50th Anniversary Celebration!

Just a post to say big thank you to all who made the journey to Stormont on Saturday 18th November 2025 for our 50th celebration!

Some guests enjoying a lovely lunch in the Long Gallery!

We had a great turnout and many of our member societies were represented including Antrim, Ballygawley, Ballinascreen, Banbridge, Carrickfergus, Comber, East Belfast, Donegal, Lecale & Down and West Belfast. We also had many representatives from our sister organisation in the South, with some travelling from as far as Cork!

We first have to thank Emma Sheerin MLA for supporting us and sponsoring the event as without her sponsorship we couldn’t have used the amazing venue of Parliament Buildings. Special thanks also go to Professor Brian Walker, FULS President and William Roulston & Helen Meehan, two of our Vice-Presidents- with Helen travelling all the way from Donegal to be with us and celebrate our anniversary! In Helen’s speech, she rightly emphasised that while Northern Ireland is just over 100 years old, its important that FULS is province wide in its focus as we have many more thousand of years of connection and history as Ulster.

FULS President, Professor Emeritus Brian Walker opens proceedings

It was a great day- with a wonderful meal, tour of Stormont and a fascinating talk from Lesley Simpson, Moira Concannon and Leanna Russell. Their talk on Balloo, Killinchy: A Hidden History, their recent publication, with each choosing a document they discovered while researching to highlight.

Here’s to another 50 years of supporting local studies in Ulster!