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VISIT TO BELFAST HOSTED BY PROBUS ANTRIM

On 2nd October 2001, Probus Antrim kindly invited Probus Dun Laoghaire Marine for a visit to Belfast. 

We went up on the Enterprise train service and Probus Antrim met us at Belfast Central with a luxury coach. 

Our first stop was Belfast City Hall, a magnificent edifice built 1989-1906 in Classical Renaissance style in Portland stone, under the architect Brumwell Thomas.  The Council Chamber housed the first Parliament of Northern Ireland, opened in 1921.  Following a very informative tour, the Lord Mayor, Jim Rodgers, entertained the visitors to tea and presented plaques of Belfast City coat of arms to the two Probus Presidents, Harry Wright and Matt Coleman. 

As guest of the UUP's Chief Whip, Jim Wilson, who is Antrim's MLA, ably assisted by Neil and his daughter Sharon, we then motored to Stormont Castle, where we first enjoyed an excellent lunch.  This was followed by a tour of a truly magnificent edifice, built in 1932, 365 feet in width and exactly symmetrical left and right.  Mr Wilson gave us an excellent address in the main debating chamber, including telling us where each of the party leaders and front benchers sat. 

After a lively question and answer session, the coach brought us back to the railway station, where we bade farewell to our friends in Antrim Probus and returned to Dublin. 

We later heard that the visit of Probus Dun Laoghaire Marine to Stormont was recorded by ITV and featured on that evening's news bulletin ! 

We are hugely grateful to Antrim Probus for such an interesting and stimulating visit and for their meticulous arrangements which all ran like clockwork.   Moreover, the sun shone continously and warmly throughout the day.  We're not sure how they arranged this.