On Saturday, May 14, the Ards & North Down Pipe Championships will be taking place in Castle Park, Bangor.

This ever popular event will see Pipe Bands & Drum Majors travel from all over Northern Ireland to compete to become champions.  The event is free and runs from Noon to 6pm.

The competition which is being run by RSPBANI in conjunction with Ards and North Down Borough Council has attracted a large entry of 47 bands with bands travelling from as far as Cork to participate. Former Grade 1 World Pipe Band Champions, the Field Marshal Montgomery and St Laurence O’Toole Pipe Bands take part in the grade 1 competition along with newly promoted Bleary and District. The Drum Major competition has attracted an entry of 40 whilst a new addition of a Highland Dancing Championships has attracted 50 Highland Dancers.

Speaking about the event, The Mayor of Ards and North Down Alderman Alan Graham said: “As Mayor of North Down I am delighted to welcome the Ards and North Down Pipe Band Championships to Bangor and am especially honoured to act as ‘Chieftain of the Day’ for this prestigious event.

The Championships are a firm favourite in the Council’s Events Programme and brings a great day of family entertainment to Bangor, to be enjoyed by competitors and supporters alike.”

RSPBANI Chairman Ray Hall said, “I am pleased to see a very large entry for the Championships which makes for a great start to the 2016 season. We have worked with North Down Council down the years to promote Pipe Band Championships and now we are working with the new Council and I would like to thank Ards and North Borough Council for continuing to support the event and look forward to working with them in years to come.”

The event kicks off at 12 noon and runs till 6pm so come along for an afternoon of pure entertainment for all the family!

~ Tourism Ireland ensures millions of ‘foodies’ will see fabulous footage of Northern Ireland ~

Tourism Ireland’s latest promotion to highlight Northern Ireland and our special Year of Food and Drink is bringing Jamie Oliver’s hugely popular Food Tube channel to film in Fermanagh.

Tourism Ireland has invited two video bloggers from the network to come and film here. The first video was created over the weekend – when chef and broadcaster John Quilter, aka Food Busker, hit the streets of Enniskillen to create a ‘brilliant bacon sandwich’. His video – which is due to go live at the end of May – will feature Pat O’Doherty’s famous Fermanagh Black Bacon and will showcase the beautiful Fermanagh Lakelands and scenic shots of Enniskillen.

Jamie Oliver’s Food Tube is one of YouTube’s most successful food channels, featuring Jamie and a number of his friends and up-and-coming cooking talent. With some 22 million monthly views, it’s a really popular community for food lovers – and a superb platform to showcase Northern Ireland and the wonderful culinary experience on offer here.

The Fermanagh film will be promoted on Food Tube’s social platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, using #EnjoyNI. Filming for the second video will take place this week, in Co Antrim. Tourism Ireland worked closely with Tourism NI to agree the locations to feature in both films.

David Boyce, Tourism Ireland’s Deputy Head of Great Britain, said: “We’re really excited to work with Jamie Oliver’s Food Tube to promote Northern Ireland’s Year of Food and Drink in GB. Our message here in GB is that Northern Ireland is a superb choice for ‘foodies’ for a holiday or long weekend break. We’re inviting them to come and discover our wonderful food and drink – and also hear the stories of the passionate people who rear, make, cook, distill and serve this superb produce.”

This promotion is just one element of Tourism Ireland’s busy programme of activity throughout 2016 to highlight Northern Ireland’s Year of Food and Drink. A specially created section on Tourism Ireland’s international website, Ireland.com, is also encouraging prospective visitors everywhere to come and “take a bite out of Northern Ireland”.

Over 30 artists, musicians, writers and performers are getting ready to showcase their talent at an exciting new event taking place in Larne Market Yard on Saturday 14^th May, 11am-4pm.

The Latharna Creative Collective is a new group which hopes to showcase the multiple talents that exists within the Larne area.

The new group of artists covered all art mediums (visual, applied, performance and literature) and they all hail from the Larne area including Carnlough, Glenarm, Islandmagee and Ballycarry.

