Sorry to report that there has been insufficient interest in the Aqua Aerobic classes to make them cost-effective at this time. I will periodically ask again to see if the situation changes so stay tuned.
Aqua Aerobics
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Local History Group
The local history group classes have resumed and are being held in the:-
O Fiaich Library on the third Thursday of each month at 11.30 am.
Aqua Aerobics
In conjunction with the Armagh City Hotel, we have a chance to start an u3a Aqua Aerobics class on Thursdays at 10.00 am. We currently have 9 members interested but to keep costs to a minimum need to get as near to the maximum number of 15.
We are hoping to have a 2-week taster session so members can decide if this is for them. If you did not previously show interest but feel you want to try Aqua Aerobics out let me know by replying to the email denu3a@gmail.com and we will get the ball rolling on organising the taster event.
Choir Restarting
The choir will be starting again next Thursday, 6th October.
Venue – Cathedral Music Hall Number 9 Vicars Hill.
You can park cars in the cathedral grounds!
Day/Time – Every Thursday at 4.00 pm starting on Oct 6th
Come along yourself and try!
For more details contact Kathleen at Kathleen.daly41@icloud.com
October Newsletter
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| October Newsletter |
| Thank You!Thanks to all who attended the first coffee morning and a special welcome to our newest members. There seemed to be lots of chatting, scoffing of scones and an overwhelming relief at getting going again. As you will see there are lots of upcoming activities and events. As these need additional planning and frequently depend on the numbers interested, so we are asking for lots of feedback. Hopefully, this is an easy process where you click on one of the buttons below, get a very short set of questions to answer and submit these. This all helps us to identify what you want, when you want it and makes the planning of events much easier. So thanks in advance for helping by leaving your feedback. October Lunch OutingAs hinted at the coffee morning, we are aiming for a lunch outing this month and have made provisional arrangements to hold this at the Armagh Golf Club on Monday 10th October at 12.30 for 1.00 pm although the date can be changed if members need more time. We have a suggested 2 course menu which again can be modified so let us know what you think……. Main Coley fish Brisket of beef Fillet of chickenAll served with mash, roast potatoes and seasonal vegetablesDessert Roulade Lemon posset Bramley apple crumbleCost £20 If you are interested please click on the button below and give us some feedback. We will then email all members and let them know the final arrangements. |
| Click to leave feedback on the lunch |
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| When do you want the next Coffee Morning? Given the success of coffee mornings, we are keen to keep them going. BUT…. why is there is always a but! Now we are getting up and running again our expenses are increasing so we would need to ask for a small contribution towards the coffee and scones. As aways we first ask you to show if you are interested in attending coffee mornings, what you think is a fare payment and lastly when you want the next palaver. Let us know what you think by clicking on the button below.Coffee Morning Feedback |
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 As yet we have not agreed a venue nor a speaker but we are actively pursuing possibilities and are hopeful that a meeting can be arrange for near the end of the month. As always we will give you all the details well in advance. Watch this space! |
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| October Groups Calendar |
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| Walking Groups Hill Walking Group This group do walks along country lanes, in forest parks, hills, and mountains. Walks are usually 2-4 hours.We meet weekly on Thursdays at the Armagh Palace car park by the children’s play park and depart promptly at 9.30 am. Members of the group plan and decide on the next walk at the end of each walk. All communication is by a WhatsApp group. The leader of the walk posts information to the WhatsApp Group. All members are encouraged to take a turn in leading walks. Please remember that hiking carries risks and participation in hiking or walking activities can result in injury. It is the responsibility of each walker to ensure they have the experience and fitness for any walks they undertake; sturdy footwear and walking clothing are advised. Denim jeans are not suitable. For more information contact, Caroline at cbgood@doctors.org.uk and add your mobile number to join the WhatsApp group. Tuesday Walkers For those seeking a more gentle walk and talk. The schedule for October is…….. 4th Bantry 11th Lurgan Park 18th Peatlands 25th Oxford Island The group meets on Tuesdays at the Palace car park at 10.00 am. For more details contact, Patricia McConville at patriciamcconville@btinternet.com. |
