RBL Lurgan and Brownlow Branch

15/06/2026

LURGAN and DISTRICT POPPY APPEAL - UPDATE FROM ELIZABETH MAGINNIS, LURGAN and DISTRICT POPPY APPEAL ORGANISER:

You may not be aware, but the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal does not only run over the roughly three weeks of ‘Remembrancetide’ – viz, from the third week of October to Remembrance Sunday – but, in fact, it runs for 11 months from the 1st of October to the 31st of August the following year.

Therefore, having received several additional donations over the last number of weeks, I have recalculated our total for the period from the 1st of October 2025 to the 12th of June 2026; and the updated sum raised for the Lurgan and District Poppy Appeal over this period is an incredible £40,394.17…and I believe that this could possibly be the first time that we in Lurgan and District have broken the £40k figure! Consequently, a massive ‘Thank You’ to all who donated to the Poppy Appeal, and to all of you who assisted both myself and my Deputy PAO Ian Uprichard (aka ‘Prichy’) in any way in our endeavours!!!

Well, we can all see that the bar is set well and truly high for the forthcoming ‘Poppy Appeal 2026’, which this year launches on Thursday the 22nd of October with the ‘main effort’ running to Remembrance Sunday, the 8th of November! Nevertheless, with your help - and new Volunteers are always most welcome - we will do our best to match this year’s tremendous effort, if not improve on it! 🤞🏻

Thank you all so much again!!! As the attached graphic says, ‘We couldn’t have done it without YOU’!!! 👏🏻👍🏻👏🏻

14/06/2026

If anyone is attending the Armed Forces’ Day events in Coleraine on Saturday 20 Jun 26, don’t forget to support Coleraine Royal British Legion - 4 Beresford Road, Coleraine BT52 1HE

07/06/2026

THE RBL SOMME 110th ANNIVERSARY PARADE AND SERVICE - A PERSONAL TRIBUTE FROM SQUADRON LEADER JIM MAGINNIS, LURGAN AND BROWNLOW RBL BRANCH CHAIRMAN.

Elizabeth and I were delighted to represent Lurgan and Brownlow RBL at the Parade and Service organised in Belfast by the NI RBL District on Sunday 7th June 2026, to commemorate the 110th Anniversary of the opening day of the Battle of the Somme on Saturday 1st July 1916. This date is profoundly significant across the UK, the Commonwealth, and whole of the island of Ireland; it is the bloodiest single day in the history of the British Army, resulting in 57,470 casualties, including 19,240 deaths. The opening hours – if not the opening minutes – of the Battle devastated Kitchener’s ‘New Army Pals’ Battalions’, including the close-knit 36th (Ulster) Division, and came to permanently symbolise the shattering loss and perceived futility of trench warfare.

The Parade, led by the Regimental Band, Pipes, and Drums of the Royal Irish Regiment made its way from the RUR Museum on Franklin St, past the Cenotaph at Belfast City Hall, to St Anne’s Cathedral through an appreciative crowd of onlookers. Prior to the Service - which was led by clergy from St Anne’s, the RBL NI Chaplain the Rev Dr Isaac Thompson, and the Rev Alan Cobain, Chaplain to 38 (Irish) Brigade – the VIP Guests were received including: The Lord-Lieutenant of Belfast, Dame Fionnuala Jay-O'Boyle; the Deputy First Minister, Emma Little-Pengelly; the Lord Mayor of Belfast; and the High Sherriff of Belfast.

The Service itself was very affecting and touching…as well as the Act of Remembrance and wreath laying, the most poignant sections were the presentation of Eight Books of Remembrance containing the names of all of the men from the island of Ireland killed in World War One, and the reading of a letter, written by an Ulster Division soldier to his father on 7th July 1916, hinting at, but not fully elucidating, the horrors of the 1st July.

The true horror of that day was that the Ulster Division experienced some 5,500 casualties, including nigh-on 2,100 men killed – and this from a Divisional front-line fighting strength of c.15,000 men! In April this year, Elizabeth and I had the bitter-sweet privilege to visit, once again, Thiepval, the Ulster Tower, and the area north of the River Ancre where the Ulster Division fought so hard on 1st July…and beyond. This gallantry, which saw the deepest pe*******on of the German lines of any British Division on the opening day of the battle, later led King George V to say – ‘Throughout the long years of struggle…the men of Ulster have proved how nobly they fight and die’.

