Newry Website


The University of the Third Age (we refer to ourselves in short as U3A) is a learning cooperative of older people which enables members to share many educational, creative and leisure facilities. The movement was founded in France in the early sixties to meet the requirements of a populace in the throes of redundancy or early retirement. An enlightened government opened up the educational and recreational facilities of its universities for this purpose. The movement quickly spread over Europe and then to Great Britain and Northern Ireland. There are currently more than 365 U3A's in the United Kingdom with in excess of 65000 members.



Here are some of our newest members in a meeting in our headquarters.
U3As are democratic, self-funded and self-managed organisations intent on providing educational, cultural and recreational facilities for older and retired men and women at minimal cost. Drawing upon the experience, skills, knowledge and interests of their membership they organise study and activity groups in accordance with the wishes of their membership. The aim is to improve the quality of life by encouraging the appreciation of diverse cultures. Locally we have the support and active cooperation of Newry and Mourne Council and a wide range of public and commercial bodies in pursuit of our objectives. A network of organisations with similar ideals under the supervision of Newry and Mourne Senior Citizens Consortium exists in our area under the inspired and able day-to-day management of Denise Cunningham. Our new premises houses this, as well as our own offices and facilities. Together we form a strong lobby determined to prioritize and fight for our ideals.
There are at present five U3A clubs in Northern Ireland, the others being in Coleraine, Derry/Londonderry, Strabane and Bangor. In Newry we have been in existence for just one year but already we have made strong advances and we have big plans for the future. This will become clear as you read the rest of this newsletter. Hopefully you have already viewed our new premises and I expect you are suitably impressed - as we are - with the facilities.

John McCullagh, member of U3A working on the latest newsletter.

We are deeply indebted to the Prince's Trust team of Gerry Carey which made such a fine job of redecorating the building. Words are insufficient to express our delight at the commitment, skill, determination, occasional flamboyance and great sense of fun of the young team who individually and collectively became friends too during their stay. Just to prove that retirement does not mean inactivity, the redecoration work was completed - quite artfully, we think! - by a few of our own members. Our Management Committee is deeply indebted to Denise Cunningham, our development worker, whose incisive leadership qualities and maturity defies her young years. With her encouragement and focused intent she raised morale when occasionally it slipped during our early months. We express our gratitude also to Gemma Brolly for her faith in us and for ensuring that the full team at Ballybot House was behind us at all times; to Colum Fitzpatrick of the Southern Health Board, whose backing brought us to our happy official opening day and whose wise counsel was always greatly appreciated; and last but not least to Newry and Mourne Council, whose backing and offer of recreational facilities to our members helps us to face the new Millennium with confidence!