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| Cycling group. The group meet weekly on Wednesday mornings (weather permitting) at different locations. Cycling is mostly on secondary or minor roads, occasionally on major roads. Distance cycled is approximately 30-35KM (3hours) with a coffee stop along the way. Members must have their own bikes, helmets and Hi-Vis tops and be comfortable with cycling on roads. Communication is by a WhatsApp group. Those interested should contact Peter Good at pdgood@doctors.org.uk and add your mobile number to join the WhatsApp group. |
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 PilatesClasses are underway once more and we have vacancies in the Wednesday 12.30 am group. These have proved to be very popular so if you are interested get in fast! For more information contact Margaret at tro111@hotmail.com |
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 Aqua AerobicsIn collaboration with the Armagh City Hotel we have negotiated a possible class to be held in their pool on a Thursday at 10.00 am. This will have a maximum of 15 places and cost about £6. Again this depends on numbers so if you are interested click on the button below and let us know. |
| Click to leave feedback on Aqua Aerobics |
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| Bridge GroupThis is up and running again after the summer break. The online sessions are held on a Wednesday at 7.00 pm and last week we had 20 take part. If you are interested in finding out how to play online contact, Dennis at denu3a@gmail.com The face-to-face sessions start again on Monday October 3rd in the Cardinal Tomas O Fiaich Memorial Library at 2.00 pm. If you are still worried about COVID issues we suggest you bring a mask and/or sanitising hand wash. Many other bridge groups have restarted without these but don’t hesitate to bring them if you feel more secure. We will also be holding beginners lessons at the same time. If you are interested please come along or contact, Patricia at patriciamcconville@btinternet.com |
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 u3a ChoirHopefully, the choir will start later this month. We are still negotiating the exact start date. As soon as we know we will send out an email. Choir meetings will be on a Thursday at 4.00 pm and are likely to be held in the Music Room of St Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral. If you are interested contact Kathleen at Kathleen.daly41@icloud.com. Family HistoryThis group hopes to restart in person towards the end of this month, could anyone interested in attending send their e-mail address to; Richard at richardburns@rocketmail.com or ring me on my mobile 077 6866 3867 by Friday, 14th October. Local History sessions will provisionally start in October on Thursday, 13th from 11.30am. Venues will vary but these will be communicated well in advance for those who provide the details asked for below. Topics will include Armagh’s economic, social and political history from the late 18th century until early 20th century. Those interested should send their email addresses and/or or mobile phone numbers to Mary McVeigh at mtmcveigh@icloud.com |
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| It’s YOUR u3a so let us Know! |
| What MORE can we do for you? Although we are trying hard to get the existing groups up and running we want to expand our horizons. There seem to be a number of possibilities, New groups – these run weekly or at a regular interval. Are there any YOU feel are needed? For example we had an active book club, can we resurrect this? Are there other physical activities we could organise? Short courses – these are 6-10 week courses on set topics. For example, using an iPad, using the web, foreign languages (these might run at different levels), introductions to topics such as psychology. We may even pay providers for these! What do you think? What can you do for us? We may all be retired but there are lots of skills our members have that others want to know about. Would you be willing to organise a group / run a short course on a topic that interests you? If so, we would LOVE to hear from you. Give us feedback on any of these by clicking on the link below to share your thoughts or even better your skills and interests. Click here to give us your ideas |
Updated- Heritage from Home 3
November talks now added to the website.
Wednesday 14 September 2022 – March 2023
Following the success of the last two Heritage from Home series of online talks, Libraries NI is organising a third series this autumn and winter. Heritage from Home 3 will run from mid-September to mid-March.
The general theme this time will be migration and we will be exploring the movement of people, contemporary and historical in, out of and across Ireland. The following themes will be explored by speakers with different backgrounds and interests: Culture, the Environment, Family History, Literature, and historical events.
All events will be delivered via Zoom and can be followed on PC, laptop, iPad and on most smartphones.