Whilst in the area we visited the Connaught, Mill Road, Ancre, Beaumont Hamel, and Martinsart Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries to place Poppy Crosses and Wreaths on both individual graves and collective memorials on behalf of families and organisations from the Lurgan and Bleary area. And, thanks to the extensive studies of Clive Higginson, the Lurgan and Brownlow Club Chairman, Elizabeth and I were able to build a picture, however fleeting, of these men as individuals and not merely cyphers; men who gave their all for King, Country, Province, and, in many cases, for their Brethren, and who now rest forever in France.

And on an even more deeply personal level, it really was extremely emotional for me to discover from Higgy’s research just how many men from the Hill Street and Union Street area of Lurgan fell on the 1st July 1916, as this is where my Parents, Grandparents, and Great-Grandparents hailed from.

AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN AND IN THE MORNING…WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

06/06/2026

A MESSAGE FROM ELIZABETH MAGINNIS, LURGAN AND DISTRICT PAO - A massive ‘Thank You’ to everybody who visited our Lurgan and District Poppy Appeal stall at Lurgan Show today – Saturday the 6th of June – and donated to the Poppy Appeal. It is your involvement in events such as these that keeps the momentum going outwith our main autumn Poppy Appeal in late October and early November.

And my sincere appreciation to our local politicians who took time out of their busy schedules to come over to the stall to have a chat about the Royal British Legion, and the Poppy Appeal. These included local MPs Carla Lockhart and Sorcha Eastwood (MP for Lagan Valley), our new Deputy Lord Mayor Lavelle McIlwrath (pictured), and Councillors Peter Haire and Kyle Savage.

Thanks also to Emma Ward, the Northern Ireland RBL District Events Co-Ordinator, and her daughter Hannah, who spent a number of hours with us on the stall, and it was nice too for our Branch Chairman, Squadron Leader Jim Maginnis, to have the opportunity to speak with our friends Majors Colin and Maureen Bain of Lurgan Salvation Army before their retirement to Canada at the end of the month; we will certainly miss their sage advice, and their service to all of the people of Lurgan.

04/06/2026

LURGAN AND DISTRICT POPPY APPEAL STALL at LURGAN PARK SHOW on SATURDAY the 6TH of JUNE 2026

Just a reminder that the LURGAN AND DISTRICT POPPY APPEAL will have a stall from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm at the LURGAN PARK SHOW on SATURDAY 6H JUNE 2026.

At our stall you will be able to purchase Remembrance Materiel and Poppy-related gifts, and we will also be taking orders for Wreaths, Poppy Crosses etc for the 110th Anniversary of the Battle of the Somme on 1st July 2026, for other Summer Anniversaries and Commemorations, and, looking ahead, for Remembrance Sunday, which this year is on Sunday the 8th of November.

And once more we will have our ‘Second Hand Book Stall’, with paperbacks priced at £2 each or three for £5, and hardbacks at £4 each or three for £10 - all proceeds from these sales will go to the Poppy Appeal. So, please come along and grab a bargain! 📚 😉

The 2026 Poppy Appeal officially launches on Thursday the 22nd of October running through to Sunday the 8th of November; so, if you would like to volunteer and help this fantastic cause, then please come by the stall for a chat!

Also, Lurgan and Brownlow RBL Branch will also have a stall, and all proceeds from this stall will go to Branch Funds. We look forward to seeing you all there!

01/06/2026

Just a reminder: Please come along, have a great night’s craic, and help support these fantastic charities!

29/05/2026

THE BALLOT FOR THE 2026 FESITVAL OF REMEMBRANCE IN THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL on 7TH NOVEMBER 2026 IS NOW OPEN: Details of the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance, including HOW TO REGISTER FOR THE BALLOT FOR TICKETS, can be found at this link:

https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-involved/events/remembrance-events/festival-of-remembrance

Royal British Legion Members have four weeks to enter the ballot through the Online Platform and have the option to enter the ballot for either the evening performance, the afternoon performance, or both; Members will then be able to purchase a maximum of two tickets. After the ballot closes, tickets will be allocated randomly.

To enter the ballot you will need your RBL Membership Number and a valid email address. Your RBL Membership Number is the set of digits displayed above your name on your membership card; please note that this contains only numbers, so please do not use the Branch Code; viz BR1740 for Lurgan and Brownlow Branch.

