Building Fund Gift Day - more details to follow.

The first meeting of the Watchmen will be at St Catherine’s Parish Church in Killead. The visit will begin with a walk around the adjacent churchyard to view the war graves located there. Men from across the Commonwealth served in Northern Ireland during World War 2 and many died on active service and were interred in local churchyards and cemeteries.

St Catherine’s has a strong connection with the military being located within the secure Aldergrove military base. Indeed Aldergrove was unique at one time as being the only one in the UK to have all three branches of the armed forces based there at the same time.

Given that it is still a secure base there will be some security checks made to gain entry so anyone attending should ensure they are carrying a valid means of identification, ie a driving licence or passport. It would also be helpful to minimise the number of vehicles so arrangements will be made to car-share.

Could anyone who is going please inform David Holmes a few days in advance?

Time - 7.00pm

Venue - St Catherine’s Parish Church, Killead

The ladies of the church will be providing refreshments at the end of the visit..

Tim Austin from Blythswood will be giving a talk on the work done by this important local charity

The last walk of the rambling season and it will be a flat route to finish off.

Meet at the the car park at the junction of Corporation Street and Dunbar Link in Belfast at 6:50pm. Directions from the M2 - leave the M2 at Duncrue Street and drive along Corporation Street, under the M3 and railway flyovers and the car park is on the right just before the traffic lights in Exchange Street. Parking is free after 6:00pm. From there the walk will go to the City Hall and in particular the Titanic Memorial on the eastern end of the building. Then it will head for the River Lagan and across the pedestrian footbridge at the ‘Big Fish’. Past the SSE Arena, ‘SS Nomadic’ and the Titanic Building to the ‘Great Light’, then HMS Caroline and then find a spot for coffee in the Ann Street area or Cathedral Quarter before returning to the cars via Tomb Street. A little bit of Belfast’s maritime history will be discussed on the way.

Terrain - footpaths and paved areas

Difficulty Rating - 3

Distance - 8 km

Study this map to get an idea of what’s on view (courtesy of the Titanic Quarter website).

Full day excursion.

Following previous year’s very successful trips to Rathlin this will be another chance to explore more of the island. The bird sanctuary at the West Light should still be busy with birds although the breeding season is largely finished.

Various walking routes are available on the island and there is also an option to hire bicycles.

Visit the Rathlin Ferry website to book your own tickets. Leaving Ballycastle on the 10:00 sailing and returning from Rathlin at 16:00. The ferry is free for those holding a valid travel pass.

Meeting point is Cutter’s Wharf, Lockview Road, Stranmillis at 6:50pm.

The route will follow the Lagan towpath diverting off into Lagan Meadows. It will follow paths around the park eventually returning to the towpath again and back to the start.

Follow this link for a map of the walk - Lagan Meadows

Difficulty rating - 3

Distance - 6 km

Meet at the public car park just off the Croft Road in Carnlough at 6:50pm. Going through the village turn left at the Spar. Cross over the crossroads and drive up to the small roundabout. Turn left again and park in the car park at the end of this avenue. Starting to walk at 7:00 pm. This walk is a repeat of a previous visits to Carnlough crossing below the cliff face and over the mine workings to the Croft Road and then back to the village. There are lovely views of Carnlough Bay from the mine workings.

Terrain - roads and some unmade tracks

Difficulty Rating - 4

Distance - 4 km

Meet at the Castle gardens in Antrim at 6:50pm, parking beside Clotworthy House in the Castle grounds car park just off the Randalstown Road. The walking route goes around the back of Clotworthy House, across the Six Mile Water using the Deerpark Bridge, then right to follow the river downstream to Lough Neagh. Continue south along the lough shore, through Rea’s Wood, eventually emerging onto the A6 Dublin Road. Turn left and almost immediately cross over to Kirby’s Lane, follow it for about 0.5 km and at the sign for the Mill Race Trail (on the left) turn left into this lane and follow the Six Mile Water downstream towards the town, crossing the bridge at the weir and eventually coming out at Riverside and then into High Street at All Saints’ church. Turn left and using the underpass at the river walk back to the Castle Gardens. Follow the path through the ruins of the castle and into the main garden area before returning to the cars in front of Clotworthy House.

Terrain - footpaths and roads

Difficulty Rating - 4

Distance - 9 km

Meet in the car park on the Shane’s Hill Road on the northern side of Ballyboley Forest. Follow the Ulster Way signs across the road and through a short section of forest heading north. Climb firstly Shane’s Hill and then Agnew’s Hill before retracing the route back.