More information can be found on the LibrariesNi Website
September Newsletter
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| September Newsletter |
| Welcome Back!The new u3a season has finally arrived and it is with great pleasure to report we are on track to provide face-to-face group activities once again. After the long COVID shutdown we have had to renegotiate venues and times and this is proving more time consuming than was anticipated. However, we hope to provide you with more details at our grand reopening coffee morning (details below). Our intention is to have a number of special events in the coming months to get us all back into the swing as quickly as possible. As soon as these are finalised we will let you know. |
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| To kickstart the season we are holding another of our popular coffee mornings. As before this is to be held in the, Armagh City hotel on Monday, September 12th starting at 10.30 am. To make you feel welcome and in appreciation of you all renewing your membership the coffee and scones are on us! Meet old friends, make new friends, bring you friends but above all enjoy the craic. W have arranged a short presentation by Lorna Quin one of our own and a local authoress to give us a light-hearted talk. We also hope to provide details of where and when our existing groups will start meeting and also to elicit ideas from you on activities you want us to organise. |
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 These will be starting soon and will be in addition to coffee mornings which have been so successful they are to be added to our regular event schedule. We are in the process of arranging speakers for the monthly meetings and it is hoped that our first monthly meeting will take place in October. Details to follow. |
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| September Calendar |
| Fuller details of all the classes such as the Bridge Group, the Local History group, the Family History group, etc will be provided once the venues have been confirmed. Details of the currently active groups are below. Walking Group The group meets on Tuesdays at the Palace car park at 10.00 am. Details of the venues will appear next month. For more details contact, Patricia McConville on, patriciamcconville@btinternet.com |
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 PilatesClasses are underway once more and we have vacancies in the Wednesday 11.30 am group. These have proved to be very popular so if you are interested get in fast!Email – tro111@hotmail.com |
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| See you all at the coffee morning |
April Newsletter
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| April Newsletter |
| Thanks to all who Renewed their u3a Membership |
| We had a splendid renewal campaign particularly due to another well attended and enjoyable coffee morning. If you have not yet renewed and need a form then click on the button below. The form has all the information on the what we need and how to pay your fees. |
| Click here to get a renewal form |
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 Annual General Meeting RescheduledThe next meeting planned for April was going to be the Annual General Meeting but due to a delay in getting the accounts audited this has been rescheduled and will take place in May. As soon as we confirm the arrangements we will let you all know. Replacement Talk Apologies again for the hiccup with the last talk. We will do better I promise! To replace the Annual General Meeting we are organising a presentation by our very own Lorna Quin who is to tell us the story behind her book, “ Yes! We Have No Bananas”, a collection of memories of those who grew up during the War years. Bare with us and we will let you know the exact details very soon. |
 u3a Committee Vacancies Unfortunately we have to say goodbye to a number of committee members at the next AGM who have now served their time (NO its not like prison) and so we have vacancies to fill. If you, or anyone you know, would like to join us in suggesting and planning u3a events and helping us run the branch please get in touch. A vibrant committee means a healthy and active u3a branch. No experience is necessary just wanting to be involved is all it takes. More information can be had from any committee member or by contacting me at Denu3a@gmail.com. Please don’t be shy, as the poster says, your u3a needs you. |
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| Each month we post a link to the National u3a newsletter. This month they feature a message for Ukraine, Brain testers, a new Japanese puzzle format, a crochet challenge as well as highlighting objects that need improving to make them more useful to folks our age, and information about National events. As always, well worth a quick look. View the National Newsletter |
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| April Calendar |
 Walking Groups We now have 3 possibilities if you fancy a bit of exercise through walking. Rambling For the energetic who like rambling contact Caroline Good (cbgood@doctors.org.uk) for more details. |
 Join the Walking Soles this Month The group features walks with optional lunch/coffee and meets on Tuesdays at the Palace car park at 10.00 am. The April calendar is above. For more details contact, Patricia McConville on, patriciamcconville@btinternet.com |
| Easy on the Feet For more gentle strolls combined with lots of chatting contact Anne Cassidy at cassidy1539@gmail.com |
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 Pilates If you are just coming out of hibernation and fancy some exercise then we have a couple of vacancies in the pilates classes. If you are interested then email – denu3a@gmail.com |
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| And Finally….. As I now go on at length to the grandkids about the good old days, I often remember the time I asked my dad , “You keep going on about the good, old days, what was it that was so good?” He paused, smiled and said, “the best thing about them was I wasn’t good and I wasn’t old”. |
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Hill Walking Group
The Hill Walking Group started in 2011 when Armagh u3a was first set up. Our walks are varied—-in forest parks, in the hills & mountains & along country roads.
We meet weekly on Thursdays.
Walks are usually 2-4hours.
Members of the group plan and decide on the next walk at the end of each walk. The leader of the walk then posts information to the WhatsApp Group.
