Author: whatsonni

Ferry company embarks on major investment in its Irish Sea fleet

As the trend for multi-generational travel continues to grow, Stena Line has unveiled luxurious refurbishments to lounges onboard its Belfast to Cairnryan service, as well as a new state-of-the-art Family Hub.

The refurbishment, boasting the work of some of Scandinavia’s finest designers, means families can travel in greater comfort than ever before with onboard facilities to keep young and not-so-young entertained.

The upgrade of Stena Superfast is part of the Swedish-owned ferry company’s multi-million-pound investment in its Irish Sea operations.

Orla Noonan, Travel Commercial Manager, said: “We have been listening closely to feedback from our customers and have shaped these improvements with every type of passenger in mind. Whether travelling as a multi-generational family, with young children, or as adults seeking their own space, we’ve carefully considered how to make each journey more enjoyable.

“We care deeply about making the journey a great experience for everyone and these changes help us deliver that.

“We hope that our passengers enjoy the upgrades and that the new spaces make their journey even more comfortable, engaging and memorable for the whole family.”

An abstract map of Belfast and Scotland now features prominently across wall artwork and glass in the Stena Plus Lounge.

Designed by Gothenburg-born artist, researcher and designer, Hannes Arvid Andersson, the piece presents an interpretation of nautical maps charting the journey between Belfast and Cairnryan.

The newly refreshed Stena Plus lounge puts a strong emphasis on style, comfort and relaxation.

While maintaining the same high-quality facilities, the space has been completely reimagined with a blend of fabrics, textures, imagery and art inspired by Scandinavian design principles.

Designed by Vertti & Co, who specialise in experiential interiors for travel environments, the spacious lounge offers a variety of seating options, including the ever-popular chaise lounges, providing passengers with a calm and comfortable environment.

The Family Hub has been thoughtfully designed with parents, grandparents and children all in mind. At its heart is an interactive floor, with Xbox consoles, interactive screens, games and a movie lounge to keep everyone entertained.

The Superfast Suites have also been given a fresh new look, offering an enhanced private space for passengers. Each suite features a comfortable double bed, coffee table, 50-inch TV and en-suite facilities, creating a relaxing environment for the journey.

The Superfast refurbishment is part of a substantial investment of approximately £14 million by Stena Line in the ongoing refit and upgrades of its Irish Sea fleet.

To book your next trip with Stena Line visit www.stenaline.co.uk.

Belfast City Council and Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann have marked 100 days until Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann by unveiling seven new headline acts set to perform at the world’s biggest celebration of Irish music and culture.

As Belfast prepares to host the All-Ireland Fleadh for the first time from Sunday 2 to Sunday 9 August, the newly announced line-up reflects the event’s core traditional music programming, as well as the city’s contemporary creative energy.

Already revealed for the opening event on Sunday 2 August are the legendary Sharon Shannon and her Big Band, award-winning group Goitse and former All-Ireland winners, Blackwater Céilí Band. The seven new acts announced will also perform on the iconic Gig Rig stage which will be located outside Belfast City Hall.

On Wednesday (5 August), audiences can look forward to performances from two dynamic quartet groups, Tempest Ceol and NxNW. The following evening, Thursday (6 August), acclaimed uilleann piper Conor Mallon will take to the stage, captivating crowds with his extraordinary skill alongside band members.

The weekend will be ushered in on Friday (7 August) with Glasgow ensemble TRIP, before Saturday evening (8 August) kicks off with rising talents Peter Street and the electrifying Mec Lir.

The main stage will also host free live performances across all eight days of the event. Following a callout earlier this year, visitors can expect to enjoy a diverse mix of multi-cultural performances and cross-community collaborations throughout the week.

To mark the 100-day milestone, it was also announced today that the opening celebration will include over 100 children from primary and secondary schools across North Down and Belfast as part of a school choir project.

There will also be a special collaborative performance from host branch Ards CCÉ, South Asian Dance Academy and Belfast Bands Forum, as well as an array of champion Irish dancers, led by Riverdance lead, Lauren Smyth.

In celebration of the 75^th anniversary of Comhaltas and the 50^th anniversary of Ards CCÉ, Fleadh 2026 will also see the return of a series of long-standing flagship events which celebrate excellence, creativity, participation and inclusion across the traditional arts. This will include a special anniversary concert by Ards CCÉ in the Ulster Hall, a famous live music venue in Belfast with an equally impressive musical legacy.

