Quiz kicks off this year’s Broadisland Gathering

The event, being held to raise funds for Ballycarry Community Association, is being held in Millar’s Lounge on Friday, August 26, starting at 7.45pm.

Supper will be provided at the event, and teams can consist of up to five people, with £5.00 admission including supper and you can pay at the door.

The quiz will be following the American emphasis of this year’s Gathering, with quiz rounds based on Ulster American themes.

“This will be a fun way to start our 19th annual Gathering celebrations,” said Festival Director David Hume.

“The quiz will help to highlight the many connections we have with the United States and there will be local and general knowledge questions as well, so it should hopefully appeal to a wide range of people,”

“The Community Association will benefit from the support of those who come along, so we hope people will be interested in having a fun evening and are delighted to be able to stage the event in Millars, one of the historic landmarks of the village,”

The August 26 quiz kicks off a range of events surrounding this year’s Gathering and the Festival Director said that the 2011 Gathering was probably the most extensive to date in terms of variety of events.

“We have everything from a table quiz to pipe band displays, from a pet show to musical entertainment, exhibitions and children’s entertainments, and we hope for increased support for the event,” he said.

Among those attending will be a group from County Donegal who are coming on a fact-finding trip to Ballycarry to learn more about Ulster Scots.

On August 30, meanwhile, an American heritage bus tour will take people around sites associated with famous Americans – and some not so famous.

Among those featured will be President Andrew Jackson, whose family came from Bellahill outside Ballycarry, as well as other figures including John Neilson, who became a personal friend of President Thomas Jefferson and became an exile from the village after the 1798 Rebellion.

The tour will take in surrounding areas and will conclude with tea and scones in the community centre.

Tickets for the bus are available priced £6.00 each from the community office on 93 372819 but will be allocated on a first come, first served basis, with keen interest being expressed already.

On August 31 there will be launch of an extensive American Heritage exhibition in the community centre, and two new Ulster Scots books by Colourpoint Books, one by Dr David Hume on Ulster Scots heritage.

There will also be the opening of an exhibition of photographs themed on the life and times of James Orr by a local photography group.

Then on September 1, a concert at Ballycarry Presbyterian Church Hall will feature some of the best Ulster Scots groups, one of which, Stonewall, recently performed in the United States. They will be joined by local group Bracken, which is from Carrickfergus and recently issued their first CD and the popular gospel Thompson Brothers.

Tickets for the Gathering events are on sale at Larne Tourist Information Centre, Carrick Museum, C F Beattie in Ballycarry and the village community centre.