Down

Finghin Collins, the Irish piano virtuoso, has played the world from Chicago to Seoul and now Portaferry on Saturday 21^st September.  His recordings are worldclass and recently he has been appointed an Associate Artist of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra. Collins will perform Haydn Sonata in E flat major Hob XVI:49, Chopin Mazurka Op. 17 no. 4 and Debussy Estampes. Dearbhla, his sister, also an international pianist, will join him to play Schubert’s “Fantasie in F minor”.

Tyrone

Culture Night Strabane – A Day & Evening of Free Cultural Events takes place this Friday 20th September with music, comedy and dance events taking place. In Strabane, Sion Mills, Newtownstewart, Plumbridge, Donemana and Beady.

Fermanagh

Wrestling Superstars are taking a break from their tours of America, Europe, Japan & Mexico to take part in a giant one-off extravaganza in County Fermanagh.  The Lakeland Forum Leisure Centre is the venue for this year’s must-see event where fans will have the chance to witness the passion of dedicated athletes perfecting their craft.  Wrestling Superstars will collide in an epic encounter inside the ring that’ll grip the audience’s attention like nothing you have seen before.  The spectacular event takes place on September 21st with doors opening at 7.30pm and show time at 8.00pm. Spectators will get the chance to get up close and personal with their favourite stars.

Derry

Moondog Productions Ltd presents the hit news comedy panel show, The Blame Game, featuring comedians Tim McGarry, Colin Murphy, Neil Delamere and Jake O’Kane with special guest.  Both shows will be recorded for broadcast on BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Radio Ulster on Tuesday 17th and Wednesday 18th September. Tickets are free! If you would like to attend a recording at the Millennium Forum on any of the above dates, please apply for tickets at: bbc.co.uk/tickets.  Doors open at 6pm and will close at 6.45pm when there will be no admittance to the theatre.

Armagh

Shoppers will get a lot more than they bargained for at Rushmere this Autumn as the popular shopping centre and Retail Park gets set to host their biggest interactive Sci-Fi exhibition on 21st and 22nd September, with charitable donations collected over the two-day event going to support Save the Children.  Sci-fi and fantasy film fanatics of all ages will get the chance to see some of their favourite characters come to life at the fully interactive Heroes and Legends exhibition, which has been organised by The Emerald Garrison, famed for their Star Wars costume club and life-like film set design.  Whether you’re a Gryffindor or Slytherin fan, want to find out if the inside of the Tardis is really as big as it seems,  or are just curious about what it’s really like to be a GhostBuster, the Emerald Garrison Heroes and Legends exhibition will have it all.

Antrim

The Streets Alive project will ensure that the streets and key locations within Portrush Town Centre will become a hive of activity for one day – this Saturday 21st September. There will be activities to suit all age groups and abilities, for individuals and family groups alike.  Activities will include abseiling, Portrush Peninsula Walking Tour, On-Street Live acoustic music sessions at town centre locations,  surfing lessons at East and West Strand Beaches,  Activ8 Adventure Challenge, Multi Sports Cage Action, Urban Street Dance displays and DJ, Street Basketball Blitz, kite flying and much more!

Belfast

The fifth Culture Night Belfast is arguably the hottest date in the city’s packed cultural calendar this Friday 20th September. And with over 250 free, family-friendly events taking place right across the city, organisers are promising “even more of everything” in this year’s event.  From the yoga-tastic big opening to the grande flaming finale featuring Firepoise and the Ulster Youth Orchestra, Culture Night Belfast literally has something for all tastes and dispositions.  The city will once more be illuminated, transformed and opened up in unpredictable and spectacular ways – for all to enjoy!

University of Ulster staff, postgraduate students and students from the School of English and History’s Poetry Society, star in the new series of BBC2 NI Ulster-Scots programme, ‘Santer’, which begins a new run on Wednesday September 18.

Episodes four and five of the six-part TV series, will be broadcast on October 9^th and 16^th, and discuss the tradition of ‘reading houses’ in Ulster and their links to 19^th century Ulster-Scots poets.