Map 1

Map 2

Difficulty rating - 8

Distance - 6 km

Dependent on how wet it has been in the weeks before this walk there may be some wet sections through what was the fire break in the recently harvested trees. These can usually be bypassed by walking through the stumps to the left or right..

This route begins at the Galgorm Castle Golf Club car park on the Galgorm Road, Ballymena. Follow the signs for the golf club and park in its car park near the clubhouse. The route will follow public pathways along the River Braid.

Terrain - public pathways and footpaths

Distance - 7 km

Difficulty rating - 4

Meet at the Museum of Orange Heritage building on the Cregagh Road, Belfast at 6:50pm. Parking available in Cregagh Park and the bus turning area at its junction with Cregagh Road just above the museum.

The walk starts on the other side of the Knock dual-carriageway and leads up through Cregagh Glen on unmade paths so walking shoes/boots are recommended. The path is steep in places and there are steps at a number of locations. Near the top the path opens out into farmland.

Cregagh Glen

Difficulty rating - 7

Distance - 7 km

Meet at the car park (Robin Young’s car park) on the Feystown Road above Cairncastle at 6:50pm.

Difficulty rating - 7

Distance - 9 km

Some short, steep sections at the start and on the route

Immediately after this morning’s service parishioners are invited to enjoy a hot dog and light refreshments in the Parish Hall. Please let a member of the Ladies’ Group know if you would like to join us.

Drive to the Park and Ride car park beside the railway station in Holywood and park. Aiming to catch the 6:45pm train. Note that the train timetable needs to be confirmed nearer the date of the walk. Take the train to Helen’s Bay station and walk back along the coastal path. Seniors go free on the train but only if you bring your Translink pass! For a shorter walk get off the train at an earlier stop before Helen’s Bay and walk back to Holywood or don’t take the train at all and walk along the coastal path towards Bangor until you meet the main body of walkers coming the other way.

Terrain - mainly footpaths

Difficulty rating - 3

Distance - 8 km

This will be the same route that was walked around Divis last year. Meet at the car park just above Hannahstown at 6:50pm and then follow first the blue way markers and then the red to the top of the hill, returning down the opposite side looking out for the World War 2 aircraft that crashed during the war.

Follow this link for a map - Divis

Terrain - roads and some rough pathways. Some steep sections dependent on route followed.

Difficulty rating - 7

Distance - 10 km

Kibride Parish Church choir will be joining St Nicholas’ Parish Church choir for Choral Evensong in St Nicholas’ Parish Church in Carrickfergus.

The service will be preceded by a number of organ scholars who are part of the Down & Dromore and Connor Diocesan Organ Schoiarship Scheme. Our own David Monaghan will be taking part in this.

All are welcome to attend.

Meet at the Minnowburn car park near Shaw’s Bridge at 6.50pm. Follow this link for full details - Giant’s Ring

Difficulty rating - 5

Distance - 6 km

Following a very enjoyable visit to Down cathedral last June the venue for the next cathedral visit is St Macartin’s in Enniskillen. It will be an early start making the journey to Enniskillen to take a tour of this beautiful cathedral, beginning at 11.30am. The tour will be conducted by the Dean himself, the Very Rev. Kenneth R J Hall, and should last about one hour. Then the group will have some free time to have lunch, look around the town and perhaps visit the nearby castle museum before leaving at approximately 4.00pm. The group will be stopping for tea on the way back at Corick House, near Fivemiletown.

This trip is intended for Kilbride Parish Church parishioners and friends.

Booking for this event has now closed.

Please visit the cathedral’s website to find out a little bit more about it ahead of the visit

Enniskillen Cathedral

A number of candidates will be presented for confirmation to Bishop George Davison at this morning’s service.

The Una Voce choir for female voices, from Glengormley, will be holding its Spring concert in St Bride’s Parish Hall. No tickets are needed but charitable donations will be gratefully accepted.

Donations will be shared equally between two very worthy charities, namely Riding for the Disabled Association and Parkinson’s UK.

