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 2010
The Old Museum Building
The Arts Centre tenants will be vacating at the end of March. Arrangements are being made to keep another tenant in the building for the next year while formulating a plan to keep the building occupied. Our agents have been instructed that the building is available for rent to a suitable organisation.
Publications Subcomittee
This has met once on 3rd November 2009 to discuss Steve Royle's book which will complement Raymond Gillespie's Early Belfast. Professor Royle will not be able to start work on it till 2010. In the meantime no other publications will be under consideration.
LECTURE PROGRAMME 2009/10
The day and time of the lectures are still Wednesdays at 6.30 p.m. and the number of lectures has been increased. Attendance at lectures has been healthy.
9 September Fergus Hanna Bell :Sam Hanna Bell: remembering my father
7 October David Livingstone :The Landscapes of Darwinism
11 November Charles Horton Chester Beatty’s Great Adventure: the Golden Age of Manuscript Collecting
2 December Leo D’Agostino: Unhappy and at Home: the Italian community in Northern Ireland
13 January Elaine McDonald IBVM: Mary Ward: Prophetic, Pioneering and Passionate (1585-1645)
The life of the founder of the Congregation of Jesus and the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Loreto)
3 February Paula Murphy : 19th sculpture in Ireland: the destruction of sculpture in Dublin for political reasons
10 March Ruairi O’Baoill : Recent Excavations in Belfast: an Overview
May Outing on Sunday May 16th at midday
Hidden Belfast conducted by James O’Neill. Meet in front of the City Hall.
The Society received applications from and has funded the following:
Thomas Deeney for a publication on Ballyarnett Racecourse (Guildhall Press) granted £700
Pamela McIlveen UHF Immigration and the Industrial City £1,000
Application from Linen Hall for events marking Sam Hanna Bell’s centenary £1,500
John Gray The Great Cave Hill Rights of Way Case £250 Angélique Day, Honorary Secretary/ prospective President, March 2010 |
