Historian believes interest in past events is more popular than ever as D-Day will be remembered with local stories of the Normandy invasion

Ian Wilson, author of a book recalling the Province's vital contribution to the Allied cause during the final phase of the Second World War, believes more people are interested in history than ever before.

He made the comments after the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) and the Northern Ireland War Memorial (NIWM) are co-hosting a series of commemorative talks throughout June on how Northern Ireland contributed to the historic events at Normandy in June 1944.

The three lunch-time lectures will take place on three consecutive Thursdays in June (6th, 13th and 20th) at 1pm and will be held in the lecture room at the PRONI, based at Titanic Quarter in Belfast. Admission is free but booking is essential online.

D-Day fleet assembled in Bangor Bay

"I think there's more interest in history in general than there ever was," he said.

"I'm involved in different styles of heritage and history - even though I'm retired.

"On Facebook, you nearly see every town or village in Northern Ireland where people are invited to put old photographs on.

"Within minutes, you get comments to do with all aspects of the war and it sparks interest for people.

"I was a bit surprised because you see now you would have to be 98 or 99 years of age to have been there on D-Day. It's quite remarkable there's men and women of that age still travelling to Normandy.

"It is one of the real turning points in history. If that day hadn't been a success, goodness knows what would have happened."

Bangor has a little known connection with D Day. The invasion of Normandy, 6 June 1944, was the most momentous military operation in history.

Not only was Northern Ireland a major training ground for US troops, Belfast Lough was also the assembly point for half of the Allied bombardment fleet. There was even a visit to the seaside town on May 19, 1944 by President Eisenhower.

Bangor will host a packed programme of events this weekend to mark D-Day, including 1940s music, the re-creation of a military village and the band of the Royal Irish Regiment.

"Coming up to D-Day it was the big ships coming into Belfast Lough. It's estimated there were 30,000 sailors on those ships which anchored out there for a few weeks,” Mr Wilson explained.

"Nobody knew as it was a secret and how they kept it as one as to where they were going.

"For soldiers the most important thing was the shortest crossing, so they went from the South of England and these ships gathered to bombard the beaches and the German defences.

"They were three big American battleships; the Texas, the Nevada and the Arkansaw.

"One day coming towards the end of May 1944, General Eisenhower came to Northern Ireland and one of his visits across the Province saw him come to Bangor.

"He walked along the beach at Ballyholme and he inspected training that was happening with the landing craft on the beach. He went out from Bangor pier to another ship called the Quincy, where he gave a very stern and motivational speech to the sailors.”