ARTS Society

Art & Architecture in Gardens of the World

Art is all around us and no more so than in garden design – from the great, classical masterpieces to more humble, but no less spectacular examples of a marriage between art and design. We will be in the hands of a gardening expert and enthusiast for everything horticultural.

Trevor Edwards has been a long time commentator on gardens and gardening and now leads tour groups to spectacular gardens around Europe and the rest of the world. He will give us a presentation based on his many encounters with art, architecture and horticulture, and their relationship one to the other, based on his worldwide visits to gardens and cities. His enthusiasm for horticulture, and heritage gardens in particular, is infectious and a good, fun morning is guaranteed. The timing, just as our own more humble gardens come back to life, is of course perfect.

Trevor Edwards
For his first 25 years as a horticulturist, Trevor ran his own garden centre in his home-town of Carrickfergus. Since then, he has worked as a garden designer and consultant, including radio and television wok. In recent years, he has travelled the world as an art and garden tour manager, including trips to Italy, Sicily, Spain, France, USA, Japan, Morocco, Singapore, Mauritius, New Zealand, the Caribbean and India’s Golden Triangle.

The format will be as follows:
10:30 am coffee/tea available to purchase £5pp
11:00 am talk begins with time for questions
12:30 pm onwards – Lunch

All Club members are very welcome and may invite guests both to the talk and to lunch but please ensure to sign them in the Visitors Book at the front door.

Lunch will be in the dining room. When booking please advise of any dietary requirements. As we do not ask for payment in advance it is important that you keep us advised of any changes to your booking.

HISTORICAL Society

“A Fractious Relationship? State and Religion in Education in N Ireland” by Prof Tony Gallagher
19^th March 2024 10.30 am

Tony Gallagher is a Professor of Education at Queen’s University Belfast.
His main research interests lie in the role of education in divided societies and the civic and democratic role of higher education. He has held a number of leadership roles in Queen’s University and has worked in various roles for many years with the Council of Europe.

Content
A popular narrative of education in 19th and 20th century Ireland highlights an official aspiration for a religiously integrated system which was continually thwarted by the self-interest of the Churches. In his talk Tony Gallagher will offer a critical examination of this narrative, drawing on contemporary ideas on majority-minority relations in divided societies, and examining the political and social context of education at key transition points. These will include the establishment of the National School system in Ireland in 1831, and the 1923 and 1947 Education Acts in Northern Ireland.

The format will be as follows:
10:30 am coffee/tea available to purchase £5pp
11:00 am talk begins
12:00 – 12:15 pm Q&A
12:30 pm onwards – Lunch

All Club members are very welcome and may invite guests both to the talk and to lunch but please ensure to sign them in the Visitors Book at the front door.

Lunch will be in the dining room. When booking please advise of any dietary requirements. As we do not ask for payment in advance it is important that you keep us advised of any changes to your booking.