Killyleagh Women’s Institute Celebrate their 75th Anniversary

75 YEARS OF KILLYLEAGH W.I.  –  1939-2014

Now, ladies, our story it started in May

In the year ‘39 so our minutes do say

Mrs Gordon was chosen as the first President

She lived in the big house called Delamont

And she was helped by good Mrs Green

Who started a knitting class at Gocean

Also the members much jam they did boil

Collected waste paper and gave out cod liver oil

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In the fifties they helped with Coronation Day

And gave the first Christmas Tree in Killyleagh

The Rev Cliff Boggs gave a ninety minute talk

And members went to Rowallane to walk

Jim Brown and his staff gave a mannequin parade

And bonnets for Easter were carefully made

Mrs Harrison talked about Spring daffodils

And our members protested about sewerage spills

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In the sixties we’d seventy members or more

Blanche gave a talk on life in Singapore

Liz Watt told of war time in The Holy Land

And we’d a cookery demonstration by good old Cake Brand

We travelled to Belfast for Opera House shows

And Alistair told us how to look after our toes

At Blood Donation Sessions we began to make tea

The Phyllis Gailey Prize was won by Margaret C.

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 In the seventies Jaffa Furs put on a display

And we’d to learn how to use decimal currency

Our members travelled a lot in those years

Edinburgh, Blackpool, Lake District and Wales

We had talks on Unislim and Tupperware

And tales of Lecale, Albert Colmer did share

Jane Bain presented us with a bell

And Heather and Alice as cooks did excel 

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In the eighties Ulster Bank gave to Susan McBride

The President’s badge that Iris is wearing with pride

To see Doll’s Houses and Wedding Dresses was really

 a  must                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

 And at times we had talks about The National Trust

We’d a talk from Police on protection of the home

And sent old shirts to make kid’s clothes in Sierra Leone

A talk on Caving in China was given by Tim Fogg

On Ceramics by Mike Robinson and on China by Hoggs

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In the nineties we all went on many day trips

And Florence, Jean and Emily each won scholarships

Our Iris was an expert on Aromatherapy

While Roma did Tweed Pictures and Jean Embroidery

Adeline had painting classes in the Lecture Hall

Some did patchwork and copper pictures to hang on the wall                                                                       

Several times the Area Quiz was won by our team

And we sponsored a cycle ride by Richard McLean

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Since 2000 we’ve gone to Kilmore’s Music for All

And enjoyed Police Concerts in the Ulster Hall

We had a talk on Bee Keeping by sweet Mr Bell

And of International Gatherings we’ve often heard tell

We’ve enjoyed playing host to our Romanian friends

And Decorum and Apres showed us the fashion trends.

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I hope these thoughts have brought memories of many a

good day                                                                  

And of friends now departed from old Killyleagh

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We’ve now moved from the Library to the Masonic Hall

At the game of curling we all had a ball

We’ve had gardening tips from Norman and Frank

And some Bring and Buy Sales to put funds in the Bank

We’ve enjoyed Flower Arranging and Card Making too

 ———————————

BUT OUR NUMBERS ARE DROPPING – WHAT SHALL WE

Do?                        

Let’s go out and tell others and bring them along

To friendship and good programmes – and teach them our

  song.

DERRY AND ANTRIM AND DOWN, FERMANAGH, ARMAGH AND TYRONE

SIX COUNTIES WOMEN ALL WORKING TOGETHER

AND EVERYONE PROUD OF THEIR OWN    

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THIS WAS COMPOSED AND READ BY ZENA McAllister

AT KILLYLEAGH W.I.’S 75^th ANNIVERSARY DINNER

on 19 June 2014