Exactly 80 years ago on Thursday evening past, a meeting was held in Gibson's Hill Orange Hall, under the guidance of Mr Andrew Gilchrist. That significant date was Thursday, February 6, 1930.
An anniversary event will be celebrated with a dinner dance to be held tonight (February 6) at Brownlow House, Lurgan.
The 1930 meeting was to have a significant contribution from guest speaker Mr Dick Kimber, the organiser of YFCU Club's throughout the Northern Ireland.
After the guest speaker had finished, a decision to start a club was unanimously agreed.
The election of office bearers was to follow marking the official start of a club. This resulted in Mr Andrew Gilchrist being duly elected club leader, while a Mr Gilpin from near the Clare became the first club chairman. The first initial members consisted of Mr M Humphries, Ringer Hewitt, G McCaw, J McCormick and V Harper.
This significant step followed on the heels of the formation of a number of clubs within a few weeks. In chronological order as follows: Limavady, Islandmagee, Ballywalter, Kilbride and Bleary and Lylehill.
This therefore makes Bleary YFC, the fifth oldest club and the second oldest active working club in Ulster.
Unfortunately, little other information still exists from these early years and by the Second World War the club appears to have diminished. The issue of the war effort could be contributed to the demise of the club.
With a need again for rural youth in 1962, Bleary YFC was reborn. The first meetings were held in Bleary Old Schoolhouse, now Knocknamuckley Parish Hall.
Mr George Chambers was to be elected the Club Leader, while the duties of secretary and treasurer were respectively entrusted to Miss Doreen Uprichard and Miss Mary Morrow. Dr McNabb was elected patron of the Bleary club and served in this capacity for many years.
The club run successfully for many years and became re-knowned in the arts with many three act plays, successful barbecues and a close involvement with Lurgan Show and the raft races on the park lake.
During the 1960s, Bleary Farmers' Hall was created and has continued to serve the needs of Bleary YFC and the community ever since.
However, with a few difficult years with membership around the turn of the new Millennium, the decision to reform the club was taken in August 2004.
After the first meeting, the duty of club leader was assigned to Miss Julie Menaul, while the position of treasurer was appointed to Mr William McCracken and secretary, Miss Helen Robinson. Former member Noelle Menaul was duly elected club president.
Bleary YFC can therefore be regarded as one of the oldest rural youth organisations in the British Isles, and it's easy to see why it has lasted 80 years as the overall Young Farmers' Clubs of Ulster currently have a membership of nearly 2,500 members.
Bleary YFC has now increased to forty members and what better way to celebrate this achievement than with the 80th anniversary of the club.
Under the motto Better Farmers, Better Countrymen, Better Citizens, it is believed that all clubs must encourage members' creativity and this was achieved through an educational program and competitions.
Young Farmers Clubs are run by young people, for young people, and will always be a keystone of the rural community.
Other celebration events have been organised for almost every month of the forthcoming year, so remember to keep up-to-date with all activities and support the club whenever possible.
The last meeting for the club was held last night in the Bleary Farmers' Hall. The theme was a talk on the work of Bothar, a charity involved with "helping people to help themselves". As part of the YFCU 80th anniversary celebrations, a collection is running to purchase 80 goats for 80 years. The charity actively works in countries such as Africa and engages with the community to allow families to become established.
Following the talk, the annual general meeting of the club was held with invited chairperson Rachel Dougan, Newtownhamilton in attendance.
If you are interested in the activities of the club, then why not come along to any of the club meetings, speak to any of the current members or alternatively check out: www.blearyyfc
.bebo.com. Alternatively contact the club secretary Nicola on 078 35388332.