Author: whatsonni

77 Per Cent of NI Public Benefit from Time Outdoors

Marking the clocks going forward for spring, Outdoor Recreation NI is encouraging people across the country to use the extra hour to ‘Get Out More’.

As days lengthen and the weather improves, there is no better time to explore some of the hundreds of outdoor trails and places across Northern Ireland.

Kerry Kirkpatrick, Communication and Training Executive at Outdoor Recreation NI, says, “Spending time outdoors is  fundamental to our wellbeing. It allows us to connect with nature and to experience the beauty of Northern Ireland. We are lucky to have a plethora of amazing green and blue spaces on our doorstep and I would encourage people across the country to  take advantage of the extra hour that we have gained and get out more.

“To help them do this, our OutmoreNI.com website is a vital resource for those who wish to explore the wonderful outdoor spaces that Northern Ireland has to offer.

“The site, which is easily navigated, showcases hundreds of outdoor trails, that are curated to offer something for everyone, from walkers and families to mountain bikers, cyclists, and canoeists. It also contains a vast range of information on beautiful beaches, forests, parks, and nature reserves.

“Of course, we would also encourage people to protect the environment by exploring these areas responsibly and OutmoreNI.com provides a wealth of information on how to do so through its Right Side of Outside campaign.”

Research from the People in the Outdoors Monitor for Northern Ireland (POMNI) report,* which was conducted by Outdoor Recreation NI from November 2020 to October 2021, shows that 77 per cent of people surveyed across Northern Ireland say that getting outdoors is good for their wellbeing.

41 per cent of those surveyed say that connecting with nature is a key motivator for getting outdoors, whilst 72 per cent say that their local greenspace is within easy walking distance.

Supported by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and Sport NI, the OutmoreNI.com website showcases over 850 green and blue spaces and outdoor  trails across Northern Ireland. These include those on our doorsteps, along with hidden gems further afield.

Don’t forgot when visiting an outdoor spot, you can help protect it by following a few simple steps to ensure you stay on the ‘Right Side of Outside’ such as:

• Planning ahead by checking the weather and bringing the right equipment such as clothing, footwear, map, wet suit, paddles etc.
• Keeping your dog on a lead to avoid livestock worrying and disruption to wildlife.
• Only camping or lighting a BBQ in a designated area.
• Avoid starting open fires.
• Only parking your car in designated spaces and don’t forget to consider local access
• Taking your dog waste and litter home with you.
• Get involved and protect the environment by doing things such as taking part in litter picks

To discover new outdoor trails and places to explore throughout Northern Ireland, visit https://outmoreni.com/

Darkness Into Light, the annual fundraising event organised by Pieta, and proudly supported by Electric Ireland is set to take place on Saturday May 6 and will see thousands of people across Northern Ireland come together to mark the most important sunrise of the year.

Launched today, March 29, Pieta and Electric Ireland were joined by representatives from 14 local mental health charities to invite people across Northern Ireland to sign up to take part in this year’s fundraising event.

Taking place on the morning of Saturday May 6, people can either participate in one of the 16 organised walks, or run, swim or cycle in their own time or even take on a special challenge to fundraise for their local communities.

As part of this year’s campaign, Electric Ireland Darkness into Light ambassador and Belfast based medical doctor turned artist Anna McKeever has launched her own fundraising effort and has created an original oil painting entitled Cavehill at Sunrise which she has donated to Darkness into Light.

People are invited to enter the ‘iDonate’ Darkness Into Light raffle to be in with a chance to win this very special painting. One hundred percent of the money raised from the piece will be donated to mental health charities working to support those impacted by suicide in local communities across Northern Ireland.

The bespoke piece showcases one of Northern Ireland’s most recognisable landscapes and depicts the overriding sense of hope, strength and light of a vibrant sunrise stretching out over Belfast City.

The work, measuring 100 x 100cm, has been framed in a wooden box frame, hand finished in zoffany ink and is available to view in Anna’s Ormeau Road gallery now until the draw closes at 4.15am on Saturday May 6. The winner will be announced on Tuesday May 9.

Speaking at the launch, Darkness into Light ambassador, Anna McKeever said, “I initially trained as medical doctor and spent my career working in psychiatry and public health, before becoming a full-time artist. I am very aware of the impact mental illness can have, both on a professional and personal level. I am extremely proud to be an ambassador for Darkness into Light. I have created a bespoke oil painting for this year’s campaign, featuring Cavehill at sunrise. Fundraise with me on the Darkness into Light iDonate page to be in with a chance of winning this original artwork.”