Lauren Dawson, member of the collective, said

“Visitors on the day will be able to participate in art demonstrations and workshops, including Have A Go sessions and Meet the Makers. Live performances from local performing arts group Uplift and Larne Music Yard will keep everyone entertained, and art and craft stalls and children’s art activities will add to the atmosphere.”

Participating artists include Geraldine Connon, Jon Lashford, Miguel Neves, Laura Butler, Ann Caldwell, Audrey Kyle, Louis Humphrey, Rosalind Topping, Sasha McVey, Amanda McAfee, Trisha Campbell, Juliane Keane, Philip Malcolm, Helen Burgess, Rufyroohah, Larne Art Club and Larne Gramma School.

Writers involved in the event, include Ian Andrew, Angeline King, Thomas Jobling, Luan Ingram and Hilary Bailey.

There will be performances from The Music Yard, Matthew Malcolm and Lisa Dawson, Larne Drama Circle and Uplift Performing Arts.

Photographers Bernie McAllister and Vincent Taggart will also be exhibiting.

The event is free and will run from 11am-4pm. The event has been kindly supported by Mid and East Antrim Borough.

For more information check out www.facebook.com/latharnacreativecollective.

Lovers of craft are in for a treat this Summer!

Craftswirl at Armagh Visitor Information Centre is hosting a ‘Crafts Super Six’ series, where each month they will showcase the work of one of the finest crafters Northern Ireland has to offer.  Each month a different medium will be highlighted including ceramics, garden sculpture, willow weaving and wood turning.

The series has opened with Irish Casks.  Based in the Glens of Antrim, Irish Casks produce a range of unique, quirky furniture and everyday products from authentic Bushmills Whiskey Barrels! You will be amazed at what this unique designer can do with an old barrel – this has to be the ultimate and best example of upcycling to be found.

Make a date and call in each month to see this wonderful work for yourself.  Craftswirl is open Monday – Saturday 9:00am – 5:30pm and Sunday 1:00 – 5:30pm.

For information please contact: Craftswirl, Armagh Visitor Information Centre, 40

English Street, Armagh  BT61 7BA  Tel 028 3752 1800

Tourism NI has put together a list of 10 exciting things to do in Northern Ireland next week (May 9-15).

• International North West 200, various locations, Co. Antrim & Co. Londonderry, May 10-14. Every May, the beautiful Causeway Coast plays host to one of the most spectacular events in motorcycle racing. The International North West 200 attracts the finest line-up of road racers of any race on the planet, drawing thousands of visitors to the superfast 8.9 mile circuit that links the towns of Portrush, Portstewart and Coleraine. Hitting top speeds of over 200mph, racers like Michael Dunlop and John McGuinness thrill 85,000 fans during the week-long event of speed on roads that locals normally use to make their way to work. The North West 200 is a must see event for everyone, petrol heads and new recruits alike!

• Balmoral Show 2016, Balmoral Park, Lisburn, Co. Antrim, May 11-13. Visitors old and new will be welcomed to Balmoral Park for food, farming, family and fun at the 148^th Balmoral Show. In these packed few days there will be competitions featuring top international show jumpers, a wide variety of the best livestock on show and over 500 trade stands. In keeping with the NI Year of Food and Drink, show goers will be able to see the food they have on their plate growing in the ground, bridging the gap between farm and fork where over 60 local food and drink companies will celebrate the best of local produce in the NI Food pavillion.

• · Creative Hat Couture, Market Place Theatre, Armagh, Co. Armagh, May 14. Creative hat Couture allows participants to make their very own headpiece within a day! Whatever your level of expertise, you will enjoy working with an array of fabulous millinery materials and be sure to leave the course with a glamourous and bespoke head piece. If you have a wedding or special occasion to attend in the coming months, it is recommended that you bring along your outfit and any particular material or accessories you might like to work with. Entrance fee £30/£25 (materials included). Begins at 10am.

• Enniskillen Big Bat Walk, Lakeland Forum, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, May 13. Have you ever wondered what a bat sounds like? Or wanted to learn more about what these nocturnal creatures are doing whilst you are asleep? Join Fermanagh and Omagh District Council to celebrate International Biodiversity Day and find out more. Places are limited and on a first come first served basis. All children must be accompanied by an adult and please bring a torch. Begins at 8.15pm.

