This year’s Birthday Honours brought delightful news for Priscilla Lyons Gamble from Lisbellaw.

Peela, as she is affectionately known, receives the B.E.M. “for voluntary service to the community in County Fermanagh.”

“I could not believe it,” admitted Peela, who feels it is “lovely to be appreciated” but confesses she had not expected it ever. 

An active figure, Peela, originally from Donemana, arrived in Fermanagh in 1961. 

She was only in Lisbellaw a few months when she took on the role of organist and choir leader in Lisbellaw Presbyterian Church, which she did for 40 years; she is still a member of the choir. 

Along with her late husband, George, she taught Sunday School, and trained the children’s choir for over 30 years.
In those years, she helped form the Presbyterian Women’s Association.

For over 40 years, she taught piano and singing.
She was Area Representative for London College of Music and was elected an Honorary Member of the College in July 1978. 

When her four sons, Desmond, David, Stuart and Paul were older, along with her husband, they formed a family group.

Peela was a member of Lisbellaw Drama Group and took part in plays and sketches, giving proceeds to many charities.

She joined the Women’s Institute around 1970 but after a few years left owing to her music teaching. She rejoined a couple of years ago.

Another involvement for Peela was in volunteering and befriending for four or five years.

In 2000, she joined the U.3.A., University of the Third Age and formed a choir of eight members.

“Now we have a membership of over 60,” says Peela, who explained that they held concerts in the Cathedral Hall, donating the proceeds to a number of causes. 

They made a CD in 2010, raising a lot of money for charities in Fermanagh.

Peela played the piano and trained the choir for 16 years. She retired in June 2016, but is still a member of the choir.

She is involved in Lisbellaw Wednesday Club and serves as its Chairperson.