Family Photography

I made a small presentation of my commercial and family photography to the April meeting of the Business Network (Banbridge), which seemed to go down very well judging by the complimentary comments and requests for sittings which followed! You can view the video from YouTube (with apologies for quality of video settings).

The Business Network (Banbridge) is a network which has been jointly founded by local business owners and exists to support business owners in Banbridge and surrounding areas by: providing a networking, discussion and education forum; generating referrals and business leads; giving mutual support and sharing new ideas and business opportunities. You can find out more about the Business Network (Banbridge) at http://www.thebusinessnetwork.org/.

April's meeting also included a facilitated Focus On Networking Event presented by Carol Anne Dornan (Angle PR) and Juliana Sloan.

Dromore Cycle Races

Banbridge Cycling Club were the main promoters when up to five events were up for showing to the general public in Dromore, Co Down. The John Beggs Memorial race has over the years been considered a tough race commencing from the Dromore Scout Hall on the Ballynahinch Road and covering 56 miles on an eight mile circuit. The John Beggs Memorial race catered for category Senior 1 and Senior 2 riders.

The Sean McGreevy Memorial race covers the same circuit as the competitors in the John Beggs Memorial race, caters for Senior 3 ,Veterans ,Women and Juniors, but covering only 40 miles of the eight mile circuit.

For the first time ever in 2008, Banbridge Cycle took a gamble in promoting the first ever tandem race in Northern Ireland and they did so again in 2009.





The full set of images from this event can be viewed at Dromore Memorial Cycle Races.

52nd Annual Concert

Dromore and District Male Voice Choir held it's 52nd Annual Concert recently at Dromore High School with Conductor and Musical Director, David Thompson, and guest artistes Jenny Bourke and Gillian McCutcheon.

Ian McFarlane, secretary of the Dromore and District Male Voice Choir, with the choir's Hungarian member, Isdvan Pal, during the choir's 52nd annual concert in Dromore High School. Isdvan has been with the Dromore choir for two years now and previously sang in a choir in Budapest.

Trevor Martin of Dromore and District Male Voice Choir performed a duet with Jenny Bourke at the choir's 52nd annual concert in Dromore High School.

Craftsman

March was a month of milestones for Dromore man Ernie Martin who marked both his 80th birthday and his retirement after 15 years of faithful service as Sexton to First Dromore (Non-Subscribing) Presbyterian Church.
Once hailed as 'the best joiner in Dromore' by a former employer, Ernie's service to his own church, and others in the area, has drawn on his trade, as well as his faith.

Ernie spent 38 years working for John Graham (Dromore), reaching the managerial position of Joinery Foreman before working for several other local construction companies.One of a family of craftsmen - his late father Walter and late brother Joe were also noted carpenters with John Graham(Dromore) - among other things Ernie turned his 'God-given' talent to making the pulpits for Banbridge Road Presbyterian Church, Dromore and Drumlough Presbyterian Church.Described as a brilliant woodworker, he can certainly be said of have left his mark, in more ways than one, at First Dromore (Non-Subscribing), where in the early 1980s he personally constructed the two 16-foot windows at either side of the pulpit, as well as the sacramental War Memorial window.

Beyond that, having taken over the sexton's position from the late Mr. Billy Mitchell in 1994, he has for decades been actively involved in various church activities, including the Property Committee, helping to ensure the smooth running of Christian worship in the Rampart Street meeting house.Ernie's oft-quoted life philosophy - "better wearing out than rusting out" - is equally evident in his other pursuits, which between them demonstrate an until-recently tireless athleticism, a commitment to charity, a passion for music and, again, his skill at woodworking, with which he has produced five guitars and the racing body for a 1929 Riley sports car.A keen sportsman, he began in the mid-1980s to take part in fun-runs, only lately hanging up his running shoes, and his most recent achievements include raising £1,720 for the Paul Russell Trust Fund.

His love of music finds voice not only in his church choir, but among the ranks of the renowned Dromore and District Male Voice Choir, of which he has been a member for some 20 years.The congregation of First Dromore (Non-Subscribing) Presbyterian Church presented Ernie, and his wife Norah, with gifts last week, to mark his retirement as Sexton. (text, Dromore Leader)

Glenavon 3-1 Dungannon Swifts

Glenavon are virtually safe from a relegation play-off after beating bottom-placed Dungannon Swifts. Marty told me after the match that he was 99% certain that Glenavon will still be playing premiership football next season. Today's win took Glenavon eight points clear of the Swifts with just nine points to play for. Glenavon have lost just one of the seven Premiership matches played since Marty Quinn took over as manager.
James Costello dedicated his goal to the memory of a good friend's mother who died at the weekend. "Elvis" celebrated his goal in the fashion of Everton's Tim Cahill.
The full set of images from this game can be viewed here: Glenavon V Dungannon Swifts.

All Ireland Kitchen Guide

I have recently added to my published credits by having my work included in the All Ireland Kitchen Guide - Northern Ireland's largest selling kitchen magazine. An extension to their Lurgan home prompted Stephanie and Mcihael to visit Wilsons Conservation Building Products (Dromore) in search of a kitchen with functionality that suited their lifestyle, as well as being individual and reasonably contemporary. Wilsons Yard - which provides exquisite, bespoke kitchens, floors and lighting throughout Ireland - is a regular client of mine. You can view the fantastic range of kitchens and architectural salvage available at Wilsons Yard here. I recommend you treat yourself and call in to browse the spectacular architectural antiques on display. For more examples of my commercial photography click here.