Northern Ireland Office

His Royal Highness The Earl of Wessex has arrived in Northern Ireland and the first engagement of the day was to the Lough Erne Golf Resort in Enniskillen where HRH  met Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme participants and was Guest of Honour at a lunch hosted by Friends of the Award.

Arriving for the engagement HRH was greeted by Lord Anthony Hamilton DL, Vice Lord-Lieutenant of County Fermanagh and went on to meet Mrs Helen Lanigan Wood MBE, Sheriff for County Fermanagh; Councillor Bertie Kerr, Chairman Fermanagh District Council; Mr Rodney Connor, Chief Executive, Fermanagh District Council; and Mr Eric Rainey CVO MBE DL, outgoing Director (NI), Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.

Accompanied by Eric Rainey and Kate Thompson, designate Director (NI) Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme,  HRH walked to the Putting Green and met  Peter Smyth, Golf Operations Manager, Lough Erne Golf Resort, and a number of Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme participants during a golf training session.

At the near-by jetty HRH met Patrick Trotter, Master Angling Instructor, and Award Scheme participants enjoying a fly-fishing class.

Later in the Ross Suite, Colonel Garth Corbett MBE DL, Chairman, Friends of the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, presented to His Royal Highness, Mr Jim Tracey, owner of the resort and Mr Jonathan Stapleton the General Manager.  Before attending a special lunch marking the occasion, HRH met local Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme leaders and supporters.

Following lunch and prior to leaving for the next engagement, HRH accepted an invitation from Jim Tracey to sign a photograph of the Golf Resort. 

Notes to Editors

The Lough Erne Golf Resort, is set on its own 600 acre peninsula between Castle Hume Lough and Lower Lough Erne. The Faldo Golf Course opens in July 2009; the first Nick Faldo designed course in Ireland, and the Championship Castle Hume Course.