Committee members met with Dr Greer Ramsey, the Curator of Armagh County Museum, to look at the works of AE Russell, which are held in the Museum’s collection. This included Russell’s painting with a strong agricultural theme, called ‘Women on Hillside’.
AE Russell is widely known as a writer, poet and artistic painter. In addition to his many skills and interests within the arts, Russell also worked for the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society (IAOS). This allowed him to travel throughout Ireland as a spokesman for the Society, and his main responsibility was to develop credit societies and establish co-operative banks in the south and west of the country.
Co-operatives are business enterprises, owned and controlled by the very members that they serve. Their member-driven nature is one of the most clearly differentiating factors of co-operative enterprises. This fact means that decisions made in co-operatives are balanced by the pursuit of profit, and the needs and interests of members and their communities.
Co-operatives take many forms and operate in all sectors of society. Most share a unique set of principles which keeps them attuned with their member-driven characterisation.
A spokesperson for UNA-NI said: “With the theme of ‘Co-operative Enterprises Build a Better World’, this UN International Year seeks to encourage the growth and establishment of co-operatives all over the world.
It also encourages individuals, communities and governments to recognise the agency of co-operatives in helping to achieve internationally agreed development goals, such as the Millennium Development Goals.
We are delighted that, by remembering the work of AE Russell, we pay tribute to the contribution of co-operatives to poverty reduction, employment generation and social integration”.