On 4th September, Australian recycled teenager, Margo Bates arrived for her third teaching trip to Northern Ireland. She is now a sprightly, 91 year old andas the holder of the Order of Australia (the equivalent of the OBE) and 56 swimming gold medals from the Masters Gamesis a tremendous ambassador for the Faith! For the second time, she was accompanied by (ever Lancashire-accented) May Olsen, her dancing partner whom she introduced to the Faith, a few years ago.
The pair arrived on the day of the Tranquillity Zone, which the Omagh Community held to mark the Durban Conference against Racism. For the next several days, they stayed at the Lakes house and were taken to schools, where Margo (who in past life was a primary school teacher) spoke to the children and led discussions about Australia.
Sizeable press items were obtained in the two local papers, one of which included a colour photo of Margo!
On Friday the 7th, a dinner was held for the Community and invited local friends, at which they performed their song-and-dance routine. On Saturday the 8th, Mahín and Les Gornall and family attended Omaghs Nineteen Day Feast and took Margo and May to Magherafelt. Their Magherafelt tour was a whirlwind starting with a visit to the George Townshend Baháí School. On Monday and Tuesday visits to the schools were arranged:
WEDNESDAY 12th Sept.
9.00 Talk at Spires Integrated School meeting with Principle and addressed assembly on the power of the mind, sport, health and Australia. Tea with the staff.
10.30 Northern Constitution Newspaper reporters arranged for pm.
1.00.pm Meeting with neighbouring Bahai and parents in Moneymore.
4.00pm Newspaper photographer and editor came to the Gornall home stayed for one and half hours and wrote a major article, which appeared in next edition with glowing portrait of Margo.
THURSDAY 13TH Sept.
10.00 Meeting at Holy Family Primary School Staff Room Meeting.
10.30 Assembly talked about evolution from Baháí perspective, power of mind and ended with dance, songs and a Baháí prayer.
12.00 Swimming in leisure centre given roped off lane and met with centre managers.
Friday 14th Sept.
1.00pm Magherafelt Primary school meeting with the teachers.
1.30 pm Wonderful assembly meeting on evolution, healthy mind and body, singing, dancing and a Bahai prayer. The principle says that this is our celebrity week but we were short of a celebrity on Friday! This week is also our healthy eating promotion week and our swimming week!
Evening The towns champion swimming athlete visits Margo at home for several hours.
Saturday and Sunday was a relaxing day at home with friends from town visiting.
Monday 17th Meeting at the Windmill Integrated Primary school same talk as before which went down well, three songs and a Baháí prayer.
Tuesday 18th Left for two days in Newtownards. Met with the community and local media.
Thursday 19th Prepared for radio programme for the following day
Friday 20th - Walter Love from the BBC came to Magherafelt and interviewed the ladies for several hours. The broadcast will be very significant from a Baháí context and will be transmitted on Sunday 30th in the afternoon as part of Walter Loves programme Love 40 .
Margo and May returned to Omagh on Friday the 21st and went to Cavan on Sunday the 23rd, for an afternoon/evening, where they attended an prayer meeting organised by the Spiritual Assembly of County Cavan, following the 11th September horror in New York and met the friends there. They continued visiting schools, during the following week. After a missed visit to speak to the Youth Club at Omaghs Youth Centre, Marian Bradley, the Youth Leader, took them to visit her mother, outside Omagh and brought them back into town for a reception with the Chairman of Omagh District Council, Mr Barry McElduff, MLA.
On Wednesday 26th they entertained at the St John Ambulance Open Night, much appreciated by the members and those attending. Seán OHanrahan came up from Naas, to meet with them for the evening and the pair left the following day for England and the US
A very worthwhile teaching visit! It could have had more impact, howeverthey could have been more-usedhad members of Omagh Community less work commitments!
Mahin Gornall and Malcolm Lake