skills as a radio operator found a new lease of life with the coastguard service. Norman concluded his talk with several anecdotes drawn from 14 years monitoring shipping off the northwest coast of Ireland and the role he played in relaying message to helicopters tasked with rescuing those in peril on the sea. He was thanked for an interesting talk by club member Oliver Loughran who shared that brother has also been a radio operator in the merchant navy.

Omagh Probus Club, Wednesday 22 October 2025

The speaker on Wed 22 October was Club President, Felim O’Neill, drawn by lot to address members on a topic of his choosing. For his truly fascinating talk Felim dipped into his collection of objects mostly unearthed during outings with is trusty metal detector. He presented members with four pairs of artefacts and invited comment on the age, style and provence of each pair. The first pair were two bronze miniature figurines, one of which was correctly identified as a representation of Lord Nelson, dating from 1806 – the other more likely a recent souvenir from Egypt, in the shape of a temple goddess.

The second pair to be passed around were the pottery bases of two drinking vessels, one made on a potter’s wheel and dating from Roman times, the other built up from coils of clay in a style that was first developed in the Iron age. The third pair were both Norman, one the pommel of a sword, the other a swivel from a dog collar – see photo below. The fourth pair were again bronze miniatures but from very different periods of history; the one shaped like a Carnyx [trumpet] was likely to have been the handle of a Celtic shaving razor; the other, modelled on the neck, head and beak of a heron was possibly Roman and may have adorned the lid an expensive bowl.

Felim’s talk generated much interested discussion and many questions as well as well-deserved appreciation for his presentation.

Omagh Probus Club Wednesday 08 October 20205
Speaker, Club Member Mr Aidan Quinn.  Topic “Reflections”

The speaker on Wednesday 15^th October was Mr Aidan Quinn who reflected on his journey through life, enlivened with amusing stories and anecdotes.  Aidan grew up on a family farm outside Ballygawley.  From Omagh Technical College he progressed to Loughrey Agricultural College. On a visit to the Balmoral show, while still a student, he got into conversation with an exhibitor demonstrating milking machines. Such was his interest that he was offered a job interview which led to a career installing miking parlours in all parts of the UK and Ireland. Aidan illustrated his life and times with a large display of photographs, posters and cuttings, much to the interest of Club members.

OMAGH PROBUS CLUB: 8th October 2025 BUSINESS MEETING

Club President welcomed everyone and thanked them for their attendance. Before opening the meeting, he invited members to stand for a short time of silent reflection on the death of Club member Albert Alle who had passed on Wednesday 10th August. Many tributes were paid in his memory, with those who spoke expressing their sadness at the loss of a long-serving and loyal member of the club. The fortitude and dignity with which he faced terminal illness was very much in the character of a man who was admired and respected by all who knew him.

The business of the meeting was to agree a programme for the Autumn session.  This was accomplished without difficulty due to the willingness of members to assume responsibility for a meeting in the weeks ahead.   Arrangements for the Christmas Luncheon on Wednesday, 3^rd December were delegated to the Club Committee

The meeting ended on a cheerful note with the presentation to David Haddow of his Honorary Member’s Certificate.

Wednesday 1st October 2025: Guest Speaker, Mr Eamon Cunningham

Omagh Men’s Probus Club resumed meetings on Wednesday 1 October following the summer recess. Members were joined in the Golf Club at 10.30 am by the ladies of Omagh and District Ladies Probus Club for a special event hosted by club member, Mr Eamon Cunningham. Both Probus Club enjoy nothing more than having a reputed and respected member of the community share their life story. It is ever fascinating to share their journey from childhood through the trials and tribulations of adolescence into adulthood and hear of the twists and turns of employment, career progression and the rewards of marriage and family life. Such accounts often include reflections of how things might have turned out differently if circumstances had not been as they were.
On Thursday 2nd October the Ladies had their own meeting [men not invited] and had the privilege of hearing Dr Dominic Pinto recount the story of his life as a consultant surgeon in Tyrone County Hospital. Mr Cunningham’s story was one of entrepreneurship and the challenges he encountered along the way in building up Strathroy Dairies into the very successful enterprise which exists today. He was warmly thanked not only for his address but for providing some very tasty refreshments to go with the morning coffee and tea, a gesture which added greatly to everyone’s enjoyment of the occasion.

Photo below.  Members of the Men’s and Ladies’ Probus Clubs