St. Comgall’s

Bellringers Bangor

Tower News

 

23rd March 2008

 

A quarter peal of 1260 Plain Bob Doubles was rung to celebrate Dorcas Boreland 70th Birthday.

 

15th March 2008

 

We went to Holywood today to compete in the annual Cunningham Cup Competition held in the Northern District.  Six teams competed and third place was awarded to ourselves.  Congratulations to St.Donard’s, Belfast winning the Cunningham Cup and Hillsborough coming in second place.

 

29th February 2008

 

Our annual Bangor Dinner this year was held in the function room of the Bryansburn Inn, Bangor, with guests from local towers and as far South as Kilkenny.  This year was a bit more special, as we were celebrating a 70th Birthday for our outgoing Tower Captain,  Dorcas Boreland - well two weeks early but she didn’t mind. 

 

After the meal had been consumed, our Tower Captain - Colin Holliday, and the President of the Irish Association of Change Ringers Ian McCullagh rose to say a few words.

 

As the newly elected Tower Captain, Colin felt it was important to highlight some of the achievements of the past year.  Although the team had not won any competitions, we were now regularly ringing eight bells on Sundays and had just returned the Irish Association Attendance Shield.  James had joined  the Sunday service band and is the fifth generation of the McBride family to ring in Bangor.  On the change ringing front (joined-up ringing for the non-ringers present); two ringers (Elma and Bill) had rung their first quarter peal.  In January we had rung a quarter peal with five methods, being the most in one quarter by a Bangor team.  This was to mark Martin’s 40^th birthday (sorry Martin).  Also, in that day’s

Ringing World was another quarter peal, complete with

photograph, to mark another significant birthday (yes, the

whole world knows that Derek is 60), and this was also

Andrew’s first quarter as conductor, also with 5 methods.

 

 

The Captain then commented that we also normally ring a quarter peal in March, when we celebrate three birthdays within a week.  However this year one of those birthdays would also be significant as it had a “0” in it too.  He then asked Dorcas to rise and accept a gift from everybody gathered there, together with a card and a cake suitably decorated with a bellringer and bell.   Dorcas, who was caught unawares and left rather speechless, thanked everybody for being so kind and thoughtful in marking her 70^th birthday.  She had suspected nothing and thought that she was coming to the bellringers dinner.  She then proceeded to cut the cake, which was then enjoyed by all present.