‘Ceol na Cruinne’, the Comhaltas International Showcase Concert celebrating global connections and exceptional talent from Comhaltas branches worldwide will also take place in the Ulster Hall, alongside a performance from the Comhaltas National Folk Orchestra, a 60-member ensemble of exceptional young musicians, singers, and dancers from across Ireland.

The Flanagan Award, taking place in the impressive Assembly Buildings, will pay tribute to the great banjo players across the traditional Irish music world, whose artistic talents, intellectual gifts, and creative passions represent the very best of Michael Flanagan’s music and spirit.

Comhaltas have announced that this year’s recipient will be Cathal Hayden. Cathal, who hails from County Tyrone, is an accomplished banjo and fiddle player with a distinguished career in traditional Irish music.

Events will also be held inside Belfast City Hall, including the Gradam Inclusion Awards, an uplifting event which celebrates traditional Irish musicians with additional needs, helping to ensure the Fleadh is a place where everyone can share their love of music.

The festival will come to a close on Sunday 9 August with an impressive closing set from the 2026 winners of the prestigious Senior Céilí Band competition – a famous highlight which will bring the eight-day celebration to a powerful finale. 

More details on closing events and wider plans for the eight-day extravaganza will be shared in May, including details of a fringe programme that will help create a ‘Culture Night’ style feel to the festival.

Taking in both the city centre and local neighbourhoods, the fringe activity will help to showcase Belfast’s diversity and musical heritage and encourage visitors of all ages to take part, through instrument making workshops, talks and family activities.

 Volunteering opportunities are also still open, with Volunteer Now reaching a milestone 1,500 registrations this week.

This interest reflects the scale of local enthusiasm for the event, with volunteers set to play a vital role in welcoming visitors from around the world and helping deliver a memorable Fleadh experience across the city for everyone.

Tickets for the Comhaltas events will go on sale from Friday 1 May from fleadhcheoil.ie, with further details on the wider programme to be shared later in May.

Antrim

Grave Stories: folklore and funerals, cemeteries and symbolism – A talk by Dr David Hume. Larne Museum.

Find out more HERE

Armagh

Get inspired by the adorable puffins of Puffin Rock as you design and make two colourful fused glass puffin sun catchers to brighten up your room or garden! Market Place Theatre.

Find out more HERE

Belfast

Step into the mind of the visionary eighteen-year-old Mary Shelley as she conceives a tale that will resonate for centuries. See Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein at the Lyric Theatre Belfast.

Find out more HERE

Down

Fermanagh

Children and teens from across Belfast are invited to enjoy a packed day of free activities and try-it events at City Hall on Saturday 9 May, 1pm-5pm, as the Lord Mayor’s term in office draws to a close.

First Citizen Councillor Tracy Kelly is inviting young people to come along and try their hand at arts, crafts, music, sports, theatre and more. 

Children big and small can give sports a go as part of the city’s European City of Sport celebrations, with the chance to try boxing, fencing and table tennis.

Sports clubs Full Circle Martial Arts and Sandy Row Falcons will be showing off their kickboxing and cheerleading moves, while Fitness Freddy will host his high-energy sessions for kids and parents to join in with.

The Belfast Health Development Unit will run Take 5 Steps to Wellbeing workshops, highlighting the value of self-care, nutrition and good mental and physical health. Kids can hop on GLL’s smoothie bikes to make their own healthy treats, while Explore Wellbeing Kids will host relaxed family-friendly mindfulness sessions with fun games and calm music.

Tre-Eco – one of Lord Mayor’s chosen charities this year – will create a space for crafts and mindful colouring where visitors can let go of their worries, together with sunflower planting for green-fingered youngsters.

City Hall’s lawns will also host circus skills workshops, sensory play and creative activities made from recycled materials, while the Great Hall will have a ‘Good Vibes Only’ disco rave and a silent disco for music fans.

Children with additional needs can create their own theatre performance with Open Arts’ Take Away Theatre (pre-booking needed – email info@openartsni.org).

Visitors can also make crafts from around the world with ArtsEkta and step into the creative world of VR gaming, animation and DJing with Wheelworks Arts.

Stuart Robinson from Cool FM will also be on hand with music, interactive fun and prize giveaways and Little Heroes and NI Alternatives – two more of Lord Mayor’s charities – will highlight their work in the city.

There might even be some surprise characters to spot around City Hall grounds too!

Councillor Kelly said: “I’ve been meeting with young people throughout my term to make sure they feel engaged in our city, understand what it can offer them and hear their feedback on what works, and what matters, to them.

“I’m following that through with my Lord Mayor’s Day event, a really colourful and fun day which everyone can come along and enjoy.

“There’s a real focus on sports, creativity and music – all areas where our children and young people can excel, develop skills, build friendships and improve their resilience and wellbeing.