• Thiel College Choir Concert, Belfast Cathedral, Belfast, May 11. Enjoy a free concert given by the Thiel College Choir, Greenville, Pennsylvania, USA on a first time visit to Belfast. Through the years the Thiel Choir has performed all over the United States and has embarked on nine European tours. The programme will include choral classics, spiritual and traditional folk songs from both sides of the Atlantic. Show begins at 12pm.

• The Curious Adventures of Pinocchio, Alley Theatre, Strabane, Co. Tyrone, May 12. Pinocchio leaps off the page and onto the stage in this unique retelling of the epic tale. Patrick Lynch from CBeebies pulls the strings and brings you the true story of Pinocchio and his adventures on his quest to find his father and become a real boy. Come and join him on this incredible journey. Show begins at 10am. Suitable for ages 4+.

• Taste of Florence Court, Florence Court, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, May 14. Spend a day at Florence Court learning about cooking and growing your own produce. Join the gardener in the Walled Garden to hear tips on how to grow your own fruit and vegetables, and afterwards join chef John Roche as he cooks up some fresh produce from the soil for you to taste. From 12-4pm.

• North Down & Ards Pipe Band Championships, Castle Park, Bangor, Co. Down, May 14. The North Down & Ards Pipe Band Championships will return to Castle Park in Bangor which is sure to be a spectacular backdrop for this year’s event. With over 40 bands and 50 Drum Majors competing, the event promises to be a fantastic day out for all the family. From 12-5pm.

• Wicked Weddings, the Alternative Wedding Fayre, Derry, Co. Londonderry, May 14-15. Not your standard wedding fayre, this alternative wedding show is here to help turn those quirkiest of dreams into a reality all under one roof, with leading Irish, British & international wedding suppliers, designers, venues & much more.

• Film and Comic Con, Titanic Exhibition Centre, Titanic Quarter, Belfast, May 14-15. Celebrating all things film, TV and fantasy, Film & Comic Con is a must for fans of popular culture and a chance to see and meet some amazing guests, with numerous exhibitors and much more.

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. 

Down

The Eta Aquarids meteor tends to peak around May 6. The shower is named after the brightest star of the constellation, Eta Aquarii. Enjoy this amazing sight on Friday evening with Clearsky Adventure over Strangford Lough, take in beautiful surroundings while paddling on the water with this stunning backdrop. A truly unique experience! Learn kayaking skills and have fun under the watchful eye of expert instructors. Weather dependant.  Suitable for 18 years plus.

Armagh

Puckoon is back by popular demand at the Market Place Theatre Armagh this Thursday!  The show’s sell-out 2009 and remounted 2011 tour had audiences all across Ireland screaming with laughter at its Goonish blend of theatrical anarchy, musical wit, and impossible plot. Based on the book by Spike Milligan, this comic masterpiece is an irreverent and hilarious story which takes the mick, celebrates the absurd, and paints a picture of a simple life that borders on the ridiculous.

Fermanagh

The Enniskillen Comic Fest will take place in the McArthur Hall in Darling Street on Friday 6th and Saturday 7th May, with a wide range of events taking place to celebrate comic art, culture and promote sequential art and storytelling.  The Festival includes a variety of workshops, talks, mentoring sessions and portfolio reviews over the two days with Friday 6th seeing the schools programme being run, while Saturday 7th is a full open day for the public. Celebrating the iconic British Comic 2000AD there will be top creators from the UK and Ireland who have been a part of “The Galaxy’s Greatest Comic” as well as all aspects of the comics industry

Tyrone

After performing at the City of Derry Jazz & Big Band festival and the Jazz Festival in Dunfanaghy, Limavady Big Band group are making their way to the Alley Theatre this Saturday. 25 musicians including a female vocalist will bring you music from the 1930’s & 40’s such as Glenn Miller, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Etta James right up to big band arrangements of Van Morrison, Amy Winehouse, Caro Emerald & many more.  This will be a great night of music & craic.

Derry/Londonderry

Charity motorcycle ride out in aid of Sands, Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Charity, Sunday 8th May. Leaving Maghera Medical Centre car park at 1.30pm sharp with refreshments and a raffle on your return. So dust of your leathers and enjoy a scenic ride out for a good cause!

