Omagh Rotary Club Celebrates 70th Anniversary with Council Reception

Vice Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District, Cllr Shirley Hawkes recently welcomed Omagh Rotary Club to the Grange Council Offices, Omagh on Wednesday 19 November 2025 to mark their 70th anniversary.

Speaking at the event Vice Chair said,

‘As Vice Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, I am pleased to welcome you here to the Grange, Omagh, for this reception to mark the 70th anniversary of the Omagh Rotary Club.

This story commenced in September 1954, with a phone call from Charles E. White, a former President of Rotary Clubs in Britain and Ireland and a close friend of Rotary founder Paul Harris. His vision inspired Nelson Rountree and a group of civic-minded local businessmen: Jack McMillin, Norman Wilson, Stanley Wilson, and John Aitken to hold their first meeting on the 26 March 1955 at Dickie and Carson’s Solicitors office. By 30 June the club received its formal charter, a pivotal moment that marked the official beginning of a club dedicated to Service Above Self.

Following the first meeting, weekly Thursday luncheons were held at the Carlisle Restaurant, generously hosted by Norman and Emma Wilson. In November 1969, the club’s weekly meetings moved to the Royal Arms Hotel, continuing a long tradition of friendship, fellowship and community service. Then, in 1999, the meetings found a new home at the Hawthorne Restaurant on Old Mountfield Road owned by fellow Rotarian Michael Gain, whose kindness and club spirit created a familiar, welcoming environment.

I would like to take this opportunity to commend the significant impact that Omagh Rotary Club has made on both local and global causes. The club has continued to support charities such as Marie Curie, the Samaritans, Daisy Lodge, and the Air Ambulance, and has also contributed internationally to Rotary’s campaign to eradicate polio, funded school resources, and provided emergency relief during humanitarian crises. Through these initiatives, the club has helped create positive, lasting change in the lives of many.

On behalf of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, and on my own behalf, I would like to commend Omagh Rotary Club as a testament to what can be accomplished when individuals come together united by a shared commitment. As we celebrate this 70-year anniversary, let us reflect on the milestones achieved, and look forward to a future where Rotary continues to create meaningful change both here in Omagh and around the world.’