Funeral service in St Colmanell’s Parish Church Ahoghill on Tuesday 27th September at 1pm interment afterwards at adjoining churchyard. House strictly private, family flowers only please, donations in lieu if desired may be sent to James Henry Funeral Services, 100 Broughshane Street, Ballymena BT43 6EE for Marie Curie.
Lovingly remembered by his son John and partner Rosie, son Nathaniel and wife Shauna, daughter Wilma and husband Darran, son William and partner Rachel, daughter Rebecca and husband Darren, grandchildren Katie, Mollie, Shaun, Connie, Lee, Kai, William, Chloe, Ruby, George, Nathaniel, Myiesha, Samuel, Brandon, Lucas, Evie and family circle. “Gone but not forgotten”
Obituary Cowan Balmer – I had the sad news on Saturday afternoon that another Old Hand, Cowan Balmer had passed away at his home in Royal Court Gracehill after a short illness. Probably one of the last of the elder statesmen still involved in the sport locally, indeed he had been involved with racing pigeons for over 80 years. I had good contact with him for several years both he and his late wife Molly were relations of my own family. He was a real mind of information and had a good memory of the sport long before my time. He was involved in the sport when the local Mid Antrim area was full of big stars first joining the old Cullybackey Flying Club and over more recent years was a dedicated member of Ahoghill Flying Club involved with the shows and for many years with the late Ahoghill Secretary Albert Young arranged a local dinner with massive attendance and plenty of prizes in the raffle, more often than not the local Mayor and Willie Wright in attendance. I attended the event many times to provide coverage and before me the reporting was covered by a near neighbour in Royal Court the late James Martin who operated under scribe name “Provincial”, and a god friend of my own as well. Cowan was a real man of action and worked with the Ballymena Council what it was at the time to secure a site for the new clubrooms in Ahoghill and on top of that a new club house itself, now a local Race Centre for the NIPA. I will miss our many conversations; it was a joy to listen to a man with such memory despite his age.
Funeral service in St Colmanell’s Parish Church Ahoghill on Tuesday 27th September at 1.00pm interment afterwards at adjoining churchyard. House strictly private, family flowers only please, donations in lieu if desired may be sent to James Henry Funeral Services, 100 Broughshane Street, Ballymena BT43 6EE for Marie Curie. On behalf of the local fancy sincere condolences to the entire family circle including his son John and his brother Roy. J W Reynolds “Homer”.