Antrim

Fortwilliam Musical Society Youth are delighted to be making a return to Theatre at The Mill with their production of Cats this Saturday 7^th May.  Based on T S Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, the show is set in a junkyard playground alive with feline characters. The Jellicle Cats come out to play on the night of the Jellicle Ball, telling their stories for the amusement of Old Deuteronomy, their wise leader.  Cat is a brilliant song and dance spectacular not to be missed! Show Times: 2.30pm & 7.30pm

Belfast

The Frock Around The Clock Vintage & Handmade Wedding Fair will be returning on Sunday 8th May 2016 from 12-5pm to the beautiful location of Belfast Castle. Featuring around 50 inspirational wedding suppliers and designers including vintage, handmade, unique and bespoke services and products, this is the perfect place for creative couples to find the perfect people to help make their wedding day dreams become a reality.
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.

Have you ever tried to build a cobb oven? Ever cooked with a Fulacht Fiadh? Tried wicker weaving or wattle & daub?  Made pottery or helped build a boat?  We suspect not, but this is your opportunity to try these new skills and see first-hand how life was for a Celtic family.

On Monday 30^th May from 11.00am – 5.00pm the Navan Centre & Fort, Armagh are offering you the chance to become a Celtic Apprentice for the day!

This promises to be a great family day out as our Celtic characters show how they live from day to day and train you on how to be a Celt.  They will be making a cobb oven and need you to get your hands dirty to help them out.  How creative can you be with your wicker weaving? The Celts used this to make fences around their homes, garlands etc. and now is your opportunity to try this new skill.

Make some pottery and paint a shield to get ready to go to battle.  See how the Celts cook and even try using a bread oven, fire pit and fulacht fiadh.

No booking is required, just drop in and enjoy all the fun!  Normal admission charges apply.

For information please contact: Navan Centre & Fort, 81 Killylea Road, Armagh.  BT60 4LD.  Tel 028 3752 9644 or www.navan.com

An exhilarating week of drama is programmed for Theatre at the Mill from Monday 16^th May to Saturday 21^st May nightly at 7.45pm

Following a series of highly competitive festivals which took place throughout Northern Ireland in March, the top six award winning productions from North and South of Ireland have gained the honour of appearing in the 64th Ulster Drama Festival at Theatre at The Mill, Monday 16 – Saturday 21 May sponsored by Arts Council of N.I. and Enkalon Foundation.

The programme offers the amazing opportunity for audiences to see a spectacular range of plays by well-known and highly acclaimed authors from USA, England and Ireland – performed by companies from Dundalk, Ballyshannon, Wexford, Ennis, Dublin and Belfast

Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Thomas Hogg commented “ I am delighted to welcome the Ulster Drama Festival back to Theatre at The Mill where audiences will be entertained each evening by the crème de la crème of amateur theatre groups.”

Tickets for the festival are priced at £12 & £10 (Concession) Week Festival Ticket £60 or £50 (Concession) available from Box Office: 028 9034 0202 or www.theatreatthemill.com

PROGRAMME

MONDAY 16 MAY

GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS David Mamet’s dark comedy is nonetheless a ruthless play about small-time, cut-throat Real Estate Agents. Behind the suave exteriors are lies, blackmail, scheming and desperation – all in a day’s work! This is Mamet’s writing at its best, an abrasive attack on American business and a withering depiction of the men whose lives and values are twisted in order to survive.  “….a chillingly funny endictment of a world in which you are what you sell.” Guardian

TUESDAY 17 MAY

OLD TIMES by Harold Pinter.  Deeley and his wife Kate are visited by Anna, a mysterious friend of Kate’s from long ago. What begins as a trip down memory lane quickly becomes something much more as long-simmering feelings of fear and jealousy begin to fuel the trio’s passions, sparking a seductive battle for power. “Old Times is a joyous, wonderful play that people will talk about as long as we have theatre” New York Times

