Ulster Sporting Heroes exhibition at Mid-Antrim Museum

The exhibition was launched last week by the Mayor Ald. P.J. McAvoy and was attended by Mr. Ronnie Spence, Chairman of the Ulster Sports Museum Association and by many local sporting people, including some of Ballymena’s own sporting heroes.

Showing during July and August the museum hopes that the exhibition will encourage people to celebrate local sporting achievement and to explore the importance of sport in their local communities.

As part of the exhibition, Mid-Antrim Museum has on display a range of memorabilia relating to Ballymena’s local sporting traditions. Visitors can see material representing some of Ballymena’s best known sports people including Maeve Kyle (Olympic Athlete, hockey player and coach) Syd Millar (International and Lions Rugby).

Ballymena’s local Olympians are celebrated in the exhibition which features material on loan from Hubert Barr, who took part of the last Great Britain squad to compete in the football tournament at the Rome Olympic Games in 1960 and Jackie McWilliams, whose team took the bronze medal in the Barcelona Olympic Games, 1992, after beating South Korea 4- 3 to win the 3rd place spot. For those who missed the Olympic torch relay in June, there’s a chance to get up close to an Olympic torch which will also be on display.

Welcoming the exhibition, the Mayor, Alderman P.J. McAvoy said he was delighted the exhibition was coming to the town.

‘Ballymena Borough Council recognises the important role sport plays in the lives and culture of Ballymena and its citizens. I think that this exhibition will have a big impact on the people of the Borough and attract a lot of interest from the public who are very interested in sport and are proud of their local sports heroes.’

The exhibition is on loan from the Ulster Sports Museum Association and will be on display until Saturday 25th August.

For further information visit www.thebraid.com or contact Shirin Murphy at tel: 028 25657161.