To help Anna fundraise for Darkness into Light and be in with a chance of winning this special piece of artwork visit https://www.idonate.ie/raffle/AnnaMcKeeverDILPainting.

Bill Coyle, NI Residential Manager at Electric Ireland commented, “For more than a decade, Electric Ireland has proudly supported Pieta and its partner charities in the delivery of Darkness Into Light. This special sunrise event offers hope and solidarity to those impacted by suicide and self-harm across communities in Northern Ireland. We are delighted to welcome Anna on board as an Ambassador and are extremely grateful to her for the beautiful, bespoke and unique contribution she has made to this year’s campaign. With just over a month to go, we would like to welcome everyone to sign up, fundraise and get involved in Darkness Into Light to help raise vital funds for suicide prevention services in local communities.”

Sixteen walks have been organsied at various locations across Norther ireland, they will begin in darkness and continue through to sunrise; symbolising the journey from despair to hope.

Stephanie Manahan, CEO, Pieta said – “Darkness into Light is an opportunity for all communities to bring people together in the spirit of solidarity, comfort, and compassion to help people at a very local level and to raise awareness on mental health and the impact of suicide and self-harm. It is an opportunity to raise vital funds for a number of mental health charities in your local communities. There are many ways to take part in Darkness into Light and raise money for your local mental health charity; whether it’s taking part in one of the 15 local walks across Northern Ireland or by running, cycling or swimming we would encourage everyone to fundraise for your local charity and get up on the 6 May to join us for what is the most important sunrise of the year.”

To find out where your nearest walk is, to sign up and fundraise visit www.darknessintolight.com. Follow the conversation at #DIL2023

The multi-award winning Stendhal Festival is back for its thirteenth instalment this July 6th to 8th and the organisers are guaranteeing the public that they will have a ‘Wail’ of as time as they revealed the first wave of musical acts set to perform at Ballymully Cottage Farm, Limavady, this summer.

Topping this years’ bill are a plethora of unique and exceptional musical talents including; The Wailers, Bell X1, Newton Faulkner, The Scratch, Cara Dillon, Turin Brakes and Yazz Ahmed.

Stendhal will of course continue its commitment to showcasing the very best and emerging Northern Irish talent and this year Ballymully Cottage Farm will play host to some unmissable home-grown acts.

Joshua Burnside, Roe, Sasha Samara, Fya Fox, Winnie Ama, No Oil Paintings, Red Eye Pariah and loads more will be taking to the Stendhal stages.

Stendhal will also showcase some of the best emerging and new acts from The Republic of Ireland and this year Sprints, ModernLove, Crow Black Chicken, Overhead, the Albatross and more, join headliners Bell X1 and the Scratch in making the journey over the border.

Stendhal debuts this year include; Manukahunney, Pinkslips, Claire Sands, Invaderband, Boy M5, Search Party, Tramp, Marion Hawkes, Cora Kelly, Emily McCormick, Polar Bolero, Edgy C and GG Carma and Baroda, so there will be ample opportunity to find your new favourite act at the festival this summer.

Dance and DJs are also on the agenda at the event with DJ sets from critically acclaimed ex-Portishead DJ Andy Smith and BBC 6 Music DJ the Fun Lovin’ Criminal himself, Huey Morgan.

Festival Director Ross Parkhill says he is thrilled with how the line-up is taking shape.

“As usual we have a fantastic mix of genres, we have legends like The Wailers and Bell X1, some of the hottest up and coming acts from all throughout Ireland, Ivor Novello Award winners, NI Music Prize winners and there is still plenty more to come,” he said.

“The Wailers are without question our most requested act to return ever following their sensational performance at the Karma Valley Stage five years ago and we can’t wait to see them again.

“We are delighted to finally be welcoming a couple of acts who we have wanted to play here for years in Bell X1 and Cara Dillon. Bell X1 will be performing an exclusive all electric show for us this summer having spent quite a while touring acoustically with a string quartet so that is really exciting and of course then having the Roe Valley’s very own songbird in Cara Dillon, finally playing her home festival, will be something special indeed.

 He added: “We are also so pleased to be welcoming back Turin Brakes for the first time since they headlined the event 13 years ago and we can’t wait to show them the progress that the festival has made over the years, in part thanks to them.

