History talk on Northern Ireland MPs at Saintfield society event

History talk on Northern Ireland MPs at Saintfield society event

15 January 2025

NORTHERN Ireland’s six prime ministers were the subject of a talk given to members of Saintfield Heritage Society last Thursday.

The guest speaker was the well known Killyleagh historian, Mr Clive Scoular, who was welcomed by the society’s chairman, Mr Ronnie Graham.

Mr Scoular looked at the lives of the six premiers from the founding of the State in 1921 until the end of the last Unionist-controlled government in 1972.

They were: Sir James Craig (1921-1940), John Miller Andrews (1940-43), Sir Basil Brooke (1943-63), Terence O’Neill (1963-69), James Chichester-Clark (1969-71) and Brian Faulkner (1971-72).

Mr Scoular assessed their careers and highlighted some key events during their terms in office.

Mr Scoular, who is a noted author, has written biographies of Andrews and Chichester-Clark.

The next meeting of the society will be on Thursday, February 13, when Mr Mike King, former curator of the Down County Museum, will talk about the Ballykinlar Camp First World War hut, which was recreated at the museum as part of a history project.