BALLOT RULES:

1. Each Member is allowed to enter the ballot once;

2. All entrants will be notified by email regarding the outcome of their entry;

3. Unique links will be single-use, and tickets must be purchased within 14 days of the date the BOOKING SITE (not the ‘Online Platform!) goes live.

If you have any queries, then please email the dedicated Festival of Remembrance helpline at: [email protected]

At RBL’s Festival of Remembrance, personal testimonies, storytelling and music express the nation’s gratitude to Armed Forces personnel, past and present.

26/05/2026

THE 110th ANNIVERSARY of the BATTLE OF THE SOMME – On Sunday the 7th of June 2026 the Northern Ireland District of the Royal British Legion will be holding a Commemorative Parade through Belfast, culminating with a Service at St Anne’s Cathedral, to mark the 110th Anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.

The timings for the 7th of June are as follows:

1415 – Parade forms up in Franklin Street, in the vicinity of the Royal Ulster Rifles Museum;

1430 – Parade moves off;

Parade Route: Franklin Street → Bedford Street → Donegall Square South → Donegall Square West → Donegall Square North → Donegall Place → Royal Avenue → Castle Place → High Street → Bridge Street → Waring Street → Donegall Street;

1530 – Service begins at St Anne’s Cathedral

Please note that refreshments will be served in St Anne’s Cathedral following the conclusion of the Service.

This significant anniversary offers an important opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices made during the Battle of the Somme, particularly those of 1st July 1916, a date of profound historical importance across the whole of the island of Ireland. It must be remembered that the battle affected not only the men of the 36th (Ulster) Division, but also of the 16th (Irish) Division, and men of Ireland both north and south who served with distinction in other units such as the 1st Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers who fought on the Somme with the 29th Division, and the Tyneside Irish Brigade – composed of four battalions of the Northumberland Fusiliers – serving with the 34th Division. who suffered around 2000 men killed, wounded, and missing on the 1st July 1916.

And whilst the sacrifice of the 5500 men of the Ulster Division on 1st July 1916 is rightfully seared into our collective memories, it must be remembered that the Somme battle did not finally end until the 18th of November 1916, with British and Commonwealth forces sustaining 419,654 casualties, including 108,700 killed in action or died of wounds.

Therefore, it is fitting that we come together to pay our respects and ensure that this legacy continues to be honoured with the dignity and recognition it deserves. Consequently, the Northern Ireland District Chairman strongly encourages representation from all Branches, the RBL Women’s Section, and Colleagues across both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to attend and support this important occasion.

25/05/2026

MESSAGE FROM ELIZABETH MAGINNIS – LURGAN AND DISTRICT POPPY APPEAL ORGANISER:

We are delighted to announce that, once again, the Lurgan and District Poppy Appeal will have a stall at the upcoming LURGAN PARK SHOW from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on SATURDAY 6th JUNE 2026. At this stall you will be able to purchase Remembrance Materiel and Poppy-related gifts such as the RBL ‘2026 Poppy Pin’, and the RBL ‘2026 Armed Forces’ Day Pin’. We will also be taking orders for Wreaths, Poppy Crosses etc for the 110th Anniversary of the Battle of the Somme on 1st July 2026, for other summer anniversaries and commemorations, and, looking ahead, for Remembrance Sunday, which this year is on Sunday the 8th of November. Once more I have, ahem, ‘persuaded’ (😁) our Branch Chairman, Jim, to thin out his massive, somewhat eclectic book collection, with paperbacks priced at £2 each or three for £5, and hardbacks at £4 each or three for £10 - all proceeds from these sales are being generously donated directly to the Poppy Appeal. So, come and grab a bargain! 📚 😉

Also, please bear in mind that it is only by purchasing your Remembrance Materiel from the RBL-authorised Lurgan and District Poppy Appeal, and not from ‘unofficial’ or ‘legacy’ sources, that you can be guaranteed that 100% of your donation will be received by the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.

And a note for your diaries - the 2026 Poppy Appeal officially launches on Thursday the 22nd of October running through to Sunday the 8th of November; so, if you would like to volunteer and help this fantastic cause, then please come by the stall for a chat!

In addition, Lurgan and Brownlow RBL Branch will also have a stall, and all proceeds from this stall will go to Branch Funds. We look forward to seeing you all there! Please like and share this post to help us spread the word.