ULSTERMAN IN CANADA
Impressions of a Tour by Mr. W.D.Cousins
Mr. W.D. Cousins, Director of Education in
the Londonderry-Limavady area, who is representing
Northern Ireland in a party of twelve
education directors now touring Canada as
guests of the Overseas Education League has
told of some of his experiences in a letter just
received from him.
" During our tour I have been met by
hundreds of people of Ulster stock ", he says.
" Many came long distances to greet me and
ask me to convey messages to friends in the
old country ". The visitors are receiving civic
welcomes everywhere, are being feted, and receiving
wonderful kindness from the Canadian
people. They have been greatly impressed by
the vastness of the country and its incalculable
wealth.
At Kenora, where they were the guests of
the Rotary Club, the chairman was Colonel
Cooke, R.C., grandson of the famous Dev.
Dr. Cooke, of Belfast. At this meeting were
Judge Downing, an Irishman, and a Mr. Keenan,
supervisor of schools, from Ballymena. At
Winnipeg there was a large colony of Ulster
people, and Mr. Cousins was very warmly welcomed
by the Hon. R. A. Hoey, Minister of
Education for Manitoba, an Enniskillen man;
and Mr. M. Bailie, Chief Inspector in Manitoba
under the Liquor Control Act, who was a member
of the technical school staff at Ballymena
along with Mr. Cousins 30 years ago. At Lake
Louise station the visitors were introduced to
the Canadian Premier (Right Hon. R. B.
Bennett), who was greatly interested in the
tour, and spoke of his last visit to Northern
Ireland.
Mr. Cousins was commissioned to convey
messages amongst many others, to Captain Wilton,
Mayor of Derry, from his sister in Edmonton.
The complete journey in Canada is estimated
to cover approximately 14,000 miles, and many
conferences and meetings have been held. Being
the only Irish representative, Mr. Cousins has
had many demands made upon him. He has
broadcast from Regina radio station, conveying
a greeting from the old country to Canada, and
speaking on rural educational developments.
" I have seen the Rockies in all their
magnificence," says Mr. Cousins, "but I have at
times more pleasing mental pictures of golden
sunsets coming over the Donegal highlands and
colouring the slopes of Benevenagh, the hill
of beauty, one of the loveliest hills to be
found anywhere. "
The Belfast Weekly News
Thursday 17th October 1935
The Linenhall Library, Belfast.
