Rotary was founded in 1905 by Paul Harris in Chicago , the name ‘ Rotary ’ was derived from the early practice of rotating meetings among members’ offices.

Rotary International is a worldwide association of 29,000 local clubs comprising 1.2 million men and women in 160 countries.

It is the largest service organisation for business and professional people in the world.  

Rotarians work together to:  

·        Provide humanitarian service to the community

·        Encourage high ethical standards in all vocations

·        Work for goodwill and peace in the world.  

District 1160 of Rotary comprises the whole of the island of Ireland and presently has around 2,800 members in 74 clubs, the first two of which were founded in 1911 in Dublin and Belfast as the first Rotary Clubs outside North America.   

Rotary Club of Donaghadee currently has 25 members plus 4 honorary members.  The club was chartered in 1994.

 The 4-Way Test

From the earliest days of the organization, Rotarians were concerned with promoting high ethical standards in their professional lives. One of the world's most widely printed and quoted statements of business ethics is The 4-Way Test, which was created in 1932 by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor (who later served as RI president) when he was asked to take charge of a company that was facing bankruptcy. This 24-word test for employees to follow in their business and professional lives became the guide for sales, production, advertising, and all relations with dealers and customers, and the survival of the company is credited to this simple philosophy. Adopted by Rotary in 1943, The 4-Way Test has been translated into more than a hundred languages and published in thousands of ways. It asks the following four questions:

"Of the things we think, say or do:

1. Is it the TRUTH?

2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?

3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?

4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?"