Month: May 2026

The speaker on Wednesday 27th May was Mr Ronnie Oldcroft, President of Omagh Rotary Club, in attendance to maintain the link between Probus and Rotary. He began by sharing that Rotary, like Probus, could do with some new members; however it has currently 40 on its books which makes it numerically one of the strongest in Ireland. It has long established links with Rotary in Dundalk and Antrim in a tripartite relationship valued by all three clubs.

The Rotary calendar begins in June each year with the election of a new President and kicks off in July with a stand at Omagh show. In 2026 they hope to be in a marquee with improved opportunities to display activities focused on money raised for charity.  This includes money for the Rotary Foundation, worldwide in its reach, and the Northern Ireland Air Ambulance as well as donations to further research into childhood cancer, polio and MMD [Motor Neurone Disease].

Fund raising events include the Annual Charter Dinner, Golf Competition and “Tree of Remembrance” at Christmas in ASDA. Omagh Rotary is particularly proud of the encouragement it provides to young persons in the community by sponsoring events in local schools and colleges. Mr Oldcroft was warmly thanked for his visit by Probian and Rotarian, Oliver Loughran.

Omagh Probus Wednesday 20th May 2026

On Wednesday 20th May the club was treated to a conducted tour of the Governor’s House, Omagh Gaol, by Mr Rodney Hamill. This former residence sits in the middle of what was the gaol and was built in 1831 on the same plan as Lifford Gaol. The only visible difference is that the Governor’s House in Omagh has a first-floor balcony which runs right around the hexagonal building. This design afforded the governor a clear view of all the cell blocks and other buildings. Apart from the residence little remains of the old gaol apart from the archway that led into the site and the punishment block which housed a tread wheel; this device operated a pump which drew water from the river to serve the prison.

When Mr Hamill acquired the building, it had been unoccupied for several years and was close to being derelict. The previous owner had filled its rooms and surrounds with junk and debris all of which needed to be cleared away before restoration could begin. At some point water got into the building and did considerable damage to the joints supporting the first floor. This apart, the four floors of the building are accessible with care, and the central staircase remains strong and stable.

The building is full of reminders that the house was used for many years after the gaol closed as a private residence. It was occupied within living memory, and some club members could recall families who had their home in it – one being a local GP.  At some stage it was wired for electricity and plumbed to provide running water and a bathroom with flush toilet.

Rodney looks at its restoration to a habitable building as a project that will occupy him for years to come. It would be nice if Fermanagh and Omagh District Council was to come alongside him in his efforts to save a historic building an iconic feature of the town.

Probus Wednesday 13th May 2026.  Speaker, Mr Sean Harpur 

The speaker on Wednesday 13th May was Mr Sean Harpur accompanied by his guide dog, Benny. Sean has Retinitis Pigmentosa, a form of blindness which is hereditary. His Grandfather, who lived in Drumquin, was known as the “Blind Thatcher,” because he was able to work on at his trade after losing his sight. Sean himself worked as an electrician alongside his father until progressive blindness forced both to quit. Since then, Sean has worked as a disc jockey and a visitor guide in Gorton Glen Forest Park.

Misfortune struck again when his sister Anne suffered kidney failure and desperately needed a transplant. When it transpired that Sean’s kidneys were a perfect match, he did not hesitate to donate one of his healthy kidneys to his sister. Since then, he has dedicated time and energy to fund raising for transplant surgery, organising sponsored walks, cycling from Malin to Mizen in 2002 and from Mizen to Malin in 2003.

Sean’s association with Gordon Glen Forest Park owes much to the fact that his grandmother lived in a cottage within the confines of the park and as a child he was a frequent visitor. In 2019 the park received funding from FODC to the tune of £1,000,000 an investment which has transformed the Glens into the council’s most visited tourist attraction.

In a lively question and answer session Sean talked about how the park was used in 1943 by American troops to prepare for the D-Day landings. A large cold-water tank was constructed for GI’s to wade across to simulate landing on the beaches of France. This and other gems of history served to enliven a very memorable morning.

The speaker on Wednesday 6th May 2026 was club member Hugh Ward, drafted in at the last minute to substitute for another, who had been taken ill.   Hugh adopted as his theme “Storytelling” which he claimed was apt because the surname WARD derives from Irish Gaelic and means “Son of the Bard.” To develop his talent, he joined a summer school in Arnold’s Hotel, Dunfanaghy, run by the celebrated writer and journalist, Alf McCreary. During this time, he was encouraged to write about his childhood in rural Tyrone during the 40s and 50s and had published a short story entitled “Crickets sing no more.”

The title was inspired by crickets which were commonly found in the open hearths of thatched cottages. The crickets are gone as are most of the things Hugh recalled from his childhood in the townland of Brackey – GI’s in Drumnakilly, blackout curtains on isolated farmhouses, B-specials, Lord Haw-Haw on the radio, a foot stick over the Camowen river.

Hugh’s reading of his story was well received and sparked many memories of the period among those born during the early days of World War II

Business Meeting 29.04.26
The meeting on Wednesday 29th April was devoted to Club Business, with the focus on arrangements for the rest of the summer session.

1. Visit to The Governor’s House on 20th May. Because parking at the site is limited and restricted it was agreed to assemble at the Golf Club at 10.30am and share cars.

2. Memory Morning 27th May 2026. The following members offered to give a
10 – 12-minute slide show of some event which had a special place in their memory.
• Jim McBride – Cycling in the Andes
• Jim McBain – Trekking to Base Camp Everest
• Frank Collins – Cruising on the Danube
• Aidan Quinn – cows and milking parlours

2. Club Outing, Tuesday 16th June to the Ulster Aviation Society Museum in the morning at the Maze and Irish Linen Museum, Lisburn in the afternoon. Jim McBain tabled a draft programme for the day, which was discussed and agreement reached that members would car share and stop at Quinn’s for an evening meal on the way home. Jim McBain and Jim Graham agreed to recce the outing and work out an overall cost.
3. Looking ahead to the Chairman invited suggestions for speakers and topics for the Autumn session. Some 15 ideas were put forward for consideration.