Author: David Hoey

Liverpool Clubs’ Parade, Southport.

The day started with sunshine and ended with a torrential downpour. Luckily, it did not rain on the Liverpool Parade. A good turnout of our Clubs in the Liverpool area, with Members on parade from Liverpool Murray, SAMS Murray and Bootle Murray, as well as members from nearby Lancashire & Cheshire Murray.

With this Parade so close to the SAC Rally, football in Scotland leading Police Scotland to insist on an ‘out of season’ event, numbers in recent years have been less than in the past. Good to see numbers improve and hoping that that small increase is repeated in years to come. Southport was welcoming and a good day for all.

SAC Rally, Dunfermline.

Back in Scotland and the SAC Rally offered the opportunity to meet with each of our four Scottish Branch Clubs on the day. It was a glorious June day, and an excellent turnout in the Kingdom of Fife.

Service of Reflection and Remembering

Organised by General Committee many Parent Club Members attended a Service in St Columb’s Cathedral on the afternoon of 26th March to reflect on Members and family of members who died during Covid and perhaps hadn’t had the Service that would have been usual. The collection at the Service was dedicated to Medical Research, and after discussion with the Research wing of Altnagelvin Hospital a cheque for £1000 was handed to the Respiratory Research team in June.

Remembering Gordon Hill.

On the morning of our Annual Initiation Day started, the Murray Club along with Churchhill LOL 871 joined together to remember Bro. Gordon Hill. Gordon died at the end of 2021 and had no family. He is buried at Ballyoan Cemetery. The Club and Lodge together commissioned a Memorial Stone, so that the grave would not be unmarked and the Brother remembered appropriately. A brief reading and prayer were said and a wreath laid in Memory of a good Brother.

Annual Initiation Day 2023

A big change in 2023 with the Murray Club joining with the Apprentice Boys of Derry Parent Club and the Baker Parent Club for a joint initiation Day on the last Saturday of May.

It was a worthwhile change, evident from the very large numbers walking from Bond Street to the Memorial Hall. There were so many candidates for Initiation there had to be two meetings, one for the much larger ABOD Club and another jointly for the Baker and Murray Clubs. On the day around eighty were Made across all the Clubs, nineteen for the Murray. Tremendous turnout and a positive indication of a significant bounce back after Covid.

Enrolment of new Members into SAMS Liverpool Branch

An approach to the Parent Club Secretary early in 2023 led to a Special Meeting of SAMS Liverpool Branch in Corby in mid-May to enrol eight members who would be a core part of establishing a new Murray Club in Corby. There had been a No Surrender Club back in the 1980s, but it dissolved and issues still rumble. The mostly young coterie who wished to make a new start in Corby decided on Murray as the future Parent Club. Since May, others in the Corby area have transferred into the Parent Club. Wishing SAMS and its Corby members all the best as they work towards a new Charter for a Murray Corby Branch Club sometime in 2024.

Partick Murray is 120 Years young.

Congratulations to Partick Murray Club which celebrates its 120th Anniversary in 2023, the oldest Branch Club in Scotland.

Murray Parent Club President, Gordon McMorris, and the Parent Club Secretary joined Partick Murray’s 120th Anniversary Parade on Saturday 14th January. There was an impressive turnout of Partick Members and other visiting brethren on a cold, sometimes sunny, sometimes wet and often windy, winter afternoon. The Heirs of Cromwell Flute Band was excellent.

Following the parade there was a warm welcome of soup and sandwiches at Crawford Street Hall, and an afternoon of entertainment.

During the afternoon there were a series of presentations. Forty Year Service Jewels were presented to Bros. Jim Mahoney and Andrew Platt (Treasurer), and Thirteen Year Service Jewels to Past President, Bro. Stevie Bryceland, and current President, Bro. Brian Hood.

There were four Members Derry Made on the evening before the Shutting of the Gates in December 2022 who were presented with their Certificates: (left to right) Bros. Michael Holmes, Neil Robbie Robertson, George Bell, Robert Jamieson. Finally, Bro Eric Latham received a Past President Certificate from his successor Bro. Hood.

Terrific start to any year.

Partick Murray keeps the Crimson strong in Glasgow and shows every sign of maintaining a strength of presence for many years ahead.

The 334th Annual Commemoration of the Shutting of the Gates

The 334th Annual Commemoration of the Shutting of the Gates returned to the full-scale event that it was pre-Covid. No hesitation in attendance, and a huge turnout of Apprentice Boys. We were back to being able to attend the Service of Thanksgiving in St. Columb’s Cathedral.

Parades, a packed Church Service, laying a wreath at Siege Heroes Mound, and the inevitable burning of Lundy, all combined to end a memorable year for the Murray Club and the Associated Clubs of the Apprentice Boys of Derry. There was also a television crew recording for an episode of the ‘Long and Short of it’: well-known faces at the Shutting of the Gates, and to appear on TV sometime this coming year.

The link to the gallery page is here.

Aghadowey Murray Initiation of Officers, Thursday 1 December.

Late November through to early January is a busy time, with Officers of the Parent Club endeavouring to have at least one representative at a Branch Club’s Installation of Officers, if at all practicable. Aghadowey was the closest meeting to the Shutting of the Gates. At the meeting Bro. Freddie Tannilhill was presented his 40 Year Service Jewel by the Governor. Following supper, Glenkeen Flute Band played some tunes. It was also an evening to welcome two new Members to Aghadowey: transferred in are Bros. James Gault and Nevin Brewster.

English Amalgamated AGM and Parade, Blackpool, 21st October.

A weekend in Blackpool supporting the English Amalgamated Committee, intending to generate enthusiasm for a restart after these past few disruptive years. Along with the Murray Club President, Gordon McMorris, it was an excellent opportunity to meet with a number of our English Clubs; SAMS Liverpool, Bootle, and Lancashire & Cheshire. English brethren were joined by many from Scotland and from Northern Ireland. Members of Newtownstewart Murray travelled with Castlederg Young Loyalists (Old Boys) FB, to make a weekend of it. A good parade and evening harmony, which is hoped to become an annual date for the diary on the last Saturday of October.