Meet at the car park on the Hightown Road at 6:50pm. The route follows the green waymarking arrows and will take in McArt’s fort at the top of Cavehill before dropping down towards Belfast Castle and back to the car park. A challenging route. Follow this link for a map - Cavehill

Difficulty rating - 7

Distance - 7.2 km

End of season dinner in Ballyrobin Country Lodge

Meet at Robin Young’s car park on the Feystown Road just above Cairncastle at 6:50pm. The route heads south, following the Ulster Way markers, to the top of the hill and then follows the escarpment with excellent views across to Scotland and across Ballygally bay. The area directly below the escarpment is covered in bluebells in May.

Difficulty Rating - 8 (steep section at the start for approximately 750m but reasonably flat from then on. There are also some stiles to negotiate)

Distance - 6 km

Annual General Meeting

Venue - Parish Room

There will be guest speakers from various charities supported by the Ladies’ Group.

Meet at the forest car park just below Woodburn Presbyterian Church at 6:50pm. Rough paths so walking boots recommended.

Difficulty Rating - 4

Distance - 8 km (this is to the Knockagh monument but shorter routes are also available through the forest). Approximately 3 km of this walk will be on public roads.

Meeting point is Houston’s Mill, Broughshane.

Drive over the Collin to Broughshane. Turn right at the ‘T’ junction on Main Street and the car park is at Houston’s Mill just beside St Patrick’s church. Starting to walk at approximately 7:15 pm. The walk follows the River Braid and back by main street. This walk is suitable for all abilities.

Follow this link for a map of the walk - Buttermilk Bridge

Difficulty rating - 2

Distance - 5 km

In the Church of Ireland, those members over 18 and who subscribe to Parish funds can, if they are registered in what is called the Register of Vestry Members, attend and vote at the annual business meeting which is referred to as the Easter General Vestry.

At that annual business meeting an election is held to appoint 12 people who will deal with the business affairs of the parish for the following 12 months. In addition a People’s Churchwarden and a People’s Glebewarden will be elected. Those elected, together with the Rector’s Churchwarden and Rector’s Glebewarden, are referred to as the Select Vestry. The annual accounts are also presented at the Easter General Vestry.

2026 is a triennial year meaning that there will also be an election from among the registered vestry members of Diocesan synod members and supplementalists and Parochial Nominators and supplementalists. Those elected will hold these positions for three years.

This year’s Easter General Vestry will be held in the Parish Hall immediately after Morning Prayer. Refreshments will be provided.

Walker Ewart O.B.E. - Drama Festival Adjudicator

Walker Ewart is a native of Castledawson, Co. Londonderry, who currently lives in Bangor, Co. Down. As an adjudicator, he works mainly throughout Ireland and Scotland, and occasionally in England and has adjudicated at many major drama festivals. A graduate of the University of Southampton, followed by a Masters from the University of Ulster, he was a teacher of Modern Languages for 25 years. He then became a member of the Education and Training Inspectorate for 15 years. He was awarded an O.B.E. for ‘services to education’ in 2012 on his retirement.

His lasting interest in amateur drama began at the age of 14, when he was cast as Sir Oliver Surface in Sheridan’s ‘School for Scandal’ and felt the magic of making an audience laugh. He has been involved with the amateur drama circuit since teacher-training college in 1975 as an actor, director and administrator.

He had the privilege of being Secretary and Chairman of both Bangor Drama Club and Bangor Drama Festival. A particular honour was becoming the Chairman of the Association of Ulster Drama Festivals (AUDF). He has appeared as an actor in the All-Ireland Finals in Athlone in ‘Amadeus’ with Holywood Players, and in ‘A Doll’s House’ with Bangor Drama Club. He has appeared as both an actor and director in the Ulster Drama Festival on several occasions. Having been a Bangor Drama Festival tea-maker, secretary and chairman, he is fully aware of the efforts made by the huge team of volunteers in any production, in any festival. He has basked in, and suffered, adjudications as an actor and director and understands the sensitivities of groups who have been preparing their work for many months. He deems it an honour to adjudicate his peers in any festival.

Walker will coming to Kilbride to give a talk from his life experiences and by using poetry and stories he will start from birth through childhood, love, marriage, middle age and growing old to the inevitable end.
Many of us will recognise some of the experiences. The program will make you think and laugh and be thankful for the life we have been given.

Tickets are £5.00 and are A donation from funds raised at this event will be given to the MS Society.
We hope you will join us for what should be an entertaining evening.
Light refreshments will be served after the event.

Venue - Parish Hall

Time - 7:30pm

Tickets - £5 (available from members of the Ladies Group and at the back of the Church)