Posted Monday 19. of October
Guild Notice
Dear Guild Member,
We have a number of exciting announcements to make this October.
‘My Roots’ – Tracing your Belfast ancestors, 28 October 2009
To celebrate the re-opening of Belfast City Hall, Ulster Historical Foundation has been invited by Belfast City Council to present an innovative event celebrating family history and heritage in the city of Belfast. This event will take place on Wednesday 28 October 2009 at Belfast City Hall. It is free of charge and everyone is welcome, but is ticketed. Tickets can be obtained from the Belfast Welcome Centre in Donegall Place (tel. 028 9024 6609).
This event will bring together noted local author Glenn Patterson, historian Dr Eamon Phoenix and UHF Research Director and Research Officer, Dr William Roulston and Pamela McIlveen. The evening will include musical entertainment provided by rising Belfast musician Anthony Toner and the Director of the Belfast Nashville Songwriters’ Festival, Colin Magee.
Come along to what surely will be a great evening of history, genealogy, storytelling and music.
Free competition – two places at the UHF’s fundraising dinner on 13 November 2009
We have two tickets to give away (for Guild member and guest) for Ulster Historical Foundation’s fundraising dinner which takes place on Friday, 13 November at Hillsborough Castle, Co. Down
This exclusive event, which seats only 70 and is a black tie event, is being staged to help raise funds to support the Foundation’s work. Our hosts for the evening will be UHF President, The Duke of Abercorn KG, Vice President, Lord O’Neill of Shane’s Castle, and Chairman, Mr Denis Desmond CBE.
To enter simply submit your name and Guild number by email (enquiry@uhf.org.uk) or letter before the closing date of 31 October. The winner will be drawn at random from entrants, and the winning Guild member will be notified, immediately after the draw has taken place.
This free prize will cover the meal, and wine/soft drinks supplied to guests as part of the event. It does not include transport to or from the event, overnight accommodation, incidental expenses, dress/suit hire or additional expenditure incurred in relation to attending the event.
Charity Auction
In the week leading up to, and on the night of the fundraising dinner on Friday, 13 November, the Foundation will be holding a charity auction for a number of superb gifts and activities. The items will be placed online on Monday, 9 November and advanced auction bids will be accepted up until midnight (GMT) Thursday, 12 November at which time the online advanced auction bid period will be closed. This is to facilitate those who are unable to attend the dinner, but who would like to bid on the items listed.
The advanced auction bids will be taken to the dinner at Hillsborough Castle on the evening of Friday 13 November, and if after the end of the auction, any advanced bid remains the highest bid on an individual item, the advance bidder will win the item.
Note: any advance bid made is a real and legally binding transaction. Also some items do have a reserve price and if the reserve is not met by either an advanced bid or on the night of the auction, then the item will be withdrawn from the auction. See the Foundation’s website for full details of the items, and terms and conditions of the auction.
Luxury Genealogy Tour
As part of the fundraising event, the Foundation is offering a luxurious genealogy package for two. If you would like to have a genealogy experience like the television celebrities on programmes such as BBC’s Who do you think You Are?, now you can.
This superb package will enable two people to stay in the Merchant Hotel, Belfast’s top hotel, eat in one of the best restaurants in the city and plan your personal research and individual and personalised sight seeing tour with your own researcher. This Luxury Genealogical Tour package is a complete one off activity and will be a totally individual and unique experience for the winning bidder
The package includes two tickets to the Foundation’s fundraising dinner on Friday 13 November, but the package can be taken any time in the ‘off-peak’ period. See the Foundation’s website for full details of the items, and terms and conditions of the auction.
Note: any bid made is a real and legally binding transaction. Also the luxury tour does have a reserve price and if the reserve is not met then the item will be withdrawn from the auction.
Move to new premises
Finally we wish to advise members that the Foundation will be moving to new premises at 49 Malone Road, Belfast. We hope to be open for business in the new offices for 02 November 2009. Our new telephone number will be 028 9066 1988.
We wish to thank all members who have supported our ‘Buy a Brick’ campaign which to date has raised £6,500. Members can keep up to date with progress towards our target of £30,000 by checking the Foundation’s website. We are grateful for all donations irrespective of size, for anyone who has not made a contribution, perhaps they might like to consider one, the ‘Buy A Brick’ campaign will run until 31 March 2010’.
We look forward to welcoming members to a special evening event to mark the Foundation’s move to the new location, most probably in spring 2010, after the dedicated research area has been established.
New books for autumn/winter 2009
In the next couple of months the Foundation will be launching a number of interesting and diverse publications including:
Scotch-Irish Merchants in Colonial America
A Beleaguered Station: The Memoir of Head Constable John McKenna, 1891-1921
The Evolution of the GAA
Members can avail of the best offers by buying direct from booksireland.org.uk
Yours faithfully,
Fintan Mullan
Executive Director