The Market Place Theatre Cajun | Bluegrass Club returns featuring the best of bluegrass and Cajun music and food. ‘Wookalily’ will provide the music for the evening – a female led band hailing from all over the North who have gigged extensively throughout Ireland providing a lively unique sound, crafting a flourishing stage presence to be reckoned with and creating a unique and quirky sound that’s all heart.

Their style, sometimes referred to as chillbilly roots, has an old-timey feel with a young-timey appeal. The Cajun Bluegrass Club will take place on Saturday 30^th January at 8pm. Tickets are priced £12 or £22 [with supper].

‘A Viennese Strauss Gala’ is now in its 15th year, and back in the UK by popular demand, with a sparkling new anniversary production. Recreating the romance of the Viennese Festive season, reminding you of a bygone age of glamorous soirees and Strauss waltzes, the show features highlights from some of the great Operettas of the Strauss family, Kalman and Lehar; including ‘Die Fledermaus’, ‘The Merry Widow’ and many more. The European Orchestral Ensemble will accompany four Soloists from major Opera companies; including Opera North, English National Opera and D’Oyly Carte. This wonderful production is cleverly staged and choreographed, and authentically costumed, and will appeal to the romantic as much as the music aficionado. This performance will take place on Friday 5^th February at 8pm. Tickets are priced £17.50 each.

Scotland’s Ross Ainslie [Radio 2 ‘Musician Of The Year’ Award nominee] and Tyrone-born Jarlath Henderson [BBC ‘Young Musician Of The Year’] first met back in 2003 at the William Kennedy Piping Festival in Armagh. The pair exploded onto the scene with 2009’s stunning debut album, ‘Partners In Crime’. Individually they’re two of the best players around, but together they create a sound built on an astonishing intuition. Their sound bursts with emotion and energy – a fusion of pipes and flutes that pushes the boundaries of what the instruments can achieve. Backed by the hugely talented Ali Hutton [guitar]. The trio will perform at The Market Place on Friday 5^th February at 8pm. Tickets are priced £13 or £11 (concession).

Details of all events can be found online at www.marketplacearmagh.com, and tickets can be booked by contacting the Box Office on [028] 3752 1821.

And to keep up-to-date with the latest news at the Market Place Theatre, you can follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/marketplacearmagh) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/mptarmagh) where you will find all the latest information, special offers and video previews.

Tourism NI has put together a list of 10 exciting things to do in Northern Ireland next week (January 18 -24).

• Burns’ Night with the Ulster Orchestra and Friends, Ulster Hall, Belfast, January 23. Join the Ulster Orchestra and friends for a night of Ceilidh toe-tapping traditional tunes with the romance of Robert Burns’ poetry and song set to music and a visual spectacle that celebrates Burns Night perfectly! This annual concert, celebrating the rich cultural links between Scotland and Northern Ireland, is the hottest ticket in town! Show begins 7.45pm.

• Big Garden Birdwatch, Belfast’s Window on Wildlife, Belfast Harbour Estate, Belfast, January 23. Join the team at Belfast’s Window on Wildlife (WOW) for this free drop-in event and learn basic birdwatching skills. You’ll also have the chance to make delicious treats to attract our feathered friends to your patch. Between 10am and 3pm.

• The Mulligan Brothers, F.E. McWilliam Gallery, Banbridge, Co. Down, January 22. Storytelling takes centre stage as one of Alabama’s most promising up-and-coming bands, The Mulligan Brothers blend bittersweet lyrics with comforting Americana/folk melodies. Playing in the candle lit Bronte Church this is an event for all genuine music lovers. Show begins at 9pm.

• Legally Blonde The Musical, Riverside Theatre, Ulster University, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, January 21-February 6. Award-winning Ballywillan Drama Group brings the wonderful new musical Legally Blonde to the Riverside for sixteen performances. This is musical theatre at its best with great songs and witty lines. Smart, sassy and spectacular. Nightly shows at 8pm and with matinee performances at 2.30pm on the three Saturdays during the run.