Hiking carries risks and participation in hiking or walking activities can result in injury. It is the responsibility of each walker to ensure he/she has the experience and fitness for any walks they undertake; sturdy footwear and waterproof clothing are essential. Denim jeans are not suitable.
Car Sharing can be arranged between members who are happy & comfortable to share & drive. Final decision is with the driver on the day.
All communication for the u3a hill walking group is by WhatsApp
March Newsletter
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| March Newsletter |
 Many thanks for all your “coffee morning” replies and I can report that our Grand Reopening 2.0 is scheduled for next Monday. That is, 10.30 am on Monday the 7th March in the Armagh City Hotel in Fisher 4. This is one of the large reception rooms on the ground floor so best access is from the back. As before, coffee and scones are provided free and let us hope that this time the event signals a proper return to near normality. Based on this assumption some of our group coordinators will be there to drum up support, but the main aim is reconnect with friends and socialise freely at last. We hope to see you all there. |
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| Renewing Your u3a Membership |
| Its that time of year again when we ask you to renew you Armagh & District u3a membership. This year we have again fixed the fee at a reduced £10 as many of our activities have yet to fully open. To renew you need to fill in a renewal form and send a cheque to John Wells our membership Secretary. Please note that we ONLY accept cheques and CANNOT accept cash. In addition, there are a number of members who are in credit and won’t need to pay. If you are in this group we will have already send an email with amended renewal form. For most members, there are a number of ways to get a renewal form – which has all the details of where to send cheques;A downloadable renewal form that you can print can be obtained by clicking on the button below. |
| Click here to get a renewal form |
| Forms will be available for collection at the upcoming coffee morning.The group coordinators of any groups currently running will also have copies.We can send copies out by mail. Just let John Wells know by emailing him at John44wells@icloud.com.There is also an online renewal form – like the surveys we have already run – for those who can’t get a paper version. This is found by clicking the button below. |
| Click here to RENEW online |
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 Your replies and suggestions regarding a change to the monthly meeting time slot helped to narrow down the options to Monday morning, opening at 10.30 am for an 11.00 am start. Negotiations with the Golf Club are in hand but it is almost certain that this will be the time and venue. When monthly meetings will recommence is still uncertain with the committee reviewing the situation at each meeting. Stay tuned 😋 |
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 Join The Armagh Rhymers on a journey through Armagh City’s secret urban orchard involving masks and music, merriment, and mirth. We have been given the opportunity to meet the “word-famous” Armagh Rhymers and enter the ancient, magical, and mysterious world of mummers for an exciting and enchanting celebration of the long tradition of the apple in Armagh. The experience will begin with an introduction to The Armagh Rhymers and the Monastic Gardens at St Patrick’s Cathedral and will take you through a locked gate and the orchard where we celebrate the seasons of apple growing in local stories, music, and ritual.This takes place on March 26th, has a maximum group size of 30 and is offered to our members at a reduced rate of £10. If you are interested let us know by clicking on the button below. |
| Are you interested? |
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| Each month we post a link to the National u3a newsletter. This month they showcase a new u3a film that you can watch in our own Youtube channel, an article on u3a members music tastes, and an introduction and a chance to join the “The Wisdom Hour”, a creative storytelling space celebrating positive stories of ageing, Well worth a browse and this can be accessed by clicking the button belowView the National Newsletter |
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| March Calendar |
 Join the Walking Soles this Month The group meets on Tuesdays at the Palace car park at 10.00 am. For more details contact, Patricia McConville on, patriciamcconville@btinternet.com |
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 Pilates Classes are underway once more and we are currently at full capacity. However, spaces do occur regularly so contact Dennis to register your interest.Email – denu3a@gmail.com |
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 Zoom TalkOur next ZOOM monthly talk is by Letitia Fitzpatrick on16th March at 2.30pm via zoom. Letitia was a journalist with UTV and the Irish News and will about combatting loneliness and a also about her career. |
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 Marketplace Theatre Presents If your considering stepping out……Owen McCafferty’s play ‘Mojo Mickybo’ is about a friendship between two boys growing up in Belfast – a friendship that at first is immune to the sectarian violence taking place around them, but which nonetheless is ultimately destroyed by it. Mojo Mickybo will be staged at The Market Place on Thursday 10 March at 8pm. More information can be found on,www.visitarmagh.com/marketplacetheatre |
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