Reading houses were essentially social gatherings, where those who earned enough money to have leisure time, gathered together to read and recite poetry, discuss history, theology and politics, and the fundamental issues of the day.

Attired in authentic costume and reciting readings in Ulster-Scots, University of Ulster students literally bring 19^th century Ulster and the ‘Reading House’ back to life.

University of Ulster lecturer, Dr Kathryn White, who acted as consultant and also presents on the programme said: “This has been a fantastic experience for our students and has helped them engage with the literary traditions of this region, as well as giving them an insight into television production.

“The ‘Ulster-Scots Poetry Project’, which supplied many of the poems for the series is delighted that many more people will have the opportunity to learn about Ulster’s literary history.”

Head of the School of English and History at the University of Ulster, Professor Jan Jedrzejewski, commented: “I am delighted to see some of my colleagues and students helping to recreate the history of 19^th century book clubs – this is precisely the kind of occasion where the past that we study and the present that we live and work in, come together in a meaningful way to produce new concepts, ideas, and insights, for ourselves and for the community at large.”

Dr Frank Ferguson, Director of the Centre for Irish and Scottish Studies said: “This programme demonstrates how the research strengths we possess in Ulster-Scots literature, culture and history at the University of Ulster, can provide film makers with the key materials they require and shows the literary skills and performance talents of our colleagues and students.”

For further details about ‘Reading Houses’ and ‘The Ulster-Scots Poetry Project’, contact Dr Kathryn White at: k.white@ulster.ac.uk

The new six-part series of ‘Santer’ begins on Wednesday 18^th September at 7.30pm on BBC2 NI.

Aspects Irish Literature Festival

Friday 25^th – Sunday 29^th September, Various Locations, Bangor

The premier Irish Literature Festival returns with a host of events covering writing in all its different forms. From the world of Science Fiction with Ian McDonald and Aidan Harte to America in 1812 with Peter Snow via some wonderful song writing from Kevin Doherty and Pete Roe and the quirkiest look at the writing process you’ll ever get with Wireless Mystery Theatre and Ian Sansom, there is guaranteed to be something for everyone.

Tickets still remain for some events, so buy today and make sure you’ll be at the Festival!

Plenty of talks, readings and performances showing off the best of Irish and British literature – what more could you ask for?! Various prices apply.

For more information find attached the Aspects programme. For tickets book online or contact Bangor Tourist Information Centre on (028) 9127 0069. For info visit aspectsfestival.com

TITANICa

Ulster Folk & Transport Museum, Cultra

The timeless tale of Titanic comes to life through iconic objects. Discover more than 500 original artefacts including the technical drawings used to build Titanic and the Kimono Lady Duff Gordon was wearing as she was rescued. This incredible exhibition will fascinate and mesmerise you as you hear the stories of those who witnessed the heart-breaking disaster. At the outdoor Folk Museum you can look around and be captivated by the era of the world’s most famous ship experiencing the way of life in Ulster at that time.

For more information and pricing visit www.nmni.co.uftm

Workshops at the Pink Pods

Until Saturday 28^th September, Project 24, Queen’s Parade

Karin Patry in the Pink Pod is running a series of workshops in every Saturday throughout September from 10am-3pm. On Saturday 21st September: Make your own personalised big letter in cardboard and transform it into a lamp. Then on Saturday 28th September: Make your very own tripod (a clean & simple wooden stool kit to personalise). The workshops will take a one hour lunch break at midday.

For more information or to reserve a place, contact Karin at the Pink Pod either in person or by email englishcookies@me.com. Karin can accommodate 5 people per workshop, so booking is required. Class costs £40, all materials are included.

Bangor 10K

Saturday 28^th September, Starting Castle Park

North Down Borough Council and North Down Athletics Club are encouraging runners of all abilities to get ready for the Bangor 10K Road Race, which hits the streets of the town on Saturday 28 September 2013.  This popular race from the 1990s was revived in 2005 and each year since then has attracted hundreds of athletes to compete along the course from Castle Park Avenue to Ward Park.  Even if you don’t run call down and support all the competitors.