• Simple Good Food Cookery Demo, Orchard Acre Farm, Irvinestown, Co. Fermanagh, January 23. Part of a series of spring detoxing events, this cookery demo and tutorial will focus on nourishing your body using simple good food. Covered topics will include main meals, new ideas and methods to create nourishing meals at home as well as guidance on how to select the best dishes off menus when dining out.

• Johnny Brady at SHARE, Smiths Strand, Shanaghy, Co. Fermanagh, January 23. Dust off your jiving shoes for a night of dancing and great live music with country star Johnny Brady and his energetic live band. Doors open at 8.30pm.

• Cabaret Supper Club, Marketplace Theatre, Armagh, Co. Armagh, January 22. Feel like a star for the night at Armagh’s first cabaret supper club! Experience an evening like no other as you enjoy a sumptuous meal and a glass of bubbly while watching some of the best live music and magicians, in the intimate setting of The Market Place Studio Theatre.

• Of Mice and Men, Black Box, Belfast, January 19. Steinbeck’s classic story of drifters George and his simple-minded friend Lennie is one of outsiders striving to find their place in an unforgiving world. The moving and timeless play is scored with the gospel singer Mahalia Jackson’s beautiful voice. Show begins at 1pm.

• Mulan Pantomime, Alley Theatre, Strabane, Co. Tyrone, January 22-30. Discover the well-known traditional Chinese story of Mulan through a new light as the Strabane Arts Academy proudly present their first pantomime of 2016. Starts at 7.30pm.

• Rock ‘n’ Roll Years & Dance Hall Days, Grand Opera House, Belfast, January 21. Rock ‘n’ Roll Years and Dance Hall Days will see audiences relive all the memories of a decade that saw the birth of pop, from the ballads of Ruby Murray, Perry Como and Dean Martin to the early rock ‘n’ roll hits of Buddy Holly, Brenda Lee and Bill Hailey. Show begins 8pm.

Please note some of the events require pre-booking. For more details on these and other events click on www.discovernorthernireland.com/events, visit your local tourist information centre or log onto www.facebook.com/discovernorthernireland.

American singer song-writer Kimmie Rhodes takes to the stage on Thursday 21 January at The Old Courthouse Antrim.

Kimmie’s promotional tours have created a solid fan base across the U.K., Ireland and Europe where she and her band regularly headline major music festivals.

Labelling the sound she hoped to create her latest album “Cowgirl Boudoir”, Kimmie embarked on a retro-cowgirl-hippie-chick musical experiment with fellow collaborators, quirky cool featured guest artists, Johnny Goudie and producer, Gabriel Rhodes, writing and  singing songs that fuse traditional country sounds with influences from the 60’s-80s into a seamless blend.

As an artist having; grown up attending musical theatre classes as a child, survived teen-hood on the streets of Lubbock, Texas during the Dylan and British Invasion era, made the pilgrimage “back to the country” in the great Austin convergence of the 70s.  She received a degree in fun from Jack Clement’s Cowboy Arms Hotel and Recording Spa and finally passed “What Would Willie Do 101” with flying colours as his protégé and duet partner deemed the “Outlaw Sweetheart” of the new millennium, she’s found her sound.

Rhodes’ beloved Sunbird Studios House Band delivers a mélange of steel guitar, Dobro, ukulele, mandolin, electric sitar, B3 organ and percussions that underscore this edgy autobiography with cowpunkadelical perfection.

We are delighted to welcome her back  to The Old Courthouse Thursday 21 January Tickets available from only £8, contact Box Office 028 9446 3113 or online wwwantrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk.

Down

Charlie Smyth with the Newry Panto Players presents Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 16th – 23rd January at Newry Town Hall.  Busting with all the ingredients of a classic fairytale, including a Wicked Stepmother, a Handsome Prince and a Damsel in Destress – a great family pantomime not to be missed.!

