Pioneer Centre celebrates 100 years

Lurgan Pioneer Centre celebrated its 100th anniversary late last month.

The Anglo-Celt spoke to Pat Sheridan who has been the president of the organisation since 1991.

The centre, founded by Patrick Brady on May 25, 1924, helps people to abstain from alcohol and hosts community events such as meetings, dinner dances, singing and quizzes in the community.

The commemoration commenced with a mass celebration in Lurgan church, followed by a presentation of diamond, gold, silver and ten-year pins for deserving members.

Each pin represented the number of years a member abstained from drinking alcohol as a member of the organisation. Silver pins were awarded to those who abstained for 25 years, gold for 50 years, and diamond for 60 years.

The Virginia man revealed that, in all, 31 pins were presented on the day, before shyly mentioning that he and his wife Mary received a gold pin, meaning they have been members for 50 years.

Asked how long he has abstained from drinking alcohol, Pat replied “all my life".

Now aged 68 years, Pat estimates that he joined the organisation at around age 12 or 13 years.

“Abstaining from alcohol gave me great freedom,” he said.

“You’re able to keep up with everything more, maybe more than the people who don't,” he said.

“I have nothing against drink, in fact I mix a lot,” he said, explaining that he still goes into pubs to socialise.

“People get used to depending on you, that you would be available and you would be there.”

“That’s part of it,” Pat said.

He praised the organisation and those who received pins on the day.

“There has been a lot of dedication given down the years by the people who were getting the pins.

“They abstained from alcohol all those years.”

Speaking of the centre itself, Pat said it is a “wonderful achievement” to reach a centenary.

“The centres are getting scarce overall,” he said.

The celebration was held in St Patrick’s Church in Lurgan.

“We were back in the chapel that the centre was founded in exactly one hundred years before that.”

After presentations, members went to the Lurgan Community Centre, a former school until 1970, for refreshments, which Pat described as a poignant part of the day.

“All them people that went back down would have went to school there, it was a big attraction to the day.

“It was lovely to return to it.”