Donaghadee YFC looking forward to celebrating 90 years later this month

And to mark the occasion the club will be holding a commemorative dinner dance in La Mon on Saturday 22nd February.

The club prides itself with providing a safe environment for local people from the age of 12 to 30 to develop skills, make friendships and experience insight into many aspects of country life.

Although the name refers to “farmers”, a farming family background is not necessary and indeed a large proportion of activities are not farming based, but rather develop the positive traits of country life such as organisational skills, communication, and acquisition of specific skills for life.

Past members have been rooting through their scrapbooks to find photographs and memorabilia from the 90 year period and it has been a joy to look over the styles, the camaraderie and the range of activities (some of which continue to this day).

While looking through one member’s diary entries from 1974 the main thing of note was the number of nights per week that members were dedicating to practising and perfecting their skills...in that year the club was performing Oklahoma’ in the arts festival and if Elma Porter’s diary is the standard, often five nights each week were taken up with drama practise, club meetings, arranging events and attending dances.

It’s not a bit of wonder that lots of marriages were spawned in YFC - there was little time to do anything else.

Photographs from the archives include members performing on stage, raising funds for charity in a number of activities, arranging community events and generally having fun.

The fun continues and interestingly the types of events don’t seem to have changed.

Members today continue to compete in a range of centrally organised competitions including:

• Public speaking and group debating
• Rural skills eg fencing, build it, silage assessment, machinery handling, sheep sheering, soil assessment
• Judging (sheep, dairy, stock)
• Demonstration presentation
• Sports (swimming, bowling, football and rugby)
• Photography
• Drama
• Tug of war
• Floral art
• Home management
• Ulster Young Farmer
• Live or Dead (recognising meat cuts on a carcass)

Members are encouraged to give anything a try, not for the winning, but for the taking part, however competition can be fierce.

It is in taking part and supporting each other in doing so that the key message of YFC is extolled – members support and develop each other, making the organisation unique in its delivery model.

The YFCU is the largest voluntary rural youth organisation, with approximately 3,600 members between the ages of 12 and 30.

If you would like to join in the celebration, the anniversary dinner is to be held on Saturday 22nd February in La Mon, with tickets priced at £30 for members and £40 for non members.

A range of photographs and memorabilia will be on show on the night and after the meal, The Bizz will lead the dancing for the remainder of the night.

If you would like to purchase tickets, or have any photographs or memories of the club that you would like to share in advance of the event, please contact [email protected], or Elizabeth Rea on 07718392935 and the club would love to hear from you.