Author: whatsonni

Oliver Jeffers book signing, art and Minecraft workshops, samba band performances and a two-day showcase of artists and composers in Bangor’s The Court House will mark the closing weekend.

Our Place in Space, a recreation of our solar system as an 11.8 km sculpture trail designed by artist Oliver Jeffers, astrophysicist Professor Stephen Smartt and a creative team led by Nerve Centre, will conclude its year-long UK tour this weekend (25–26 March) with an epic programme of free events.

Central to the celebrations is a two-day showcase of Constellations of Noise, a programme of artistic intervention delivered across Northern Ireland by Dumbworld as part of the Our Place in Space project.

Constellations of Noise saw eight musicians, including Rory Friers, Áine Mallon, Dee Isaacs, Steve Davis, Rose Connolly, Úna Monaghan, Aidan O’Rourke and Jamie Thompson, work with a diverse range of communities to create a cosmos-crossing set of sound and visual experiences. Traditional music, opera, free-form improvisation, film, song, extraterrestrial radio, poetry and theatre have collided for this unique spectacle.

For one weekend only, the artists’ work will go on display at The Court House in Bangor, featuring alien language radio stations, immersive sculpture and audio installations, film screenings, interactive operetta, and live music. The venue will be open from 11am–6.30pm on Saturday 25 March and from 11am–5pm on Sunday 26 March for the public to visit.

A free evening of live music featuring Rois, Steve Davis and Shane Latimer, and Aidian O’Rourke and Brìghde Chaimbeul will also take place at The Court House on Saturday 25 March.

Elsewhere, Oliver Jeffers will take part in a free book signing event at the Ulster Transport Museum on Saturday 25 March from 1pm where fans can meet the author and get their favourite book signed. Copies of Meanwhile Back on Earth, the intergalactic new book from Oliver Jeffers and inspired by Our Place in Space, will be available to purchase on the day.

Bangor will also play host to a programme of workshops during the closing weekend including Minecraft adventures with Nerve Centre’s Creative Learning Centres, Messy Mornings with Boom Studios, postcard creation with Seacourt Print Workshop and samba performances with Beat n’ Drum.

For more information and to secure free tickets for any of these events visit: https://ourplaceinspace.earth/whats-on

The weekend is also the final opportunity to visit the complete Our Place in Space sculpture trail which has already been experienced by more than 1 million people across the UK. Free to visit and beginning in the grounds of the Ulster Transport Museum at Cultra, the trail weaves its way onto the North Down Coastal Path and ends at Pluto in Bangor.

Stretching over 11. km, the installation features scale models of the Sun and planets, recreated as contemporary art sculptures. Colourful arches house each planet with an arrow and the name of the planet lit up in Las Vegas style lights. At a scale of 591 million to one, the Sun is 2.35 metres across, Earth is 2.2 centimetres and Pluto just 4 millimetres.

Our Place in Space invites participants to consider how we might better share and protect our planet in future and what is the difference between ‘us’ and ‘them’? The project aims to bring our solar system down to Earth and send us soaring into the stars to find new perspectives and reconsider what it means to live life on our planet.

The trail is accompanied by the free Our Place in Space augmented reality app, available on Apple and Android, which allows users across the world to take a journey through the solar system, experiencing the planets in augmented reality and considering 10,000 years of human history on Earth. On the trail, users are invited to collect space souvenirs, including characters from the world of Oliver Jeffers, as well as launch a personalised star into space.

After 26 March, the first half of the sculpture trail will remain a permanent fixture at the Ulster Transport Museum where visitors will still be able to journey from the Sun to Mars. The Our Place in Space app can be used by visitors to complete the journey along the coastal path using augmented reality to view the outer planets as they journey through space.

David Lewis, Executive Producer at Nerve Centre, said: “The public response to Our Place in Space during the last 12 months has been extraordinary — from those visiting the trail and gaining a sense of perspective to an epic events programme featuring leading voices in STEAM and digital and creative workshops for tens of thousands of young people across the UK. We’re excited to mark the final weekend with the opportunity to experience the work of artists from the Constellations of Noise music programme and to cap off a truly cosmic year of activity.”

Our Place in Space is commissioned by Belfast City Council. Led by Nerve Centre, the project is a collaboration between Astrophysics Research Centre at Queen’s University Belfast, National Museums NI, NI Science Festival, Big Motive, Taunt, Microsoft, Jeffers & Sons, Dumbworld, Live Music Now and Little Inventors.