“I’m really looking forward to a jam-packed day and to celebrating our city’s amazing young people, with a great day out.”

Stuart Robinson, Content Director with Bauer Media Audio NI, said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be broadcasting live and taking part in the Lord Mayor’s Day celebrations at City Hall.

“It’s a fantastic occasion that really brings the whole city together, and it’s a privilege to be part of such a vibrant and proud community event.”

Entry to Lord Mayor’s Day is free, with more information available at belfastcity.gov.uk/lordmayorsday

Ards and North Down Borough Council is delighted to announce the launch of its Guided Walks and Tours 2026/27 programme, running from May 2026 through January 2027. This year’s schedule brings together 14 immersive, story-rich tours, offering residents and visitors the chance to step behind the scenes of historic estates, uncover hidden heritage, and experience the region in new and inspiring ways.

Part of the wider Experience Ards and North Down offering, the Guided Walks and Tours programme celebrates local culture, landscape, traditions, and personalities—all brought to life by expert local guides and storytellers. and passionate local hosts.

Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Gillian McCollum said:
“We are incredibly proud to showcase the very best of our borough through this year’s Guided Walks and Tours programme. Each tour shines a light on the rich stories, stunning landscapes, and warm hospitality that define Ards and North Down. Whether you live here or are visiting for the first time, these experiences offer a truly special way to connect with the heritage and spirit of our region.”

The 2026/27 Guided Walks and Tours offer something for everyone—from lovers of local history and horticulture to those drawn to folklore, coastal tales, live music and seasonal events, including:

New for 2026

• Stories and Songs of the Sea – Bangor (23 May)
  A unique heritage through music walking tour through Bangor’s historic coastal spaces.
• Gifted Hearts of Bangor – Bangor (6 June)
  A colourful journey into the stories, secrets and scandals that shaped Bangor’s character.

Much-loved highlights

• Gardener’s Delight – Ballywalter Park (23 May)
  Join Food Historian Lady Dunleath for an intimate tour of the estate’s private walled garden, followed by homemade cake and a Q&A.
• Jenny Watts Boat Trip – Bangor (23 & 24 May)
  Explore Bangor Bay by boat with Brian Meharg and hear the story of legendary smuggler Jenny Watt.
• Trad and Tide – Bangor Bay & Strangford Lough (21 June)
  Enjoy folklore, live traditional music, wildlife and sea air aboard locally operated vessels. Step aboard and discover rich folklore, vibrant traditional music, incredible wildlife and refreshing sea breezes on our unforgettable boat trips.
• Greyabbey Estate Garden Tour – Greyabbey (26 July)
  A rare opportunity to visit this private estate guided by owners William and Daphne Montgomery.
• Paws for Gin – Donaghadee (23 August)
  A dog friendly coastal tour including a locally crafted Copeland Gin cocktail and pup goody bag.

Find out more and book your tickets now, visitardsandnorthdown.com/experienceAND (Online booking fees apply).

Ards Arts Centre is pleased to announce the opening of two new exhibitions: There and Back, a solo exhibition by Lisa Ballard and REFRAMING & CONNECTING, a group exhibition by Brain Injury Matters NI and Rachel Fitzpatrick. Both exhibitions will run from Thursday 30 April to Saturday 23 May.

There and Back by Donaghadee based visual artist Lisa Ballard, is an exploration into the processes used in her landscape painting, processes that serve to represent the blurred memories we have of places and allows the creation of a new imagined landscape. These landscape paintings will look beyond the physical to draw on emotional experience and memory of place, pushing towards abstraction.

Travelling has been vital in Lisa’s personal exploration of painting as a medium. This exhibition will feature a selection of new work inspired by past locations she has visited, both near and far.

Led by artist, researcher and designer Rachel Fitzpatrick, REFRAMING & CONNECTING features a new site‑specific installation co‑created with Brain Injury Matters NI. Drawing on Fitzpatrick’s practice at the intersection of creative health, craft and museums, and her lived experience of acquired brain injury, the work builds on past collaborations exhibited at Roe Valley Arts Centre in Limavady, Trinity College Dublin and Penn State University, USA.

Audiences can expect an immersive installation made from intricate paper crafts, exploring journeys of rehabilitation, reconnection and identity, and revealing often‑unseen narratives of life after acquired brain injury through collaborative making and storytelling.

An opening reception will take place on Thursday 30 April from 7–9pm, where visitors can enjoy a complimentary drink, meet the artists, and explore the work.

For more information on the exhibitions, visit; www.andculture.org.uk