Category Archives: News

What’s happening in U3A Armagh

October Meeting

We are holding our October meeting in the Cardinal O’fiaich Library, Moy Road, Armagh on next Friday 18th October. Coffee and biscuits will be available from 10.30 onwards (£1 inthe basket please!)

Our talk will be by Catherine Gartland who is District Officer with Libraries NI in the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon area. She will talk about the variety of services offered by the library in this area. The talk will include information on accessing the online services and the support available.

September Meeting

Our next meeting will be held in the Cardinal O’fiaich Library, Moy Road, Armagh on Friday 20th September.

Coffee & biscuits at 10.30am (a £1 in the basket please!) Speaker at 11.00am.

Simon Best will speak at the meeting about his advocacy work for The British Heart Foundation and the event which ended his rugby career. He played for Ulster and Ireland..

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.)