To find out about registering visit www.bangoraurora.com

Bangor 400- A celebration of poetry and prose

Sunday 29^th September, North Down Museum, Bangor

Novelists, historians, saints and scholars have been writing about Bangor for centuries. The man behind the creation of Aspects twenty-two years ago, Kenneth Irvine, has recruited some of our top local actors to present a special one-off selection of readings to celebrate the 400th Anniversary of the granting of our Royal Charter. Four hundred years? Where did the time go?!

Come along and hear excerpts from the writings of Columbanus, Bernard of Clairvaux, Michael Longley, Derek Mahon, John Hewitt, Moyra Donaldson, Colin Bateman, Gerald Dawe, Ian Adamson and many others, all brought to life by a cast of talented local thespians. FREE

For more information visit www.northdowntourism.com

Cedarwood Garden

Until Monday30th September, Cedarwood Garden, Holywood

Be sure to visit this stunning garden in Holywood as part of a lovely relaxing day out. This true plantsman’s garden is situated within the original extensive estate of the historic Lorne House, Craigavad, Holywood, built in 1875 by Henry Campbell, a wealthy linen merchant and founder of Campbell College in Belfast. The garden has been created within an existing framework of mature specimen trees sourced from all corners of the world. This impressive backdrop echoes other gardens created in the same era, such as Mount Stewart.

For more information visit www.cedarwoodgarden.com

Noctuary

Until Monday 30^th September, Sync Space

“Noctuary” is the first solo exhibition by Newtownards based artist and musician James Robert Moore. Presenting a series of hand-produced monotype prints selected from a larger body of recent work, these intimate abstract pieces invoke crepuscular closed-eye visions, twilight landscapes and occulted cellular events, organically grown out of process and an investigation of materials.

James studied Fine Art in London and Southampton, is a member of Seacourt Print Workshop and has previously exhibited in group shows in Northern Ireland, England, Europe, USA and New Zealand. FREE

James Humbert Craig Exhibition

Until Saturday28^th November, North Down Museum, Bangor

In November 1948 Bangor Borough Council received the gift of a Craig painting; it was to mark the beginning of a beautiful collection. To celebrate the 75^th Anniversary of this special occasion North Down Museum will show ‘James Humbert Craig, a Life in Landscapes’.

This exhibition follows the life of Craig from growing up in Ballyholme to his position as one of Ireland’s most renowned landscape artists. The story will be told through some of Craig’s earliest sketches, paintings and photos from private collections.

For more information contact 028 9127 1200 or www.northdowntourism.com

Coming Soon!!

Historical Talks at North Down Museum, Seapark Fireworks, Halloween Fun Day at Cockle Row

N.B Expressions of Interest Sought

Following the success of last year’s Christmas Market, North Down Museum has decided to do it all again this year! The market will take place on Saturday 30 November and Sunday 1 December, and North Down Museum is currently looking for Expressions of Interest from anyone who would like to take a stall at the Market. If you would like to be considered as a stall holder or know anyone who may be interested, please visit www.northdownmuseum.com and enter your details on the form provided by the closing date of Friday 4^th October at 4.30pm. PLEASE NOTE: Registering an Expression of Interest does not guarantee that you will be offered a place at the Market.

Please treat this letter as your personal invitation to both a unique day of demonstrations by the cream of crafters from far and near, interesting visitors from many countries, and a memorable evening of music, stories, poetry and craic.

With our new outlet-shop in Berlin now open and absorbing a lot of energy (and time) as well as the mill here at Derrylane busier than ever, we have neglected communication with some of our friends a little bit. Here’s our promise:

Saturday, September 14^th is going to make up for that – and more!!

The Old Flax Mill will provide the unique setting for a gathering of textile-experts, artists, crafters and visitors – as usual from many parts of the world – which you won’t find anywhere else. The complete programme for the day and the evening is going to the media within the next few days (as always, we are keeping a few special surprises “up our sleeves”) – here are some of the attractions “up front”, to water your mouth:

Crafts and Demonstrations Galore!

LYNDA KELLY on her spinning wheel. Lynda is one of the best hand spinners on these shores, her specialist yarns are reputed well beyond Ireland. Experience her in action!

