Category Archives: News

What’s happening in U3A Armagh

Headline, News

June Meeting


We are holding our June meeting (last one before summer break during July & August) in the Cardinal O’fiaich Library, Moy Road, Armagh on Friday 21st June at 10.30am. 

Our speaker will be Ronan Convery, Senior Consumer Empowerment Officer, Consumer Council.

He will explain “how the Consumer Council can help consumers save money by switching energy provider, compensation rights if your flight is delayed or cancelled and consumer rights. They provide free, independent support and advice for all local consumers and businesses and investigate complaints about energy, water, transport, and postal services. The Consumer Council has returned almost £2.5 million to consumers in the past five years. To access the Consumer Council’s support and advice, visit the website on www.consumercouncil.org.uk or call 0800 121 6022.

See how you save money with more Power to the Pocket.”

PS For those who have yet to pay this year’s subscription we would ask that you do so before 30th June. Non-payment will unfortunately result in your membership being suspended until payment, as you will no longer have insurance cover. If you would like to pay on the 21st, Tim will be around to take your subscription.

News

May Meeting

We are holding our May meeting in the Cardinal O’Fiaich Library, Moy Road, Armagh on Friday 17th May at 10.30am. 

Our speaker this month is Sean Barden, curator of Armagh County Museum. 

The talk will be about “the Boyle letters of the 1890s”. Yes, you may be asking yourself “What are the Boyle letters?” Well……the only way to find out is to come along to the meeting. Sean always makes subjects interesting so I am sure you won’t be disappointed.

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April Meeting + AGM

We are holding our AGM in the Cardinal O’Fiaich Library, Moy Road, Armagh on Friday 19th April at 10.15am. Sharp! 

Coffee will be available from 10:00 onwards.

A full Agenda will be emailed out to you early next week, hopefully, along with subscription notification for the year commencing April 2024. As last year, it will be possible to pay by Bank Transfer but you will also be able to pay in person after our Talk which follows the AGM.

Following the AGM will be a talk by Rosie Hickey, Heritage Officer, Strand Arts Centre, Belfast and her subject is “Armagh Picture House Past”. I attended a talk by Rosie last year about the history of cinema in N Ireland and it was a real walk down memory lane and very interesting.

News

March Meeting

Our March meeting will be held in the Cardinal O’fiaich Library, Moy Road, Armagh on Friday 22nd March at 10.30am. 

Our speaker this month is John Woods founder of Linwoods Health Foods. The talk will be about living a healthy lifestyle including food, mental attitude, exercise, purpose in life and living a long, healthy and happy life.

Our AGM will be on Friday 19th April (before our speaker that day) so please think again about putting yourself forward for the committee (ideally before our next committee meeting on 8th April).

Finally, just a reminder that EVERYONE attending the monthly meeting should contribute a £1 to the “pot” whether you have coffee & biscuits or not as it makes sense to “balancing the books” at these monthly gatherings. Also, could everyone please sign the U3a Attendance book which should be beside the coffee dispensing table.

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February Meeting

We are holding our February meeting in the Cardinal O’Fiaich Library, Moy Road, Armagh on Friday, 16th February at 10.30am. 

Our speaker this month is Billy Stewart, Crime Prevention Officer for ABCCouncil .

The Committee recently decided that EVERYONE attending the monthly meeting should contribute a £1 to the “pot” whether you have coffee & biscuits or not as it’s becoming more and more difficult balancing the books! Also, could everyone please sign the U3a Attendance book which (hopefully!) will be fairly close to the coffee dispensing table.

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November Meeting

We are holding our November meeting in the Cardinal O’fiaich Library, Moy Road, Armagh on Friday 17th November at 10.30am. 

Our speaker this month is Canon Jim Campbell and he will be giving an illustrated talk on the life and times of Sir John Lavery, Artist.

Coincidentally the National Gallery of Ireland is hosting a major exhibition entitled “Lavery On Location” which runs until mid-January 2024 and has apparently been described as “exceptional” and “dreamy, dreamy, dreamy.” So hopefully we’ll all be inspired to jump on the train to Dublin to see for ourselves!

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October Meeting

Our next monthly meeting will take place on Friday, 20th October in The Cardinal O’Fiaich Memorial Library & Archive.
The speaker will be Mark Flynn based at Portadown Fire Station who will gove a talk on the topic of Fire Safety and Safety at home.
Coffee and biscuits will be available from 10:30 and the talk will start around 11:00 a.m.

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JUNE COFFEE MORNING

Just a reminder that we are holding a coffee morning for all in the Cardinal O’Fee Library, Moy Road, Armagh on Friday 23rd June at 10.30am. Basically this will be an opportunity to pay your membership subscription etc in person (cash or cheque) and if you have any questions for the Committee, here’s your chance! (We would ask for a small contribution of £1 towards the coffee & bickies.)

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Membership forms 2023-24

Membership of Armagh U3A is open to all retired or semi-retired people.

