Upper Ards Historical Society: Sir Thomas Smith talk tonight

Just back in the door from giving my talk on the forgotten Sir Thomas Smith colony of 1572 to Upper Ards Historical Society in Portaferry. It went really well, and they've asked me to contribute a few items to the next edition of their Journal. This is an honour, as my grandfather's poems have appeared in previous editions, and I've spent many hours going through back issues in Portaferry Library, discovering gems of local history throughout its pages. Despite frosty car parks and slippy roads a good number of folk were there tonight and none of them fell asleep.