WEDNESDAY 18 MAY

LOST IN YONKERS by Neil Simon. Set in 1942 over a candy store in Yonkers, New York, teenage boys Jay and Arty find their lives turned upside down when their father, Eddie, moves away for work, leaving them in care of their strong-willed and stern grandmother and their loving and childlike Aunt Bella. The boys are left to contend with Grandma, with Bella and her secret romance and with Louie her brother, a small-time hood, his wife Gert who has her own afflictions and this strange new world called Yonkers!  “One of Simon’s most impressive and funniest plays” New York Daily News

THURSDAY 19 MAY

THE LOVES OF CASS McGUIRE by Brian Freil. After fifty two years of romping as a saloon waitress in America, Cass goes home to Ireland. But the brother and his family, to whom she turns, really have no need for her, and ship her off to a rest haven for old dreamers. Nothing is as Cass envisioned it. She begins living off past memories like others in the rest home. This bawdy, vital and compassionate play deals with her genteel family’s rejection of her and her lonely struggle to re-discover the home she’s dreamt of all her life and her eventual surrender to the make- believe of Eden House.

FRIDAY 20 MAY

ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS BY Richard Bean Francis Henshall becomes minder to Roscoe Crabbe, a small-time east end hood, now in Brighton to collect £6000 from his fiancés dad. However, Roscoe is really his sister Rachel posing as her own dead brother, who’s been killed by her boyfriend Stanley Stubbers. Holed up at the Cricketer’s Arms, the permanently ravenous Francis spots the chance of an extra meal ticket and takes a second job with Stanley Stubbers who is hiding from the police and waiting to be reunited with Rachel. To prevent discovery, Francis must keep his two guvnors apart. Simple… or is it?  “This is the most hilarious comic evening in the theatre since Noises Off. The Stage

SATURDAY 21 MAY

KINDERTRANSPORT by Diane Samuels. Between 1938 and the outbreak of war, almost 10,000 children, most of them Jewish, were sent by their parents from Germany to Britain.  Nine year old Eva ends up in Manchester. When Eva’s parents fail to escape Germany, the child changes her name and begins the process of denial of her roots. It is only when her own daughter discovers some old letters in the attic that Eva is forced to confront the truth about her past. Samuels has written the best play about the pain and passion of mother/daughter relationships. Guardian

There’s something for everybody at this year’s Sea Bangor Festival; whether you’re into cooking, art, good food, live music or you fancy sailing the high seas, we’ve got it covered with lots happening in the tented village on Quay Street, Bangor on June 4 & 5.

Hosted by Ards and North Down Borough Council, the much-loved maritime festival is always a hit with young and old alike.

The event will heat up this year, when the festival will hold it’s very first “Big Green Egg BBQ Comp” where contestants will pitch their talents against each other on top of the range Egg Barbeques kindly provided by The Stove Yard. The competition will be fierce and entertainment value high! Members of the public are invited to take part in the competition to showcase the best local food from the best local BBQ chefs. Contestants can prepare their best chicken dish, pork dish or beef dish which can be as wide ranging and diverse as pork ribs, chicken wings, beef burgers, chicken tikka skewers, pork chops or steak. The aim of the game is to have fun, cook some amazing food and win great prizes!

If you fancy showcasing your BBQ talents live at Sea Bangor and being crowned Bangor’s BBQ Champ, please get in touch. The top prize is a stylish Big Green Egg Barbeque. Closing date for entries is May 29. For further information and to obtain an application form, please go to www.thestoveyard.com

In keeping with the carnivorous theme, look out for “Bangor’s Best Banger” competition and sausage making challenges, just a taste of the action-packed Sea Bangor Kitchen programme which will feature local chefs, butchers and catering students showcasing their skills and competing in cookery challenges over both days of the festival.

The festival will play its part in Northern Ireland’s Year of Food and Drink with celebrity chef Paula McIntyre who will hold dairy-based cookery demonstrations to mark June the “Month of Dairy.” For more information on a series of Year of Food and Drink events in Ards and North Down see www.visitardsandnorthdown.com/food.

Speaking about the event, Paul Mercer from SERC said: “The students and staff of South Eastern Regional College are excited to be involved with the ‘Bangor BBQ.’ It’s a great opportunity for students to participate in project based learning and local residents to showcase their cooking talents and learn from the range of local guest chefs and butchers.”

