Our Member of the Local Assembly for South Antrim, Jim Wilson, gives a behind the scenes account of life and work in the building which has been at the centre of the turbulent history of recent years. In the following week he will host a visit by members to see this seat of our local government. We meet at Stormont on Wednesday 19th at 2.00pm. Details will be available at this first meeting.

We celebrate our coming of age with an evening when we will recall some of the highlights of the Eighties and Nineties in the life of our society followed by the cutting of a cake and supper. Many of our members have been with us since the early days and we will share their memories.There will be an exhibition of photographs and video of some past outings and activities.

In 1947 a Bedouin boy looking for a stray goat threw a stone into a cave near the Dead Sea and heard a breaking sound. With the broken jar were many morecontaining ancient scrolls of parts of the Bible. The Bedouins kept the jars but ignored the scrolls not realising their value. Rev Dr. James Williamson tells the story of one of archaeology's greatest discoveries.

Many old stories which we believed to be legends may have a basis in truth. Was St. Brendan's account of sailing across the Atlanic just a work of fiction or could it have happened? Are the tales of our local highwayman, Nessie O'Haughan, actual events? Janette McKendry explores some of the tall tales and myths and adds a dash of traditional country cures.

In the jungle of Yucatan in Mexico are pyramids and the ancient cities of the Maya which will be seen tonight in The Land of Kukulkan, one of the video productions by Archie Reid. The programme will also include a new video about Mossley Mill with stories from workers, archive film and a look inside our new Civic Centre

Ninety years after the disaster there is still world wide interest in the Belfast built ship reflected in the numerous books and films. How could an unsinkable ship perish on the maiden voyage? What is the human story behind the event? Will the wreck ever be recovered or should it be? Manson Blair has been researching the story of the Titanic for many years and shares his findings with us.

Each year we join with neighbouring societies in a friendly table quiz. Last year Ballyclare won and we now have pleasure in hosting the evening when we will be joined by Carrickfergus, Larne, Ballycarry, Islandmagee and Abbey societies. This is always a very enjoyable evening and everyone who wants to can join a team. .

Once Ballyclare had both a broad gauge railway, with a station which is still standing, and a narrow gauge which linked the Paper Mill with Larne. The trains of the L.M.S and N.C.C provided speedy transport to the rest of the country while the narrow gauge could carry passengers to Ballynure and beyond. Tonight Wesley Watson, Chairman of the Abbey Historical Society and a railway enthusiast recalls the great days of rail in our local area