Author Archives: Ian Adamson

The distinguished Irish historian Anthony Terence Quincey, ATQ or Tony Stewart died today, December 16th, 2010, aged 81 years after a long illness. I had long been an admirer of his work and at his request republished a facsimile edition … Continue reading →

I have been forwarded this most interesting letter by Liam Logan of our Ullans Academy, who requested information from the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure regarding further developments in the Saga of the Ulster-Scots or Ullans Academy, which I … Continue reading →

Today is Human Rights Day and, as Chairman of Belfast City Council's Health and Environmental Services Committee, and on behalf of my Director, Suzanne Wylie, I was in the Chinese Welfare Association to launch a report on Barriers to Health: Migrant … Continue reading →

St Columbanus’s Day falls on November 23rd each year; and last Tuesday Cllr Dr Ian Adamson OBE (today a Contributing Editor to Impala) organised, through his Ullans Academy, an amazing celebration lunch with the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, and … Continue reading →

During the period between the First and Second World Wars, the responsibilities of leadership, at one of the most critical points in Ulster’s history, were shouldered by Lord Craigavon. But with the outbreak of war again and declining health, he … Continue reading →

If you listened to Thought for the Day on Radio Ulster yesterday, you’d have been aware that Tuesday was the Feast of Saint Columbanus. The speaker described him as “a bit of a stirrer”. Which set the tone for the … Continue reading →

On Tuesday, 23rd November 2010, at the Park Avenue Hotel in East Belfast, an event took  place under the auspices of my Ullans Academy, which had much significance for Northern Ireland. This was the Feast of Columbanus, a celebration of the … Continue reading →

In 1918 Sinn Fein won a majority of Irish seats at Westminster. The first self-styled Dail Eireann (Government of Ireland) met in Dublin the following year. There followed a bloody war of independence fought between the British Irish and the … Continue reading →

James Craig, later to become Lord Craigavon, was a seventh child and sixth son, born at The Hill, Lower Sydenham, Belfast on January 8th 1871. Shortly after his birth his father built a house called Craigavon, now on the Circular … Continue reading →

According to tradition, Martin Luther, on this day in 1517 nailed on the church door in Wittenberg, Germany his Ninety-five Theses, protesting against the sale of indulgences and the Pope's claim to forgive sins. The first thesis pitted the authority of … Continue reading →