Armagh

The Three Amigos perform LIVE in Concert at the Armagh city Hotel this Thursday 14th January.  Jimmy Buckley, Robert Mizzell and Patrick Feeney. Tickets £25 (Unreserved Seating). Doors Open 7pm. Show Starts 8pm.  The amigos live stage show is regarded as one of the most exciting ever seen on the live circuit in Ireland. Featuring a mix of well-choreographed comedy sketches and lively banter with a repertoire of some of the world’s best known country and Irish standards. The show will also include a selection of the hits that catapulted all three singers onto the country music landscape.

Fermanagh

Lakeland Players present Dick Whittington. This class tale of young Dick, who travels to London accompanied by his cat, hoping to make his fortune. An assortment of comic characters cross his path in a series of great adventures with the usual happy ever after ending. At the  Ardhowen Theatre until Saturday 16th January.

Tyrone

Created by award-winning lyricist and country music star, Jimmy Hendry, ‘The Golden Years Of Country Music’ is an amazing 2½ hour show at the Alley Theatre Strabane this Friday 15th January. Song after song, hit after hit from the past five decades, this is the most authentic pure country show of its kind.  The superb Seven piece band and special guest Steven Lynch from Finn Valley FM, this is a show not to be missed!

Derry

See Homegrown at the Millennium Forum this Friday 15th January.  Since 2013, the Homegrown gigs have gone from strength to strength, showcasing the best in local musical talent. This year’s line-up includes Paul Casey & Band, Ports and Paddy Nash & The Happy Enchiladas. Special guests are Eilidh Patterson, Eamon Friel and Prima String Quartet. Don’t miss this celebration of local talent at its very best!

Antrim

Dove Drama Group present the classic fairytale pantomime Snow White from Thursday 14th January to Saturday 16th January at the Courtyard Theatre Newtownabbey.  Once upon a time there lived a lovely princess with fair skin and blue eyes. She was so fair that she was named Snow White…. what happens next? Book your tickets early to find out.  Come along with the family and meet the fairest Snow White of them all, her Wicked Step-Mother, the Handsome Prince and the Seven Dwarfs who are full of mischief and merriment.  Show Times: 7.30pm Saturday Matinee at 2.15pm

Belfast

The Holiday World Show, Northern Ireland’s largest annual holiday spectacular will move home to the NEW Titanic Exhibition Centre in 2016.  From Friday 15 January – Sunday 17 January 2016, the holiday extravaganza brings a world of destinations – at home and abroad – together under one roof, making Holiday World the place to find out where to go and how to pay less for your holiday.  Holiday World runs from 1pm to 6pm on Friday and from 11am to 5.30pm on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is £5 for adults, £4 for senior citizens, £3 for students, and £10 for a special family ticket (2 adults and up to 4 children).

Add your events free at www.whatsonni.com. Follow us on twitter @whatsonNI and on facebook at fb.com/www.whatsonni.com for news, competitions and what’s on near you.

Seven children’s clubs benefit from Little Wing bursary scheme

Little Wing Pizzeria is bringing a happy new year to seven local children’s clubs this January as its popular Little Wing Little Stars scheme awards bursaries for the second year.

A total of £3000 has been awarded in bursaries to seven children’s clubs across Northern Ireland, providing vital support to community based clubs with bursaries ranging between £250-£500.

The lucky clubs that will receive a welcome 2016 cash boost are: Sydenham United Football Club; St John Bosco Amateur Boxing Club in West Belfast; Holywood Tae Kwon Do club; Pophouse Theatre Company in Finaghy; VC Glendale Cycling Club in South Belfast; Bangor Chiefs Inline Hockey Club and Enniskillen Rugby Football Club Minis.

