Welcome to this edition of your Club Newsletter.

As we go to press, we are in the final stages of preparing the Club for the UK Internationals and Championships. We are all looking forward to these events, but grateful at the same time they only come around every 4 years or so.

Thank you to all those who have submitted their names to volunteer for a variety of functions. Thanks also to the many good folk who donated items for the daily raffle.

Ticket sales have gone remarkably well to date, but if you have not purchased a ticket there will tickets on sale at the door.

Please make yourself familiar with all the forthcoming events, as there will obviously be no leagues during the Internationals.

The Club’s Ladies Presidents day is on Tuesday 21^st March.  See posters around the Club.

President Briege Donnelly is looking for a big turnout.

Beginners Pairs League concludes on Monday 25^th. As usual the competition was closely contended and went down to the wire.

Club Finals : Results: Winners:-

Mens Fours – P Rooney, P McCafferty, M McCafferty, G McGleave.

Mens Triples: S Gibson, D Nixon, C Craig.

Mens Pairs: M McPeak, J McCullough.

Mens U25s : D Atkinson.

Mens Singles : J Boyd.

Mixed Pairs : B Leckey, M McKeown

Ladies Fours : N McBride, L Kinder, J Montgomery, J Bell.

Ladies Triples: C Watson, C Eadies,S Bailie.

Ladies Pairs: C Eadie, S Bailie.

Ladies Singles : S McAuley

Senior Mens Singles: J McGettrick.

Senior Pairs: J McGettrick, M Morgan.

Senior Triples: J Trolan, M Fay, A Briggs.

Senior Fours: J Trolan, M Beattie, J Martin, S Elliman.

Jim Magee Pan Disability Cup: G Mallon.

This is the final edition of the Newsletter before the summer break, so the usual appeal to all members to update their e-mail addresses.

There will be the usual 4 summer leagues operating so watch the noticeboards for the info on these.

I received recently the letter below and thought it worth a wider public:

‘I was recently visiting a ‘golfing friend’ Dennis, who sadly, some years ago, had a tragic accident leaving him paralysed from the neck down.

During my last visit I told him I had caught the ‘bowling bug’ and had joined the Beginners programme at Belfast Indoor Bowls Club.

Immediately I could see the sparkle in his eyes and he asked me if I had seen the World Bowls on TV to which I replied, every minute. Bowls dominated our conversation for some time.

TV is one of the few pleasures Dennis can enjoy and he said the World Bowls was the best broadcast he had seen for a long time and wished there was more of the same. It was clearly evident the World Bowls finals had kept his attention throughout the week.

This is just a short note to thank all who gave so much pleasure to Dennis by showcasing their skills and creating such drama on TV, and like Dennis let’s hope for more of the same.’   Signed : An old bowler with a new bug.’

Editor