Coleraine Folklorist SAM Henry Recommended For Ulster History Circle Blue Plaque

A Coleraine-born folklorist whose work helped preserve thousands of traditional songs and stories could become the latest recipient of an Ulster History Circle blue plaque.

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council's Leisure and Development Committee is being asked to approve the installation of a plaque in honour of Sam Henry as part of its ongoing partnership with the Ulster History Circle.

The Ulster History Circle is a voluntary organisation that erects blue plaques across Ulster to commemorate people who have made significant contributions to the province's history. The scheme operates through partnerships with local councils and organisations.

Council officers and representatives from the Ulster History Circle have proposed that Henry, who was born in Coleraine in 1878, be recognised in 2026.

Henry is best known for his "Songs of the People" series, which appeared in the Northern Constitution newspaper between 1923 and 1939. During his career as a Pension and Excise Officer, he travelled widely across Northern Ireland, collecting folk songs and stories from local people.

According to the report, his ability to build relationships with people from different backgrounds enabled him to gather a unique record of traditional culture and heritage. His daughter, Olive, recalled that he often used a tin whistle to help establish a connection with those he met.

Beyond his work as a folklorist, Henry was a prolific writer, lecturer, genealogist and broadcaster. He began broadcasting on radio in 1925 and was actively involved in a range of organisations and community groups throughout the Coleraine area.

Coleraine Museum holds Henry's collection of more than 15,000 objects, documents and photographs. The report states that the collection is recognised locally, nationally and internationally, with his collection of songs also held by the Library of Congress in Washington DC. The songs were first published in book form by the University of Georgia in 1990.

The report describes Henry's collection as an important record of life, culture and community in Northern Ireland, particularly within the Causeway Coast and Glens area during the early twentieth century.

If approved, the plaque would become the third installed under the current agreement between the council and the Ulster History Circle. Previous recipients were physicist James Sayers, honoured in Corkey in 2024, and pioneering golfer May Hezlet, whose plaque was unveiled at Royal Portrush in 2025.

The report notes that 2026 marks the final year of the council's initial three-year partnership with the Ulster History Circle. Officers are expected to carry out a review of the arrangement and present options to councillors in September.