For the second year the Little Wing Little Stars Bursary scheme was open to all local children’s clubs located near each of Little Wing’s six branches which include three Belfast branches, as well as restaurants in Bangor, Holywood and Enniskillen
Each club was invited to submit a 300 word application for their chance to win. A record number of entries for the second year of the scheme.
Commenting on the Little Wing Little Stars bursary winners, Luke Wolsey, Managing Director of Little Wing Pizzeria said: “Little Wing is a family run and that ethos is at the heart of everything we do. We are always looking for ways to support local communities and the Little Wing Little Stars bursary allows us to have a positive impact on the lives of young people and their families in 2016.

“As Little Wing has recently expanded, with our newest restaurant now open in Enniskillen, we were pleased to be able to offer more bursaries this time round.

“We had more than double the amount of entries this year, so it was tough to pick the winning club but I am thrilled to present our bursaries to the deserving winners.

“We know that last years winning teams were able to put the money to good use to benefit local children and we hope this year’s winners will find the financial reward just as useful, whether it’s used to purchase new kit, equipment or even a chance to treat the kids to a fun day at their clubs.”

Little Wing is part of the Beannchor Group, Ireland’s largest hospitality group, which boasts a portfolio of over 50 pubs, hotels and restaurants across Northern Ireland.

For further information visit littlewingpizzeria.com

Ardtara Country House (now owned by the Browns Restaurant Group) is honoured to receive two new awards.

The AA’s Four Star Gold Award

& 2 AA Rosettes for the Restaurant

to add to the 2015 “Best Hotel Restaurant in Ulster” award (Irish Restaurants Association) and Michelin

guide listing.

( Gold Star Award-The AA’s supreme accolade for guest accommodation. AA Gold Stars are awarded to the very best properties offering excellent levels of quality throughout and outstanding levels of hospitality and service).

Over the past 20 years, Ardtara Country House has hosted ‘romantic couples’, ‘golfing heroes’, ‘Nobel prize winners’, ‘Olympic  champions’, ‘Hollywood celebrities’, as well as thousands of loyal locals while garnering kudos from discerning reviewers such as:

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELER  (“One of the five best hotels in the country”); The AA (“Most Romantic Hotel of the Year”); CONDE NAST TRAVELER (“Offers superb fare and sublimely comfortable rooms each with a glowing fireplace”).

Ardtara has been a member of the prestigious “Ireland’s Blue Book” since 2004 (a collection of Irish Country House Hotels, Manor Houses, Castles and Restaurants), and is one

of four Northern Ireland members.

The other three are Browns Restaurant, the Bushmills Inn and Newforge House.

www.ardtara.com

Grainne Duffy will rock the stage at The Courtyard Theatre on Saturday 23 January 2016.

Singer song-writer and guitar goddess from Castleblaney is described as a “powerhouse of soul and inspiration mixed with desire and passion”. A style that has seen her compared to Irish music sensation Rory Gallagher.

Her new album Grainne Duffy Live has confirmed her reputation as a leading contemporary blues artist.  Her voice and well-being are inspired by the wellsprings of Memphis and Chicago, but Grainne also reflects to rich varieties of the Celtic experience revealed in her remarkable first album Out of the Dark.

Grainne’s exceptional voice and guitar playing has been noted as far afield as Canada where last year Grainne played at the Lighthouse Blues Festival in Ontario State and Tremblant International Blues Festival in Quebec.

Tickets available from Box Office 028 9034 0202 or wwwthecourtyardtheatre.com

Tourism NI has put together a list of 10 exciting things to do in Northern Ireland next week (January 11 -17).

• Ava Fairs – Antique and Collectors Fair, Stormont Hotel, Belfast, January 16. Ava Fairs are specialists in antiques, vintage, art and collectables, running fairs in top venues throughout Ireland. Experts with years of experience will be in attendance, and there will be a selection of collectables, furniture, jewellery, art and other curios on offer. Fair begins at 11am.

• Homegrown 2016, Millennium Forum, Derry, Co. Londonderry, January 15. Since 2013, the Homegrown gigs have gone from strength to strength, showcasing the best in local musical talent. This year’s line-up includes Paul Casey & Band, Ports and Paddy Nash & The Happy Enchiladas, with special guests Eilidh Patterson, Eamon Friel and Prima String Quartet. Don’t miss this celebration of local talent at its very best! Show begins at 8pm.

