Following the enforced cancellation of some of their meetings last year due to the Foot and Mouth outbreak, Bellaghy Historical Society have just started our new season The October Meeting was a talk given by Dr Bob Curran, Lecturer on History at the N.U.U. on Myths and Legends.
The speaker explained how in simpler times strange happenings were attributed to the Fairies or Witchcraft as a way of explaining their occurrence. He drew on ancient Celtic beliefs in the power of the Little people and how it was forbidden to talk to them at the risk of dire consequences. Local stories were included in his talk which the audience found at all times interesting and very amusing.
Before the meeting started a brief Annual General Meeting was held at which the existing Committee was re-elected since its tenure of office had been greatly curtailed by the Foot and Mouth epidemic which caused the cancellation of the last three meetings.
When thanking the Speaker the Chairperson, Mrs Mary Breslin also thanked those who attended for their interest and reminded them that the next meeting would be on Tuesday 13th November when the speaker would be Ms Yvonne Hirst, Head of the Local Studies Department at Ballymena Library on the topic of Researching Bellaghy’s Past.