Well-attended talk on history of the UDR launches centenary series in Ballycarry

The history of the Ulster Defence Regiment was the subject of a well-attended talk last week as the launch of the Ballycarry 100 series of talks in the village.
Mitch Bresland, guest speaker at a talk on the UDR in Ballycarry Community Centre, with the chairman of the community group, Billy Thompson.Mitch Bresland, guest speaker at a talk on the UDR in Ballycarry Community Centre, with the chairman of the community group, Billy Thompson.
Mitch Bresland, guest speaker at a talk on the UDR in Ballycarry Community Centre, with the chairman of the community group, Billy Thompson.

The talks are supported by the Shared History Fund and are organised by Ballycarry & District Community Association.

Guest speaker was Mitch Bresland, a former soldier with the UDR and the Royal Irish Regiment, who outlined the circumstances surrounding the formation of the UDR and its development over the years.

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The event was attended by over 40 people, many of whom had family connections with the regiment, which was amalgamated in 1992.

Guest speaker Mitch Bresland has a chat with some of those who attended the talk to launch the Ballycarry 100 series of talks.Guest speaker Mitch Bresland has a chat with some of those who attended the talk to launch the Ballycarry 100 series of talks.
Guest speaker Mitch Bresland has a chat with some of those who attended the talk to launch the Ballycarry 100 series of talks.

As well as the talk there was also an exhibition created by Billy Thompson, chairman of the Ballycarry and District Community Association, who also served in both regiments during his career.

The next talk in the series of Ballycarry 100 will take place this Thursday, September 30, at 7.30pm and will be delivered by Dr Donal McAnallen of National Museums NI Museum.

He is project manager of the Unlocking Our Sound Heritage project at National Museums NI, which is digitising and cataloguing the extensive sound archives at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum.

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His previous roles include stints working as a cultural education officer for Ulster GAA, and lecturing in sports studies at the University of Ulster.

He has been widely published as an historian, and his most recent book is Forgotten Gaelic Volunteers: Ulster GAA Members who fought in World War One (2019).

Dr McAnallen will be examining Sport and the State in Northern Ireland 1921-2021 and everyone is welcome.

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Click here to read: Ballycarry photographic murals help tell village story

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