Costs – There is an annual fee of £20 for membership. There may be other charges for refreshments or for the costs of the facilities used.

A form for new members can be downloaded by clicking here.

A renewal form for existing members can be downloaded by clicking here.

If you have any queries regarding membership e-mail:
membership@u3aarmagh.org

News

April Newsletter



This will be my last Newsletter as my time as Chair of our committee is at an end. I try to be as positive as possible in these newsletters but on this occasion, I bear only bad news.
Despite repeated pleas for volunteers to become members of the committee we have had no success in recruiting. If this situation does not change and we have no nominations for these posts at the AGM I am afraid we would be in the position of seeing our u3a cease to exist as running the organisation would become untenable. This happened last year to the Dungannon u3a and I would hate to see us in a similar position.
At the upcoming AGM, we will need a new chair, a new membership secretary, a new committee secretary and some new committee members. The executive committee meets once at the end of the month between August and May to plan the events for the next month, to review the financial status of the branch, to discuss how best to support the groups, to help establish new groups and interact with u3a central.  Usually, new committee members are expected to hold one of the key positions (chair, membership secretary, treasurer, committee secretary, business secretary, group coordinator) after a year or two as a sitting member. These are not onerous tasks and entail a day or two commitment each month.  So if you want our u3a to continue the only solution is for members to become willing to be nominated and seconded to join the committee and that nominations are forwarded to the committee before the AGM.
All that needs to be done is for the name of anyone willing to become a committee member to be emailed with a proposer and seconder to denu3a@gmail.com before April 24th.
A decision as to the viability of our u3a will be the key issue on the AGM agenda. Please don’t let this be the very last Armagh u3a newsletter
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The ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING will be held in the Cardinal O’Fiaich Library on APRIL 28th. As usual coffee will be available from 10.30 am with the meeting starting at 11.00 am. An agenda will be sent by email as soon as this is confirmed but the key issue will be the continuation of the branch.­


ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS
Arrangements are in hand for renewing the annual subscription but of course this will only proceed if the u3a is to continue. This year we will send out an email with the subscription form attached. Payments can be made as either online bank transfer or by cheque but full details will be in the upcoming email
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March  Calendar
Tai Chi
The first Tai Chi class was a resounding success with 20 in attendance and several more showing interest in the next 3 classes. These take place in Cardinal O’Fiaich Library at 2.30 pm on Wednesdays of April 26th, May 3rd and May 10th.

Hill Walking Group
This group complete walks along country lanes, in forest parks, hills, and mountains. Walks are usually 2-4 hours. They meet weekly on Thursdays at the Armagh Palace car park by the children’s play park and depart promptly at 9.30 am. For more information contact, Caroline at cbgood@doctors.org.uk and add your mobile number to join the WhatsApp group.

Tuesday Walkers
For those seeking a more gentle walk and talk. The schedule for this month is…….
.April 4th   – Ballymoyer
April 11th – Parkanaur
April 18th  – Craigavon Lakes

April 25th  – Navan Fort
The group meets on Tuesdays at the Palace car park near the children’s playground at 10.00 am.For more details contact, Patricia McConville at patriciamcconville@btinternet.com.

Cycling group. 
Given that poorer weather is likely over winter the group will probably meet infrequently. Cycling is mostly on secondary or minor roads, occasionally on major roads. Distance cycled is approximately 30-35KM (3 hours) with a coffee stop along the way. Members must have their own bikes, helmets and Hi-Vis tops and be comfortable with cycling on roads. Communication is by a WhatsApp group.Those interested or requesting date information should contact Peter Good at pdgood@doctors.org.uk and add your mobile number to join the WhatsApp group.
Pilates
Classes are underway once more with 2 classes each Wednesday (10.30 am and 11.30 am). At present these are full but we often have vacancies,If you are interested contact Margaret at tro111@hotmail.com

 Bridge – Online GroupThe online sessions are held on a Wednesday at 7.00 pm using the BridgeBase Online platform which is very easy to use, for full details of how to play online contact, 
Dennis at denu3a@gmail.com
 
Bridge – Face-to-Face Group
The face-to-face sessions are each Monday held in the Cardinal Tomas O Fiaich Memorial Library between 2.00 and 4.30 pm. We have a beginners group who are starting from scratch and a playing group for those with a little more experience. This is more social than Competition Bridge and we can arrange partners on the day.
If you are interested please come along or contact, Patricia at patriciamcconville@btinternet.com
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u3a ChoirThe choir meet at 9 Vicars Hill on Wednesdays between 3.30 and 4 30 pm, so come along and get those vocal cords working!If you are interested contact Kathleen at Kathleen.daly41@icloud.com.

 Local History Group
Another piece of great news! After the COVID hiatus, the Local History Group meetings have restarted. The group meets in the O Fiaich Library on the 3rd Thursday of every month at 11.30 am.For further information contact Mary McVeigh on mtmcveigh@hotmail ­­