EMMA WHITEHEAD will show hand embroidery. Her pictures on linen are unique and much sought after. Emma’s art of embroidery has no match. She will let you see how it’s done!

CHRISTINE BOYLE stunned many of our visitors with her dyeing-demonstration last year. The owner of the “colour and cloth” company uses natural dyes only and has done some unique work for Flax-Mill-Textiles recently. Her dye-pot will be boiling all day!

JACKI SLEATOR will come to our Open Day for the first time. The County Tyrone based felter and fashion designer will show how wool is being felted.

SHUTTLES FLYING!

We will demonstrate weaving on at least two of our looms. MAURA McKEE from Omagh is going to take the driving seat at one of them and we expect Ireland’s best designer beyond doubt, SARAH MORRISON from Derry City to give us the honour and give our fly-shuttle-loom “the works”.

We will have visitors from Ireland’s oldest linen-mill (Clarks of Upperlands), “old hands” in flax-scutching and some of the new crop of our flax here for you to see. Add to that tailors, knitters, and fashion-designers – where else would you get it?

There will be two blacksmiths showing red-hot skills. BRENDAN COSGROVE is going to give a demonstration in ring-making.

You will find hand-made soap from County Antrim, Ireland’s best wood-turner and his products, unique jewellery, some of it made from bog-oak, coffee roasted in Upperlands, buttons made in Belfast…..you name the high quality product – it’s there for you.

As always, our visiting crafters are “hand-picked” genuine manufacturers. Dealers and “cheap and nasty stuff” won’t be near the place.

Let us spoil you!

How would a piece of home-made cake, freshly baked by one of Germany’s top confectioners, go down? Or – if you care to stay into the evening – a 15 metre long buffet the likes of which you have never seen? Our catering brigade from Berlin is sharpening the knives as we write this.

Very special visitors!

There hasn’t been an Open Day without them and there were always very pleasant surprises. We won’t tell you all of them. We can reveal that BALLYMONEY OLD VEHICLE CLUB is coming to Flax – Mill with a large number of unique classic cars. Their visit in 2012 was absolutely spectacular and we feel honoured to welcome them back this year.

Old bicycles are going on the road to come all the way from England, a steam engine (first time!) will be there, MARTIN WHITEHEAD from Strangford hasn’t told us whether it will be his one-and-only Lagonda or the equally unique Riley – car, he is going to land in……

We could fill pages of good news like this!

N. Ireland’s oldest lady on the road!

Our friend CRAIG MATTHEW doesn’t do “half-measures” – he will drive the country’s oldest commercial vehicle to the Flax-Mill and rumours are that the 1929 Morris-lorry is going to carry a load of flax from our field in Upperlands!

This short version of the programme shows one thing:

It makes absolutely no sense to go anywhere else on September 14^th – and that is only the day, never mind the evening!

The Flax Mill Open Day starts at 9 am and runs to 6pm!

The Evening Concert

“Ireland’s most spectacular private gathering”, a Dutch journalist called it once and 2013 will see another event in a league of its own.

WILLIE DRENNAN, folk-singer, Lambeg-drum-Rocker, fiddler and story-teller without anyone to match him, set the place rocking last year. HE WILL BE BACK! We experienced up to 9 musicians on stage in 2012 – we are going to beat that!

Take this in and tell us where else you could find it

Irelands best bodhran player (and maker), SEAMUS O’KANE! Banjo-maestro JOE DIAMOND! Guitar- and trumpet-virtuoso JOHN TROTTER!  Songwriter/singer BOB SPEERS!

That’s just the tip of the ice-berg, we have a couple of real crackers in the back of our hands, watch out for the local press-reports.

Whether you are going to make it for the Open Day only or for day and evening – I (and all of us here at Flax Mill) would love to welcome you and your friends and family on Saturday, September 14^th! Don’t be shy to pass this on to a good friend and remember:

THERE WON’T BE ANY STRANGERS HERE – JUST FRIENDS SOME OF WHOM YOU HAVEN’T MET!

