The Apprentice Boys Annual Parade and Service of Remembrance took place on Saturday 9th November in Belfast.
The Parade walked to the National Cenotaph alongside Belfast City Hall, before continuing on to the Shankhill Road, stopping to lay a wreath in the Memorial Park.
Following the Parade the Secretary of the Murray Parent Club attended the Installation of Officers for Belfast Murray, conducted by the Lt. Governor, Bro. William Walker.
Bryansford & District Murray celebrated its 90th Anniversary Year at a dinner held in the Harbour Inn, Annealing, on the 5th October.
It was a very well-attended event, and promised to extend into a long evening of entertainment.
A celebration cake was cut by the wife of President, Bro. Richard Foster.
Two 40 Year Service Jewels were presented on the evening to Bros. Ian Parker (left) and Raymond Skillen (right).
This has been a special year for Bryansford & District Murray, and one where it has again shown growth in its ranks. A number of members were enrolled earlier in the year and the Club is working on when it will be best for them to take the long journey to Londonderry to be Made.
The Annual Visit to the Graves of Col. John Mitchelburne and Col. Adam Murray took place on the morning of 21st September at Old Glendermott Graveyard.
President of the Mitchelburne Club, Bro. Kingsley Baker laid the wreath on Col. Mitchelburnes grave. The wreath on Adam Murray’s grave was laid by Bro. David Austin, Treasurer of the Murray Parent Club.
This year’s Liverpool Clubs’ Parade in Liverpool/Southport was organised by SAMS Murray on 8th June.
It was a gloriously sunny day and a great turnout from the Liverpool Clubs and visitors including Kirkintilloch Baker Club.
Big thanks to SAMS Murray for a great welcome and a well organised day, ending at Southern Area Memorial Hall (SAMs Club) on Mill Street, Liverpool.
The SAC Rally was held on the first Saturday in June in Glasgow, hosted by the Bridgeton No Surrender Club.
A number of Members from the new Corby Murray Club took the opportunity to be out on Parade, along with Fraser McKechnie (with jacket in photo) from Australia Murray who had been recently Made at the May Initiation Weekend. They joined with Partick Murray for the day, returning to the Crawford Halls for an afternoon of harmony after the main Parade.
The SAC Rally began with a Parade to the Glasgow City Cenotaph, before walking on to Glasgow Green.
The day is a great opportunity to meet with Scottis Murray Clubs; Partick, Greenock, Possilpark and Wishaw.
It was also an opportunity to say hello to Pride of the North, Glasgow, which led Possilpark Murray and would be leading the Parent Club in Londonderrry at the 335th Relief of Derry Commemorations.
Once again, great weather for an outstanding Parade.
Joining with the Apprentice Boys of Derry and Baker Clubs, the annual Initiation Day for the Murray Club was held on the 25 May. The day started with a Parade from Bond Street.
The Murray Club was delighted to have the Coleraine Fife & Drum returning to lead it across from the Waterside.
The Parade ended at First Derry Presbyterian where a Memorial Service was held for past-Governor Sam Shepherd, a member of the Apprentice Boys of Derry Club and friend to all.
The initiations took place in the Apprentice Boys Room in the Memorial Hall, with all three Clubs together. Among those Made from the Murray Club were members from Antrim, Teemore and Australia Murray Clubs.
It was a great pleasure to travel to Corby, England, to install a new Charter for a Murray Club in Corby on Saturday 18th May. Our thanks to Governor Bro. Graeme Stenhouse and General Secretary Bro. William Moore for joining the Murray Parent Club President Bro. Gordon McMorris and Secretary Bro. David Hoey and assisting with the day’s formalities.
The Charter Installation and the inaugural meeting of Corby Branch of the Murray Club Apprentice Boys of Derry was held in Great Oakley Village Hall, Corby, attended by Officers of General Committee, the Murray Parent Club, the No Surrender Parent Club, the English Amalgamated Committee, SAMS Murray Branch Club (Liverpool), Thames & Avon Murray Branch Club, Greenock Murray Branch Club, Surrey Campsie Branch Club, Manchester & Salford Campsie Branch Club, and members of Motherwell Walker Club.
The meeting included enrolment of two new members. Diplomas were presented to many of the 13 founding members who had been Made in Londonderry as plans for the Club developed.
There was a great sense of occasion and Brotherhood at this event. This was a great occasion for the Murray Club, establishing a new Club in the East Midlands where there had not been a presence for the Associated Clubs of the Apprentice Boys of Derry for over twenty years.
On the evening before the Commemoration the regular meeting of the Parent Club included the Initiation of twenty-four candidates, including nine to be the core of the proposed Club in Corby, six from our oldest Club, Partick and others from Donemana, Newtownstewart, Manorcunningham and Greenock. It was a tremendous end to a year of exceptional numbers being Derry Made into the Murray Club.
Australia Murray had recalled the 335th Annual Commemoration of the Shutting of the Gates earlier in the day, in Adelaide, which included the installation of a new Officer team. All the very best to the Club as it continues to establish itself, consolidating and growing, keeping alive the memory of the Brave 13 on the far side of the world.
There was a huge turnout of Apprentice Boys for the Annual Commemoration In Londonderry, reflecting a year of outstanding growth for the Association across all Clubs.
The Service of Thanksgiving in St. Columb’s Cathedral was packed, and with many standing at the back. A wreath was laid on the Siege Heroes Mound. The day ended with the burning of Lundy, with the Mitchelburne Club have the honour to keep the traditions of the Association for this year.
The link to the gallery of images is here.
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. Donemana Murray made visiting a little easier, holding its Installation of Officers in the Apprentice Boys Room in the Memorial Hall. The Club organised a tour of the Siege Museum preceding the meeting, and arranged refreshment to follow. Congratulations to the Club for the initiative and all the best to the Officers, old and new, for the year ahead.
A fourth member of Murray Australia was Made in 2023 at the regular meeting of the Parent Club in October. It has been very encouraging to see the steady flow of Members from Australia taking the opportunity to be Made while visiting in Northern Ireland or making the trip especially. Joseph Lynd, from Cairns, was visiting family in Northern Ireland and it was great to be able to show him around and to be part of his Initiation.
