Heritage Group look to Portrush’s future

On the evening before the announcement that Royal Portrush had secured the Open Championship for 2019, the Heritage Group held an open meeting at Portrush Town Hall to discuss the Group’s Strategic Plan on heritage activities which will be presented to Causeway Coast and Glens Council.

John McNally, chair of the Group,welcomed an audience of around 70 people and introduced Shona McCarthy, a consultant, and Clare Cuthbert, a Facilitation and Training Officer from Community Change, who led the discussion and will guide the process to completion.

Among the key points to emerge from the wide-ranging meeting were the need for establishing a good working relationship with the Council and other decision-making authorities, and the clear passion locally for the preservation of heritage for the benefit of all.

There was a consensus that these two were interlinked, and that there had been a tendency to overlook the feelings and opinions of local people, whose voices need to be heard in future decision-making for Portrush and the surrounding area.