• The Three Amigos Live in Concert, Armagh City Hotel, Armagh, Co. Armagh, January 14. The Amigos’ stage show is regarded as one of the most exciting ever seen on the live circuit in Ireland. Featuring a mix of well-choreographed comedy sketches and lively banter with a repertoire of some of the world’s best known country and Irish standards, the show will also include a selection of the hits that catapulted all three singers onto the country music landscape. Show begins at 8pm.

• Wedding Show at the Ballygally Castle, Ballygally Castle Hotel, Ballygally, Co. Antrim, January 17. Hastings Hotels are experts in weddings and host some of the finest wedding shows in Northern Ireland. A full team of wedding experts and exhibitors will be on hand to provide you with all the advice and tips you need to create your dream wedding. There is also an opportunity to see the latest in bridal fashion in the spectacular catwalk show! Begins at 1pm; fashion show from 3.30pm.

• The Two Bears, The Black Box, Belfast, January 16. After meeting in the DJ booths of London, Raphael ‘Raf Daddy’ Rundell and Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard bonded over a love of house music. The duo has since delivered a memorable blend of house, techno, ragga and more to almost every continent. Doors open at 9pm.

• The Golden Years of Country Music, The Alley Theatre, Strabane, Co. Tyrone, January 15. Created by award-winning country music star Jimmy Hendry, this is an amazing pure country show you won’t want to miss. It is a show dedicated to all the singers and songwriters who shared their music with the world defining an era in country music never to be surpassed. Show begins at 8pm.

• Snow White, The Courtyard Theatre, Ballyearl, Co. Antrim, January 14-16. Dove Drama Group present the classic fairytale pantomime Snow White. Come along with the family and meet the fairest Snow White of them all, her Wicked Step-Mother, the Handsome Prince and the Seven Dwarfs who are full of mischief and merriment. Show begins at 7.30pm with Saturday matinee starting at 2.15pm.

• 1 FT SQ Christmas Art Exhibition, The Clinton Centre, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, until January 23. More than 70 artists both national and international will showcase their diverse collection of artwork, no more than 1 foot square in size including painting, drawing, printmaking, collage, film and sculpture. Opens at 10am.

• Sense of the Past Exhibition, North Down Museum, Bangor, Co. Down, January 12 – February 14. A Sense of the Past is presented in a fascinating book and interactive, accessible exhibition. It gives untold insight into the experiences of local people with sight loss within education, employment, healthcare, sport and leisure, welfare and conflict. Opens at 10am.

• Scotch Town: Ulster-Scots Language and Literature in Belfast, Linen Hall Library, Belfast, January 11-30. This new exhibition highlights the Ulster-Scots language and its use in Belfast, and shows that, far from being a thing of the past, Ulster-Scots remains embedded in the speech of Belfast people to this day. Opens at 9.30am.

Please note some of the events require pre-booking. For more details on these and other events click on www.discovernorthernireland.com/events, visit your local tourist information centre or log onto www.facebook.com/discovernorthernireland. 

Music fans are in for a treat in the New Year as the Millennium Forum hosts Homegrown 2016 on Friday 15^th January.

Since 2013, the Homegrown gigs have gone from strength to strength, showcasing the best in local musical talent.   This year’s line-up includes Paul Casey & Band, Ports and Paddy Nash & The Happy Enchiladas.  Special guests are Eilidh Patterson, Eamon Friel and Prima String Quartet.

