Project updates

Bust of Bonar Law unveiled.

A bust of Andrew Bonar Law was officially unveiled at Coleraine Town Hall on Saturday 22 October 2022.

The Lord Lieutenant for County Londonderry Mrs. Alison Millar conducted the official unveiling of the bust.

The Mayor for Causeway Coast and Glens Borough, Council Cllr. Ivor Wallace along with the Chief Executive of the Ulster Scots Agency Mr. Ian Crozier were in attendance as well as descendants of Bonar Law including our honorary patron, Charlotte Bonar Law. A short talk on Andrew Bonar Law was made by Andrew Charles.

(Left to Right): Helen Ruichman (artist); Lord Lieutenant for County Londonderry, Alison Millar; Secretary of Andrew Bonar Law Memorial, David Harding; speaker, Dr Andrew Charles; Maurice Corry: Mayor, Cllr Ivor Wallace, Chairman Ulster Scots Agency, Ian Crozier; Cllr Arron Callan.

The date was chosen as it was 100 years ago, this week Rt. Hon Andrew Bonar Law became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. It is proper that he is recognised in the town to which that he has strong connections.

(Left to Right): Andrew Bonar Law Memorial committee members: Nigel McIlwaine OBE, Cllr Aaron Callan and David Harding MBE.

Lecture by Graham Walker

A lecture to the Coleraine Historical Society on The Rt Hon Andrew Bonar Law was delivered by  Emeritus Professor of Political History at Queen’s University Belfast, Graham Walker. A recording of the talk is below.

Graham has published extensively in the subject areas of British and Irish history and politics. He is the author of political biographies and studies of political parties including a history of the Ulster Unionist Party. He is the joint author of a forthcoming work on Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Union.

The talk assessed the political career of Andrew Bonar Law who became Prime Minister one hundred years ago in 1922. It also informs of his family connection to Ulster and his passionate interventions in the Irish Home Rule controversies of the years preceding the First World War.

To mark the 100th anniversary of Bonar Law becoming Prime Minister the Andrew Bonar Law Memorial Project is fundraising to have a bust of Bonar Law placed in Coleraine Town Hall, to be unveiled 22nd October 2022.

About the Andrew Bonar Law Memorial Project

During the period of general Covid Lockdown in 2020 a number of people from the Coleraine area met on Zoom to discuss the Northern Ireland Centenary and the idea of undertaking something historical as an appropriate project.

The discussion turned around key figures connected to the area and attention turned to a relatively unknown person, Andrew Bonar Law, a Prime Minister for a short while and key figure in the period during which Northern Ireland was established.

The idea started with a discussion on a permanent Memorial to Andrew Bonar Law. It was agreed that the possibility of a bust being placed on permanent display in Coleraine Town Hall would be appropriate. This would be central to raising awareness of the person himself, his achievements, his legacy and his links to the Coleraine area. The project has three main objectives:

  • to have a bust of Bonar Law erected in Coleraine 
  • highlight the local links to this unique political figure 
  • promote understanding of the life and career of Bonar Law