Our Place in Space was originally conceived through a research and development project and presented as part of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK, co-commissioned by Belfast City Council. UNBOXED was designed to celebrate creativity and innovation, with funding from the Northern Ireland Executive, UK Government, Scottish Government and Welsh Government.

­-One of Belfast’s most innovative and thought-provoking festival returns this week

The Imagine! Belfast Festival of Ideas & Politics kicks off this week (20^th – 26^th March) and will explore the theme, ‘Brain Food: A Feast of Ideas for A Better World’ with a programme of film, humour, talks, music, poetry, theatre, exhibitions, tours, discussion and workshops.

Now in its ninth year, the week-long festival has over 130 in-person and online events. Most events are free and will take place online and in venues across the city.  Keynote speakers include the world-renowned intellectual Noam Chomsky; American political scientist Francis Fukuyama; British environmentalist Jonathon Porritt; Belfast poet Medbh McGuckian; campaigner George Monbiot; visual artist Colin Davidson: journalist Sally Hayden and satirist Oliver Callan.

Commenting on this year’s programme, Festival director and founder, Peter O’Neill said: “This year’s programme is jam-packed with a diverse range of events that will cater to a variety of tastes.  Our events will nourish the mind and provide food for thought in this volatile world. We aim to put the fun into politics with lots of humour, performance and discussion, so please join us for this feast of ideas and view the events at https://imaginebelfast.com/.”

There are many notable events in the programme including a politics quiz, a poetry and politics pub tour, and a special ‘Poetry and Politics’ performance, hosted by William Crawley, where local politicians will talk about their favourite poems.  Owen McCafferty’s new play, ‘Agreement’ premieres at the Lyric Theatre and examines this landmark moment in the history of Northern Ireland.  Other new productions include Five Days – a new play by Joe Nawaz, and the premiere of Reunion by Julie Dutkiewicz and Kabosh Theatre.

Musicians include legendary performer, John Otway; alternative punks, Wood Burning Savages; the acclaimed Australian song writer, Robert Forster; and a talk by Paul Gorman on the rise and fall of the music press. Comedy is well represented with Tiff Stevenson and Fin Taylor alongside poets such as Henry Normal, Luke Wright, and Clare Pollard taking to the stage.

Tickets and further info are available from: https://imaginebelfast.com

The Belfast Festival of Learning makes a welcome return to the city with a week-long programme of free interactive and engaging events.

Promoting lifelong learning for people of all ages, the festival will take place in venues across Belfast from Monday 20 until Sunday 26 March.

Events will include cookery classes, science demonstrations and the opportunity to learn a new skill such as crochet, knitting and coding.

Reminding residents that there is no age limit to education, Deputy Lord Mayor Councillor Michelle Kelly said: “Learning opportunities should be available to everyone, whether you’re aged 5 or 75, and The Belfast Festival of Learning is testament to that ethos, with the wide range of activities and events on offer over the course of the week.

“Within The Belfast Agenda, we have a vision that our city should be a great place for everyone to live – and providing lifelong learning opportunities is a core part of this. Learning has the potential to transform lives for the better- it can build better relationships and help enhance quality of life for everyone in our city.”

Belfast is part of UNESCO’s Global Network of Learning Cities and was awarded a UNESCO Learning Cities Award for outstanding learning milestones in 2021.

Councillor Kelly also spoke about the importance of continuing to build on Belfast’s Learning City status and said: “In 2018 when we joined the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities, we committed to tackle inequalities and barriers to education with our city stakeholders. It’s incredibly encouraging that following the pandemic, we are now able to host this wonderful festival again and extend learning opportunities to all citizens, regardless of age or background.”

Chair of Belfast Learning City, Danny Power said: “Belfast continues to play its role as a member of the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities and as a member of an all-island network of Learning Cities.

“Improving accessibility to learning opportunities is crucial to help people maintain active lives and build strong and sustainable communities for all. We hope everyone thoroughly enjoys the festival and that the activities on offer will inspire you to continue your learning.”

For more information on the festival and a full list of activities on offer, visit www.belfastcity.gov.uk/events

Terra Nova Productions, Ireland’s intercultural theatre company, return to Armagh’s Market Place Theatre with their new production, ‘The Trumpet & The King’.

In the late 15th century, John Blanke, a young black musician of exceptional talent left the ancient city of Granada and made his way to the court of Henry VII of England. There he forged a surprising musical bond with the child who would become the infamous Henry VIII.

