The Society was founded in 1821 to promote knowledge in arts sciences and today promotes a lecture programme based at Linen Hall Library, as well as a small publications programme. It also supports research and publications about Ireland and Ulster’s cultural and material environment. The Society is custodian of one of Belfast’s finest Neo-classical buildings, The Old Museum Building in College Square North and also has connections with the Ulster Museum where it’s former collections are housed. The Society hopes to provide a forum for debate on important cultural issues and to reflect the intellectual life of Belfast and Northern Ireland.
Information from Secretary’s Report March 2011/2012
The Old Museum Building At a meeting in early January,the President together with Paul Mullan and Brian Walker met with Replay Theatre Company, our main tenant,the DSD ( the Department of Social Development) and Belfast City Council to discuss anti-social activity around the Old Museum Building. The purpose of the meeting was to give Replay a degree of confidence that consideration was being given by public bodies to their concern about this issue. The DSD agreed to discuss an action plan with Belfast City Centre Management,which would include the possibility of some public realm works and also discussion with stakeholders in the immediate area e.g.the Grand Opera House and others.
Publications Subcommittee Professor Stephen A.Royle’s book,Portrait of an Industrial City,’Clanging Belfast’,1750-1914 was published by the Ulster Historical Foundation on behalf of the Society and was launched at the Old Museum Building on Thursday 7 December 2011.No other publications are under consideration.
LECTURE PROGRAMME 2012/2013
All lectures will take place at 6.30pm in the Old Museum Building, College Square North,Belfast.
5 September Dr William Crawley:’4004BC: a cultural history os a date.’
3 October Catherine Charley:’Captain Pirrie:Grandfather of the Titanic Dream’.
7 November Dr Anthony D.Buckley :’Aristotle and Cricket: the poetics of Sport’.
5 December Dr Jonathan Bardon : ‘Belfast Calling: the early years of the BBC in Ireland,1924-late 1950′.
9 January Mrs M.Baguley :’Sir Wilfred Spender -convert to Ulster’s Cause’.
6 February Dr Gavin Jarvis : ‘Making Connections with Collagen’.
6 March Dr Olwen Purdue :’Poverty,Power and the Poor Law: the workhouse in 19th century Ulster’.
May Outing; this took place on Saturday 19th May 2012 to Armagh Museum and Dean’s Hill.
Applications received from but not yet published:
Thomas Deeney for a publication on Ballyarnett Racecourse (Guildhall Press) granted £700
Pamela McIlveen UHF Immigration and the Industrial City £1,000
Ciaran Deane for a book on travel writing in 18th century north of Ireland
Science,Politics and Society in early Nineteenth Century Ireland:The Reverend William Richardson by Dr Allan Blackstock
Rosana Trainor, Honorary Secretary,October 2012
