‘I was seized with a keen desire to see Holmes again’*
Back onboard!
Following our short midwinter break, sailings will resume on Sunday 28 February at 3.00pm (sharp). Our captain of the day is David Houston; our point of departure is Osborne Quay. Our study and study quiz is on Abbe and we’ll be watching the first instalment in our new film series, The Douglas Wilmer Season.
Members will find full details of this sailing (as well as March) in the next issue of Mayday Mayday (No.137). It will be emailed out on 14 February.
The March sailing has been brought forward by one week, to Sunday 20th, because the fourth Sunday of the month (27th) is Easter Sunday.
You can always find brief details of the Sailing Schedules online.
Talking about Conan Doyle in Belfast (again)
I’ll be giving an extended version (almost 50 minutes long, the original one at the Ulster Hall last May was 20 minutes) of my talk, ‘Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in Belfast: The 1925 Visit’ on Thursday 11 February at Belmont Tower, 82 Belmont Church Road, Belfast, BT4 3FG.
Please note that this event, which is one in a series of monthly meetings held under the auspices of the East Belfast Historical Society, starts at 7.30pm sharp (doors open 7.00) – it will finish by 9.00pm. There is a visitor charge of £3.
Moriarty – the Irish connections
Why did Conan Doyle choose the name Moriarty for Holmes’ nemesis? Radio Kerry asked me to talk about this on the Jerry O’Sullivan Show on 20 January 2016. The Podcast lasts c.10 minutes – you can listen to it here.
NI Science Festival: Sherlock Holmes, CSI & Geology
Unfortunately it’s too late for this one (Sold out!).
And finally
Scott Monty has been paying tribute to Frank Finlay, who has passed away at the age of 89. His multitude of roles, across cinema, TV and stage, included Inspector Lestrade in both A Study in Terror and Murder by Decree.