These two extraordinary young men scramble their way to adulthood full of feeling, often outrageously funny, as they try to figure out love, sex, politics, and what it means to be a man.

Performed by two outstanding young actors, who effortlessly create all the characters of their Tudor world, ‘The Trumpet & The King’ is a play about music, belonging and friendship across religious and cultural divides, which will draw you effortlessly into the dramatic world of the early Tudors.

Meticulously researched, written and directed here in Northern Ireland by playwright Andrea Montgomery, who is known for her giant Northern Irish Shakespeare projects.

‘The Trumpet & The King’ will take place on Wednesday 22 March at 8pm. Tickets priced £15 and £13 (concession) can be booked online at www.visitarmagh.com/marketplacetheatre or through the Box Office on 03300 561 025.

Receive Royal correspondence from King Charles III and the Queen Consort when you register for the Coronation Big Lunch

Streets, schools, groups and whole communities across Northern Ireland choosing to be part of history and celebrating the Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort, will receive a special letter from The King and Queen Consort commemorating their participation and could be in with a chance of winning a Community Garden specially designed and planted by the award winning Eden Project, £2,500 towards your next project and a special Big Lunch hamper from Eden Project Communities supported by National Lottery.

All Northern Ireland residents can register at thebiglunch.com and download your letter and free resources. You can also choose to nominate your area for the competition which rewards the friendliest streets, estates, schools and community groups that demonstrate friendliness and positive connections where they live. As well as crowning an overall winner, gifting them with a special garden in honour of The King and Queen Consort’s passion for communities and the environment, Eden Project Communities will reward three finalists with £1,000 each and Coronation Big Lunch hampers to help bring their communities together.

Grainne McCloskey, Regional Manager at the Eden Project, which is behind the Coronation Big Lunch said: “We want to raise up and celebrate those people who support each other and shape better futures together where they live but rarely get the recognition they deserve. There are so many heartwarming stories from those making a difference in Northern Ireland and we want to place their community spirit at the heart of this historic occasion.

“Our rewards are open to everyone until 30 March so there is still plenty of time to apply. Don’t be shy! If you’re a group of chatty neighbours or you’re part of a school community or a local group, we want to hear from you!”

The Coronation Big Lunch will form part of the celebrations for His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort’s Coronation Weekend between 6-8 May 2023. Tens of thousands of events are expected to take place across the United Kingdom, bringing neighbours, communities and the nation together in celebration and friendship, and raising community spirits as part of this historic occasion.

Her Majesty The Queen Consort has been Patron of the Big Lunch since 2013.

The Big Lunch is funded by National Lottery and is the UK’s largest annual community celebration for neighbours and communities bringing millions of people together in a nationwide act of community friendship since 2009 and will again this year kick off the Month of Community in June, a time to come together to celebrate everything that makes our communities great!

It’s an idea from the Eden Project made possible by The National Lottery and is supported by PG Tips, Iceland and The Food Warehouse and the Julia and Hans Rausing Trust.

To apply for the rewards and find out more about the Coronation Big Lunch or Month of Community, go to www.CoronationBigLunch.com

The Coleraine and District Motor Club is delighted to announce this year’s fonaCAB and Nicholl Oils North West 200 will take place as planned on May 7-13

As has been well documented over the past month, this year’s event had been thrown into jeopardy by a huge increase in the cost of public liability insurance.

A new insurance deal has finally been secured and the crucial intervention of Co.Tyrone businessman, Derek Keys, with a generous donation from his company, Euro Auctions, has ensured the 2023 NW200 can go ahead.

“March 2023 represents the 25th anniversary of Euro Auctions and helping the North West 200 gives us the ideal chance to thank all of those people who have supported us over that 25 year journey.” Mr Keys said.

“The event sees over 195,000 people visit the region and many businesses, both large and small, depend upon events like this to bring trade and prosperity into the North West area. This event is part of our region’s heritage and I am delighted that with a little help from Euro Auctions, the event can now proceed this year.”

“We are very grateful to Derek Keys and Euro Auctions for this very generous support.” the NW200’s Mervyn Whyte, said.

“In the absence of any financial assistance from government, the sport has been left to its own devices to deal with the insurance crisis. Mr Keys intervention has been crucial in saving this year’s North West 200. We also wish to express our gratitude to the many members of the motorcycle racing community who donated so generously to the crowd funding initiative launched by the Motorcycle Union of Ireland, Ulster Centre.”