MARION BAUR

Owner of Flax-Mill-Textiles

Ireland’s unique and diverse sporting heritage will be in the spotlight at a major sports conference at the University of Ulster’s Magee campus this weekend.

Internationally acclaimed sports analysts and historians from Ireland and the UK will be joined by experts from Australia, the Middle East and mainland Europe for the 9th Sports History Ireland conference.

Since its foundation in 2005, Sport History Ireland’s annual conference has given academics a platform to present their research but many of the topics down for discussion will be of interest to a much wider audience, said Dr David Hassan, of the University’s Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Institute and chairman of the organising committee.

Dr Hassan continued: “Given that this will be Sport History Ireland’s first ever event in Northern Ireland, there will be a particular focus on the rich and unique sporting heritage of Ulster.

“The keynote speaker, Dr Donal McAnnallen, will examine the issue of ‘Sport, History and Commemoration in the Decade of Centenaries’. Other papers will explore issues such as the history of association football on both sides of the border and the potential ramifications for Rory McIllroy’s 2016 Olympic decision.

“The interesting line-up of speakers will present on broad themes such as ‘Sport Religion and Politics in Ireland, Sport and the Irish Diaspora and Regional Folk Games in Ireland, covering topics as diverse as Irish born players in English football from 1945 and horseracing in Renaissance Italy.”

Speakers will  also include Clodagh Doyle and Paul Mullarkey from the National Museum of Ireland (NMI), whose work on a rare collection of early ‘hair’ hurling balls, part of archives held at the NMI, has never previously been presented.

Similarly, work by Mike McGuinness, from the University of Teeside, will reveal the involvement of three major Irish sporting figures of the time in the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939).

Dr Hassan, from the University of Ulster’s Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Institute, will speak about his research with Andrew McGuire from Trinity College on the early 20th century Irish sportsman Dick Fitzgerald, which is due to be published later this year.

Fitzgerald won five All Ireland senior football championship medals with Kerry but was also a prominent member of the Irish Volunteers and was held at Frongoch Gaol in Wales following the 1916 Rising. Next year will also see the centenary of Fitzgerald’s seminal publication entitled How to Play Gaelic Football, which retains remarkable relevancy in the present day.

Dr Hassan spoke of the significance of the conference being staged at the Magee campus.

“We have virtually all of the leading scholars on Irish sporting history coming to Derry for this event and are confident it will be a major success.”

As part of the University’s ongoing outreach work, members of the public are invited to attend the conference free of charge.

To download the programme go to http://www.science.ulster.ac.uk/sesri/shi/shi-30-4-13.pdf

Anyone interested in attending the one day event this Saturday, September 14 2014,should email Dr Hassan d.hassan@ulster.ac.uk

Come to Bangor Town Hall on Saturday 14 September for a musical journey through time to celebrate Bangor’s 400^th Anniversary.  The line-up for Saturday night’s special concert, which gets underway at 6pm, will include Swingabella, local heroes Otis and The Elevators and jazz and swing sensations King Pleasure and The Biscuit Boys.

Hailing from Bangor and regarded as probably the most influential retro soul/R&B act on the live circuit during the last three decades, Otis & The Elevators continue to excite audiences with their high octane delivery of classic Soul/R&B favourites arranged in their own unique signature style. Speaking about the event, David Taylor of Otis and The Elevators said; “following a successful summer of outdoor festivals, I am delighted to be performing at such a prestigious event in our home town. A big thank you to North Down Borough Council for their continued support to both live music and the arts and I hope everyone comes along to support the event, it should be a great night.”

On Sunday 15 a special 400 Voices concert which will include local choirs Bangor Ladies Choir, Open Arts Choir, New Irish Youth Choir and Belfast Community Gospel Choir with guest soloists Sylvia Burnside and Craig Skene. This choral extravaganza will start at 7pm with a special Bangor 400 church service taking place beforehand at 6pm.

On both Saturday and Sunday nights at 10.00 pm the Town Hall will be used as a spectacular backdrop for a 3d lighting projection show which will transport the audience through a journey reflecting on the last 400 years using visual reflections to energise Bangor Castle and bring it to life as the story unfolds.

