‘In the Footsteps of Joseph Hooker, An Expedition to the Himalaya
On Thursday, 23rd October Seamus O’Brien, Curator of the National Botanic Gardens at Kilmacurragh, came up north to give us a most interesting lecture ‘In the Footsteps of Joseph Hooker, An Expedition to the Himalaya‘. It was an excellent talk and attracted an attendance of over 100 people at the Old Courthouse in Antrim.

 Earlier in the afternoon we had a guided tour around the beautiful Antrim Castle gardens and were joined by Neil Porteous, Head Gardener at Mount Stewart who had travelled with Seamus to the Himalaya last year. Several committee members also attended and we had a very pleasant day walking around the gardens.

Left – right: Yvonne Penpraze, Neil Porteous (Head Gardener of Mount Stewart), Barbara Kelso, Seamus O’Brien (Curator of the National Botanic Gardens at Kilmacurragh), Billy McCone and Maeve Bell
Left – right: Yvonne Penpraze, Neil Porteous (Head Gardener of Mount Stewart), Barbara Kelso, Seamus O’Brien (Curator of the National Botanic Gardens at Kilmacurragh), Billy McCone and Maeve Bell
As the hall was filling for the talk – part of the large attendance for the event.
As the hall was filling for the talk – part of the large attendance for the event.
The parterre at Antrim Castle Gardens
The parterre at Antrim Castle Gardens
Admiring the Clotworthy coat of arms
Admiring the Clotworthy coat of arms
Seamus O Brien and Neil Porteous
Seamus O Brien and Neil Porteous
The ruins of the original Antrim Castle
The ruins of the original Antrim Castle

Text and photographs from Barbara Kelso.