PORTS are a four piece band from Northern Ireland known for performing ‘emotionally literate rock’. They consist of Steven McCool (Bass and Vocals), Mark O’Doherty (Drums), Ryan Griffiths (Guitar) and Conor Mason (Piano). After the release of their first demo ‘I’d Let You Win’, The band received a flood of fantastic reviews including; ‘Flavour of the Month’ and ‘Ones to Watch’ from BBC Introducing which resulted in extensive airplay from BBC Radio 1, RTE and countless others. PORTS rose to prominence in Ireland after an exciting performance at ‘Other Voices’, Derry-Londonderry (when they stepped in to replace Two Door Cinema Club). After their memorable performance, they were asked to return to the Other Voices stage, this time in London’s own Wilton’s Music Hall, joined by Villagers; John Grant; SOAK and Imelda May.

No stranger to the Forum, Paul Casey’s music has also been on the rise with many of his songs used in major TV shows across the pond.

Eilidh Patterson is a singer/songwriter from Derry.  In recent years, she has performed in the States, the UK and in Europe, captivating audiences with her voice and songs.  Eilidh’s relaxed stage presence invites the listener to sit back and enjoy her unique take on life and love.  She has released two albums (When The Time Comes & This Is Now) and is currently writing towards new projects.

Paddy Nash & The Happy Enchiladas are a 7 piece Folk Rock Country Pop Punk Blues Band from Northern Ireland. They are notorious for their no holds barred rocking live shows full of original songs about life here, there and everywhere. Paddy is often hailed as ‘Ireland’s Springsteen’, a badge he wears with diffidence.  The band released their third album ‘Laughter & Love’ earlier this year to a rapture of praise from critics and fans alike.

Homegrown 2016 performs at the Millennium Forum on Friday 15th January.  Tickets are now available from the Box Office.  Telephone 71 264455 or visit www.millenniumforum.co.uk for bookings.

Don’t miss this celebration of local talent at its very best!

Down

Getting married in 2016? Don’t miss this Sunday’s Wedding Show at the Culloden Estate and Spa. Hastings Hotels are experts in weddings and host some of the finest wedding shows in Northern Ireland.  Meet the  full team of wedding experts and exhibitors  who will be on hand to provide you with the advice and tips you need to create your dream wedding.

Armagh

Following two sold-out shows last year Neil Delamere returns to The Market Place Theatre this Saturday 9^th January with a brand new show brimming with hilarious stories and incisive wit. 2015 saw the award-winning comedian continue his star turn on the perennially popular ‘The Blame Game’ for BBC NI on TV and radio. Neil also landed his own weekend national radio show for Today FM. Now, however, he’s back to his first love, telling tall tales and spinning side-splitting yarns about the events of the last year.  Recommended for age 18+.

Fermanagh

College survival is a one day cookery crash course at Orchard Acre Farm on 7^th January. This crash course will particularly suit undergraduates who have moved away from home and discovered they can’t survive on pot noodles and frozen pizza forever!

Tyrone

Stewartstown Dramatic Society presents The Wizard of Oz at the Burnavon Theatre Cookstown on Friday 8th January  at 8.00 pm.  Will Dorothy click her heels and discover there really is no place like home? Join us for this modern pantomime twist on the classic story with lots of fun for all the family.

Derry

David Hull Promotions presents – Ireland’s Showbands – ‘Do You Come Here Often’  at the Millennium Forum 7^th to 9^th January – the biggest and best celebration of the Showband era, now in its 19th season, featuring the original stars from the dance hall days.

Antrim

See  the Encore Screening of  The National Theatre London’s Jane Eyre at the Theatre at the Mill this Saturday 9th January. Almost 170 years on, Charlotte Brontë’s story of the trailblazing Jane is as inspiring as ever. This bold and dynamic production uncovers one woman’s fight for freedom and fulfilment on her own terms.

Belfast

See Flash Harry perform The Music of Queen at Crumlin Road Gaol, Belfast this Saturday 9^th January. Flash Harry brings a show that embraces the very essence of live music, talent, energy, enthusiasm, passion and pure showmanship. Audiences will see the band rocking out Queen’s greatest hits from Radio Gaga, We Are the Champions, to Bohemian Rhapsody and everything in between. Quite simply it’s live music entertainment at its best. For a night of good old fashioned rock Flash Harry is a show not to be missed!