Everyone is welcome to bring a picnic to these events but tea, coffee and an array of other foods will be available on the site. Consumption of alcohol is not permitted. People are welcome to bring their own seats and are advised to wrap up warm in appropriate outdoor wear. Please note these are totally free events and tickets are not required.

Digital Women in Business

Meet four women who run/work with successful digital businesses in Northern Ireland.

Jacqueline McGonigle is the founder of the popular website www. whatsonni.com. She is also the Mid Ulster Ambassador for Women in Business NI – the largest and fastest growing business network for female entrepreneurs and business leaders in Northern Ireland, as well as being an ambassador the Ulster Bank’s Business Women Can initiative.

Janette O’Hagan is the co-founder and Director at Heatboss, an innovative new start specialising in wireless heating controls. She is heavily involved in managing the development of the heatboss product range and bringing the business into successful commercialisation.

Lyra McKee is the founder of The Muckraker, an investigative news blog about Northern Irish politicians and public life (and investigative journalism in general). She’s also an editor at Mediagazer, a US media news site. She’s currently studying an MA in Online Journalism at Birmingham City University where she is researching new business models for investigative journalism. She’s working on a book about the last months and death of the Reverend Robert Bradford, the only MP to be murdered during ‘The Troubles’.

Catherine Morris is one of the co- founders of Hubbit and the Marketing Manager for  Taggled.  Taggled is the new and very exciting social networking video platform focused on fashion. Have you ever been watching an on-line video and thought “I love that jacket, if only I knew where I could buy it” or “I wonder what that really catchy background song is?” Well on the Taggled website (http://www.taggled.tv/) this isn’t a problem. As you are watching a video, tags appear beside the products you might be interested in and just by clicking the tag you will be directed straight to the shopping cart to purchase it.

When broadcaster Andy Kershaw says of a guitarist, “Quite simply, there is no one else like him”, it’s time to take note.

The guitarist in question is Adrian Legg, who is performing this weekend as part of the LiveWire Series at the Crescent Arts Centre, a joint venture between the Crescent Arts Centre and Amped Guitar School.

”We are delighted to welcome a musician of Adrian’s ability and experience to the centre” said Crescent Arts Centre Manager, Dr Keith Acheson.  “Audiences are in for a real treat during not only his Saturday night concert but Sunday afternoon workshop this weekend.”

Throughout his career, he has earned the highest praise from the media. “Legg is, above all, a guitarist of great power, invention and versatility,” observes the St. Petersburg Times. “Through fast-fingered picking, spontaneously layering parts and occasional ringing harmonics, he sounds like an orchestra.”

Guitar Player heralds how he “combines a sublime melodic sense with a mighty right-hand groove, creating pretty music with rhythmically aggressive undercurrents,” while Acoustic Guitar notes that “the guitar is the most versatile instrument in the world, and nobody demonstrates this better than Adrian Legg.”

Amped Guitar School Director Alastair Simpson stated, “Adrian is one of the most respected guitarists around and for us to be able to bring what he knows to so many local musicians is really exciting.”

Tickets are selling fast for these unmissable events, so early booking is recommended to avoid disappointment.

CONCERT: Saturday 14 September, 8pm, £15 / £10 conc.

WORKSHOP: Sunday 15 September, 3pm, £12 / £10 conc. / £8 under 16

Tickets available online at  www.crescentarts.org / Box Office:(028)90242338

Get ready to Deck the Hall this Christmas at St Columbs Hall!  St. Columb’s Hall has stood in the heart of Derry for 127 years and this December 20^th and 21^st 2013, the historical and beautiful building is hosting two dazzling festive parties.

Experience the grandeur and elegance of the recently restored St. Columb’s Hall this festive season. This breath-taking venue will be fittingly decorated for this festive season with ornate and classical Christmas décor designed to enhance this wonderful venue even more and create a wonderful ambience and surrounding for the most memorable Festive party Derry has ever seen!

From the moment party guests arrive, they are greeted with a buzzing atmosphere and the scrumptious aroma of the succulent food.  The four course meal will be freshly prepared and our festive menu includes Christmas classics and some seasonal favourites.  All dietary requirements will be catered for so everyone can partake in the Festive party merriment, after all, tis the season to be jolly!

