Month: March 2026

OMAGH MEN’S PROBUS CLUB

The final meeting of the spring session on Wednesday 18th March was a visit to the Strule Educational Campus. On arrival the party, comprised of 15 men and five ladies from the Ladies Club, was met by Mr Gavin Boyd from SIB [Strategic Investment Board] who gave an introductory talk outlining the  development of the project. When complete in 2028 the campus will accommodate some 4000 students in the age range 11 to 18, with the capacity to expand to 4500 should the need arise.

Mr Boyd explained that work is well underway on the construction of 9 buildings comprised of 6 schools – namely Omagh Academy, Omagh High, Loretto Convent, Christian Brothers. Sacred Heart and Arvalee Special School [already open on site]. In addition, 3 shared units were identified as “The Hub”, a Sixth Form centre with a seating capacity of 400, a sports centre and the pavilion adjacent to the playing fields with showers and changing rooms. He emphasised the concept of shared facilities. Junior pupils in Years 1 – 3 will be taught in their home school. GCSE pupils [Years 4 and 5] would have some interchange and A-level students are to be taught in mixed groups in The Hub.

Mr Boyd expressed his willingness to take questions and throughout his talk members raised numerous issues including, the safeguarding of young people moving between buildings, drop off in the mornings pick up in the afternoons, bus and car parking, traffic management on and around the campus, school meals provision and student access to the town centre. Interest was such that the conversation could have encroached on the time set aside to visit the viewing area. From a site overlooking The Hub visitors gained a clear idea of the scale of the project reflecting that when complete it would be a place of wonderment, excellence, and pride.

Following the visit Probus members enjoyed lunch n the Silverbirch Hotel.

QUIZ,  Wednesday 11 March 2026

The meeting on Wednesday 11th March took the form of a quiz with three teams of men and a team from Omagh ladies probus. The question master was Mrs Anne McBain with Mrs Dorothy Haugh and Mrs Ann Orr, acting as markers and scorekeepers.  In all there were 8 rounds of 10 questions each, testing general knowledge across a diverse number of subjects. Three picture rounds were based on world famous landmarks, car badges, inventors, and inventions. Questions on history, geography, art, and literature also featured in what turned out to be a fun morning. Easter eggs were presented to the winning team and to the ladies for their sterling work on the adjudicator’s table.

At the close of the session club President, Aidan Quinn, thanked everyone for their friendly participation and Jim and Anne for providing refreshments served to members and guests on arrival. He expressed special appreciation to club member, Jim Graham, who had organised the quiz and who in the days prior to the event had convened meetings with his team to set the questions and prepare for the event. Jim and his team were warmly thanked by all present, with the success of the morning marked by expressions of hope that the quiz might be held again at some stage in the future.

No club business was conducted on the 11 March, all the time being devoted to the quiz and the companionship it engendered among members and guests.

Omagh Probus Club, Wednesday 25 Feb 2026, the day on which former club member. Ivan Brown, celebrated his 100 th birthday.  Speaker 25.02.26, Mr Vincent Brogan

The speaker on Wednesday 25th March was club member Mr Vincent Brogan, an acknowledged authority on Omagh past and present. Vincent provided members with an illustrated talk on the history of the town starting with a painting done in the days before photography. It showed the junction of John St and Church St from an elevated vantage point likely close to where the station once stood and where the station centre now stands.
In all he showed some 40 images projected from his laptop onto the large TV monitor in the function room. Most were drawn from the Lawrence collection and from the series “Images of Omagh” compiled by DR Haldane Mitchell, a former enthusiastic member of Omagh Probus. His presentation also featured a number of postcards collated by Martin Taggart.
Some members of the club enjoyed the scenes from bygone days recalled from their childhood, such as
• the fair green behind Trinity Church on a market day with cattle
• Omagh railway station with staff assembled out front
• thatched houses on High Street where imposing three Storey buildings now stand
• the old Abbey bridge with girders where there are now parapets
Clearly Vincent has enough knowledge and images for another talk, something welcomed by those present.