The Federation for Ulster Local Studies

Abstract

Notes and news The Federation for Ulster Local Studies A movement to promote better communication between local history societies in Ulster was started in May 1974 at a meeting convened by the County Donegal Historical Society at Ballybofey. A year later, on 10 May 1975, the Federation for Ulster Local Studies was formally inaugurated at a conference held at the New University of Ulster in Coleraine. It was attended by representatives of thirty-five societies and organisations whose concern was for the promotion of local studies in Ulster. Since then the federation has prospered and forty-seven member-groups were entitled to representation at its 1981 conference in Newtownards. The members of the federation vary greatly in their size and function. They range from large, well-established bodies like the Clogher Historical Society with over 700 members to small, recently-formed societies like the East Belfast Historical Society (24 members) and the Old Newry Society (32). Most of them are concerned with the promotion of local history in their own area. A few have an archaeological bias, a few deal with the collection of folklore, and six are naturalist field clubs. The last decade or so has seen a real boom in local history studies in Northern Ireland, and since 1967 twenty-nine new societies have been formed. 1 This more than anything else has made the creation of a federation desirable. The federation's aims are to 'promote the study and recording of the history, antiquities, and folklife of Ulster', and to develop communication and cooperation between its members and with other relevant bodies. It is hoped that this may be achieved along a number of lines. The annual conference elects a committee which meets seven or eight times a year. A