Entertainment each night will be provided by the phenomenal Abbaesque, Ireland’s leading ABBA tribute band.  With lush 4-part harmony, timeless hits, authentic costumes and audience participation, the show has an amazingly broad appeal across the ages. St Columb’s Hall Festive parties are sure to have everyone in flying festive form and the hall will be filled with Dancing Queens, Fernandos and Super Troupers galore.

St Columb’s Hall festive party nights are on 20^th and 21^st December.   The cost per head is £39.95 and a deposit to confirm bookings.  For bookings and enquiries, please call 07788906603 or email marketing@stcolumbshall.com.

On Friday 20^th September Strabane District will come alive as venues all over the district will be celebrating Culture Night with an exciting range of events suitable for all ages and all free of charge.

The theme of this year Culture Night is Explore, Experience and Enjoy and there is plenty to choose from across seven areas within the district.

The evening begins with a wonderful showcase of dance at the iconic Tinnies Sculptures at Strabane/Lifford Roundabout as Pop Tap Dance Academy & Friends perform ‘Let the Dance Begin’.  A celebration of dance from around the world.

The Alley Theatre in Strabane has a range of events including the launch of the Strabane and its Old Memories Photographic Launch.  Strabane and its Old Memories is a community facebook page where people can upload photos from days gone by and now a collection of these photos are now in an exhibition in the Alley Theatre Gallery.  Come along and reminisce about the past and mingle and hear the story behind the picture.  After this in the Alley Café Bar hear the best of the North West talent as local musician Gavin Kelly hosts an open mic night from 8pm till late.

In Strabane Community Library enjoy ‘Releasing Rhythms’ from the Genuine Ghanaian Article – a drumming, dance and musical extravaganza. If its comedy your after look no further than MK’s Bar as local comedian Ruairi Woods will be performing his brand new show ‘Witman’.  WITMAN is the highly anticipated follow up to last year’s IMPALED ON A RABBIT CAGE: PROGRESS and is not to be missed. Else where in Strabane enjoy live music in Caffé Fresco, Strabane Concert Brass in Strabane Golf Club.  Just outside Strabane in Glenmornan Owen Row O’Neill Gac Club will be hosting a night showcasing some of the clubs talented youth members who are preparing for the Scór na nÓg competitions.  The evening will include Irish dancing, music, singing and drama.

In the historic linen village of Sion Mills discover its beauty on an evening walking tour as a guide will take you through the history of this village.  After the tour enjoy an evening in Sion Mills Community Centre as they take you through the years with an exhibition of artefacts and photos.

The brilliant singer Patricia Morris will be performing in Ten Square Restaurant in Newtownstewart.   Patricia Morris is quickly becoming established as one of Ireland’s finest vocalists. A singer-songwriter, her music is deeply influenced by her Scots-Irish roots. Warm and engaging on stage, she is currently working on her second album. Patricia will be performing her own songs, interspersed with jazz standards and blues classics.

Over in Killeter Heritage Centre they are celebrating Culture Night from Thursday 19^th September with a wonderful youth celli dance workshop by Niamh Browne School of Irish Dance.  This will be followed by a youth ceili dance with live musicians on the Friday night followed by a traditional music session.

In Plumbridge enjoy the village’s annual event as they host a traditional music session with local talent.

Enjoy something completely different in Donemana as an energetic and fun Zumbathon will take place in Donemana Park followed by a craft workshop in Donemana Drummond Centre.

Bready will be celebrating an evening of Ceilidh dancing as young people will be receiving their awards and performing some of their wonderful dances.

Chairman of Strabane District Council Ruairi McHugh commented ‘This years Culture Night is full of music, dance, comedy and art so come along and ‘Enjoy, Experience and Explore’ what Strabane District has to offer. Culture Night is a way for us to come together, collaborate and promote Strabane District arts and culture in all its forms and is the perfect opportunity to try something new.’

For further information on any of these events contact Strabane Visitor Centre on 028 71 384444 or www.alley-theatre.com