NORTH-WEST OF IRELAND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 213 



NORTH-WEST OF IRELAND AGRICULTURAL 



SOQETY. 



This Society was established in the year 1821 and extended its opera- 

 tions in the promotion of its various objects through the Counties of Lon- 

 donderry, Tyrone, and Donegal. It originated at a meeting of gentlemen 

 residing at Londonderry, whose views on the possibilities of agricultural 

 development in the North-West were warmly seconded by a number of the 

 nobility and gentry of the above counties. The prime object of the Society 

 was to investigate the condition of the district with a view to the develop- 

 ment of the various resources, and its attention was especially directed to 

 the state of the fisheries, manufactures, agriculture, and cattle breeding. A 

 school for the instruction of boys of the middle class, in the agricultural 

 knowledge necessary to fit them for land-stewards or scientific farmers, was 

 established by the Society at a place called Templemoyle, about five miles 

 from the city of Londonderry. This School of Agriculture continued for 

 many years to do a useful work in the betterment of farming methods, and 

 only ceased to exist some three years ago.* 



The work of the Society was conducted by a committee, who met 

 quarterly in Londonderry, and whose proceedings were reported to the 

 general meetings convened in April and September. In connection with 

 these general meetings Shows of Cattle were held, specimens of agricultural 

 produce and rural manufactures exhibited, challenges issued for future 

 competition and premiums awarded. In the first )'ear (1821) the number 

 of subscribers was 220, among them being the Hon. the Irish Society, as an 

 extract from their minutes will show, viz., 24th July, 1821, Mr. Thomas 

 Saunders laid before the Court of the Irish Society a printed paper respect- 

 ing the establishment of an agricultural society in the North-West of Ireland. 

 Moved, that it be referred to a Committee to examine and report on the 

 propriety of this Society patronising the same. 6th September, 1821, the 

 Hon. the Irish Society granted the sum of twenty guineas as, a present dona- 

 tion to the funds of the establishment at Londonderry, of a Society called 

 the North-West of Ireland Agricultural Society, for the encouragement of 

 agriculture, arts, manufactures, and fisheries, and in future an annual sum 

 of ten guineas during the pleasure of the Society. 



In 1823 the North-West Society established a monthly publication, 

 called the " North-West Society's Magazine," which was discontinued in 

 1825. Other series were attempted but were abandoned in 1829, and the 

 Society confined itself to practical departments. Branch Societies were 

 established, amongst which the Tirkeeran, the Kenmaught, the Cumber, and 

 Banagher, and the Coleraine Farming Societies, have done useful work in 

 aiding agriculture in the County of Londonderry. 



These branch Societies received from the parent Society prizes of money, 

 and a volum.e of the Society's Magazine. No member of the parent Society 



* See also article on Agricultural Education, p. 137. 