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Bushmills, Co Antrim: Looking for an extra special gift to celebrate with on St. Patrick’s Day?

The Bushmills® Irish Whiskey 10 Year Old Single Malt is an exquisite Irish single malt whiskey that has been triple distilled, matured, married and bottled at the world’s oldest licenced whiskey distillery in Bushmills, Co. Antrim.

Bursting with notes of zesty citrus fruits, honey, milk chocolate and toasted wood, Bushmills 10 Year Old Single Malt boasts the same unwavering quality renowned by Bushmills whilst its chic design will stand out at any occasion.

Whether it’s straight up, neat, on the rocks or in a cocktail, at the heart of a perfect serve, there is always Bushmills 10 Year Old Single Malt.​ Below we share one of our most popular cocktail serves which embodies Bushmills’ rich heritage and tradition, coupled with a contemporary and approachable twist.

Enjoy St. Patrick’s Day. The Bushmills Way! 🥃

Bushmills 10 Year Old Single Malt RRP €46 / £32

PATRICK’S WHISKEY SOUR

A guaranteed crowd pleaser to kick off your celebrations this St. Patrick’s Day. Made to sip, savour and enjoy with friends.

Ingredients

• 2 parts Bushmills 10 YO
• 1 part fresh lemon juice
• ½ part sugar syrup
• ½ part egg white

• Few dashes of orange bitters
• 1 part lime juice
• Lemon peel

Method

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake for 10 seconds and strain into a rocks glass over ice and garnish with a lemon peel. Enjoy!

For exclusive news, private events and limited-edition products, join the Bushmills Giant community www.bushmills.eu/bushmills-giants/  

– Family Friendly Events to Take Place on Site at Armagh Observatory and Planetarium From 21st to 24th March 2023 –

Armagh Observatory and Planetarium has announced that a number of family friendly events will take place on site from 21st to 24th March, as part of the inaugural Irish Astronomy Week 2023.

The events will include:

Introduction to Astrophotography by Paul Evans, which will take place on 21st March at Armagh Planetarium. In this talk, amateur astronomer and photographer, Paul Evans, will outline basic astrophotography methods and will share a number of his own astrophotos.

He will explain how, thanks to the evolution of modern cameras, astrophotography is no longer the preserve of those with expensive equipment, and how aesthetically pleasing and educational  photographs of the night sky can be taken using fairly basic equipment.

The Look Up! A Spring Night Sky Tour Dome Show will take place on 22^nd and 24^th March at Armagh Planetarium. Suitable for adults and children aged over 8 and produced by Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, this 30 minute presenter-led show will take visitors on a seasonal tour around the night sky, as seen from Ireland. The show is ideal for amateur astronomers or those interested in learning about the night sky.

Armagh Observatory and Planetarium Library Open Afternoon, a free event which will take place from 2-4pm on 22nd March at Armagh Observatory. The Observatory’s library contains over 4,000 books and over 10,000 journals. During this event, staff and students will be on hand to answer any questions.

This is a drop in session, with exhibitions, displays and experts on hand, visitors will be free to browse, read and peek behind the scenes of the specialist library.

The Star Tracker Evening will take place on 23rd March. Suitable for adults and children aged over 8, this event will include a viewing of the Look Up! Spring Night Sky Dome Show, followed by a telescope workshop and live stargazing with the Northern Ireland Amateur Astronomer Society.

The Staring Into Space PhD Afternoon will take place on 24^th March. It will see visitors join Armagh Observatory and Planetarium’s PhD students for an afternoon of short talks and demonstrations centred around the astronomical tools that they use.

Admission to this event is free.

Themed ‘The Stars for Everyone,’ Irish Astronomy Week 2023 will see events take place indoors and outdoors, right across the island of Ireland, from the 20th to 26th of March 2023. During the week, astronomers of all ages will be able to enjoy the celestial waltz of the crescent Moon as it moves past the bright planets Jupiter, Venus and Mars.

Helen McLoughlin, Senior Education Officer at Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, says, “We are delighted to take part in Irish Astronomy Week 2023 and to welcome visitors to the series of events that we will be hosting as part of this important initiative.

“As a leading centre for astronomical research and an advocate of STEM education, we are very much aligned with Irish Astronomy Week 2023’s goals of connecting people with the universe, and promoting an appreciation and understanding of the night sky, along with the ability to enjoy it in a non-intrusive and non-destructive manner.”

To book tickets for these events, visit: https://armaghobservatoryplanetarium.ticketsolve.com