Gastronomic and culinary treats galore are in store for visitors to the event with local restaurants and food producers selling their wares in the Sea Bangor Cafe each day. Run by SERC, this year’s food tent will feature local food providers serving locally produced, mouth-watering food.

Over in the kid’s tent “Tiddlers,” Cahoots NI will be performing a special illusion show “The Great Carmo” and The Dockside Emporium promises to be a world of entertainment and wonder with demonstrations and crafts from lots of local artists.  With maritime-themed street theatre, a tall ship, a fantastic live music programme, an aerial demonstration by the Twister Aerobatic Team, Jet Lev demonstrations and so much more, Sea Bangor is definitely not to be missed!

Sea Bangor will be open from 10am to 6pm on Saturday 4 June and 12 noon to 6pm on Sunday 5.

So whatever floats your boat, come along to Sea Bangor for a great family day out! This is a FREE event.

For further information see www.visitardsandnorthdown.com

A capacity crowd filled the hall at the ancient site of Navan Fort in Armagh for the launch of the 2016 Armagh County Show which will be held on Saturday 11^th June in the beautiful surroundings of Gosford Forest Park at Markethill.

The Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council, Darryn Causby, welcomed the Show Committee and their guests and wished the organisers continued success with this flagship event in the Armagh area.  Chairman, Stephen Hamilton, extended a warm welcome to all attending with a special mention for the members of other Show Committees and for the special guests Barclay Bell President of the Farmers Union, and Ivor Ferguson Deputy President UFU.  The Chairman concluded his remarks with special thanks to all the sponsors, both present and absent, who generously contribute to the continued success of the event.

General Secretary, Mrs Flo McCall, then gave a brief outline of some of the prestigious championships being held at this year’s Show including, the NI Irish Beltex Sheep Breeders Club National Show 2016, The Ulster Dorset Sheep Championships, and the inclusion of new classes in both dairy, beef and sheep sections.  In addition, the status and scope of the equestrian section continues to grow with the allocation of 12 Irish Shows Association qualifiers for All-Ireland Championships and important qualifiers for the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show in July, namely: The Breeders’ Championship, The Ladies’ and Intermediate Side-Saddle Championship and the Invitational Qualifier for the winner of the Open Race to Riding Horse Class.  The long-established and mutually beneficial association with Tydavnet Show will also continue with the running of joint equine competitions for brood mares, first-ridden ponies and working hunters.

New attractions to our show this year include: Radio Ulster with Anne Marie McAleese broadcasting from 8am. The Mothers Union have volunteered their services as part of their charity outreach programme facilitating our new ‘mums’ marquee for feeding and changing babies. After the success of the last year Adult ‘Cook off’ we are moving forward with a “Schools Cookery competition” again highlighting the talent of young people in local schools, all within a bigger and more spacious Food Village Area. The Young Farmers Clubs will be in the forefront with demonstrations and competitions of Sheep Shearing in the main arena with Ritchie Remo entertaining the crowd.  The Dog Show will be under new management in 2016, with our local deputy dog warden Sarah and Emma McCall taking control and we wish them well with the task.  Our fashion show is a popular attraction and this is something we plan to build on this year with Lila’s providing the style.  Best dressed Lady and Gent now also a firm favourite. And finally a beautiful hand painted map has been produced to complement our show and guide our visitors around the stunning Gosford Park, finally look out Gosford Park may well be morphing into Jurassic Park on the 11^th June as we welcome a dinosaur to stroll through the park and entertain young and old.

After the success of our Park and Ride facility we are building capacity with extra tractors and trailers to transport the crowds into the forest, an adventure ride enjoyed by young and old. Park and Ride fields lie on the outskirts of the forest park. Stewards are available to direct you throughout the process.  Gates open for our show at 9.00am.  Everyone is very welcome on Saturday 11^th June at Gosford Forest Park.

Further details about this year’s Armagh County Show can be obtained from the Secretary at: 028 3752 2333 or email: info@armaghshow.com.  Details can also be viewed on the website at: www.armaghshow.com and you can follow us on facebook and twitter.