Rotary Club celebrates 70 years of fellowship and service

THE Rotary Club of Omagh proudly marks its 70th anniversary this year, honouring a legacy that began with a phone call in September 1954.

Captain Nelson Rountree, one of the club’s founding members, received a message from Charles E White, an 86-year-old former President of the Association of Rotary Clubs in Great Britain and Ireland and a close friend of Rotary founder Paul Harris.

Mr White expressed a wish to see new clubs formed in Enniskillen and Omagh.

Inspired by this, Captain Rountree brought together a group of civic-minded local businessmen including Jack McMillan, Norman Wilson, John Aiken and Captain Rountree’s brother, Stanley.

After a stirring discussion on the values of Rotary – friendship, fellowship, and community service – the group held its first get together at Dickie and Carson’s Solicitors’ office on March 26, 1955.

Weekly Thursday luncheons soon followed at the Carlisle Restaurant on High Street, generously hosted by Norman and Emma Wilson.

Notably, Mr White made the weekly journey to attend both Enniskillen and Omagh meetings on the same day – a remarkable testament to his dedication.

In November 1969, the club’s weekly meetings moved to the Royal Arms Hotel, continuing a long tradition of fellowship in a new setting.

Then, in 1999, the meetings found a new home at the Hawthorne House restaurant on Old Mountfield Road – owned by fellow Rotarian Michael Gaine, whose hospitality and club spirit gave the venue a warm, familiar feel.

Back in 1955, members enjoyed a four-course lunch for just five shillings, with annual dues of £3 and 3 shillings – a modest sum for the enduring bonds and transformative work that would unfold across
the decades.

The club received its formal charter on June 30, 1955, a date now etched in its proud history as the official beginning of seven decades of ‘service above self’.

Over the decades, the Rotary Club of Omagh has demonstrated unwavering commitment to both local and global causes.

At home, in the 1960s it helped enhance the town’s public spaces by installing seating for older residents and, in the 1970s, raised funds for a disabled hoist in the local
swimming pool – advancing accessibility long before it was widely prioritised.

More recently, the Omagh Rotary Club has supported cherished local charities such as Marie Curie, Care for Cancer, the Samaritans, Daisy Lodge and the Air Ambulance NI, providing help where it matters most.

Internationally, Omagh Rotarians have proudly contributed to Rotary’s global campaign to eradicate polio, funded school resources including computers and books, and supported emergency relief efforts by supplying vital equipment during humanitarian crises.

l If you are interested in the work of Rotary and feel you could contribute to the local club, please contact us via email at omaghrotary@gmail.com