 “Throw in the Brilliant Newton Faulkner, The Scratch and Yazz Ahmed and our headline acts so far are a great mix of styles and have the broad appeal which we hope will see us have another successful year as we continue to recover.” 

Ross concluded by taking the time to say a few words of thanks: “To everyone who has bought their ticket already, thank you so much for your continued faith in us, it means the world to us.

He added: “We’d also like to thank Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, The Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Help Musicians NI for their continued support and for the first time this year we’d like to thank a brand new partner, Alchemy Technology Services from Derry/Londonderry. We greatly appreciate the support provided and wish you a warm welcome to our Stendhal tribe.”

Much more programming is still to be announced with more music, the comedy, poetry, family line-ups and more being revealed in the coming weeks.

For tickets and more information visit stendhalfestival.com 

Back by popular demand, Pat Abernethy and Dave Marsden return to The Market Place Theatre with ‘Songs From Ireland’, an intimate, musical evening.

You can expect some well-known songs, some you may never have heard of, but they will all reflect the Irish spirit in its many forms; nostalgia, romance, emigration, politics, sentimentality, loss, regret, humour. The songs have all been selected because they say something that resonates with Pat and Dave musically and lyrically.

Between songs you will also be regaled with stories from their days in Ireland throughout the years.

The song selection will include those either written or sung by the likes of Paul Brady, Tommy Makem, The Fury Brothers, Christy Moore, Thomas Moore, Brian Kennedy, Bagatelle, Pete St. John, Shane McGowan, Phil Coulter, Mary Black, Jimmy MacCarthy, Van Morrison, Val Doonican, Richard Thompson, Dolores Keane, Christie Hennessy, Horslips, Johnny McEvoy, and many more.

‘Songs From Ireland’ will be staged on Wednesday 12 April at 8pm. Tickets priced £15 can be booked online at www.visitarmagh.com/marketplacetheatre or through the Box Office on 03300 561 025.

Ballymoney Spring Fair is making a return to the town on April 21st and 22nd – with free family-friendly activities and lots of carnival colour to look forward to.

Organised by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, with support from Ballymoney Chamber of Commerce and FUSE FM, this year’s action-packed event is set to be the best yet, with new venues in the town centre and an even bigger choice of have-a-go attractions on offer.

Look out for vintage cars, live music, dance displays and a showcase of our best artisan produce or indulge in some retail therapy with many of the town’s independent boutiques and businesses offering Spring Fair special offers.

New additions to the programme this year include a Tea Dance in Ballymoney Town Hall on Friday afternoon (April 21^st), and dog friendly entertainment and activities on Saturday (April 22^nd). There’s also something special planned for Church Street on the Saturday – you won’t want to miss it!

The Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Councillor Ivor Wallace said he was delighted to see the return of the two-day celebration: “Ballymoney Spring Fair has proven to be a very popular addition to our events calendar, and it brings a great atmosphere to the town. We would love you to join us this year and enjoy a great family day out with us.”

On Friday, FUSE FM will host live music and entertainment at Castlecroft Square featuring Causeway Trad and much more while Saturday’s highlights include performances from Jamie Sloan and Polar Bolero, along with displays from the Kelly Neill Dance Company.

The fun continues on Saturday with a range of family-friendly activities and entertainment. New for 2023 is the Church Street experience, where you can browse the shops while enjoying live music, children’s animation, walkabout characters and a variety of outdoor games.

Naturally North Coast and Glens Artisan Market will transform Castlecroft Square in the town centre from 11am – 4pm on both Friday and Saturday. A pop-up market will be on Church Street on Saturday, creating a new buzz at the top of the town. Previous winners of the UK’s Best Community Market, this collective of makers and creators offers everything from knitwear, jewellery, paintings, woodcraft and photography to some of the tastiest artisan food products.

Animal lovers can visit the free petting farm at Seymour Street car park, where attractions include a variety of interesting animals and creatures, while Riding for Disabled will offer horse and pony rides for a small fee. Take the opportunity for a close encounter with a range of birds of prey, with a fun falconry experience for the whole family to enjoy.

A Quiet Time session will run in the morning from 11am to 12noon, for children with additional needs.

At Castlecroft look out for balloon modelling, children’s craft workshops and Animated Street Theatre from 12noon – 3pm.

Visitors can enjoy a programme of performances from various dance troupes throughout the town. Live music will also feature at The Diamond.

To accommodate ever increasing visitor numbers, Seymour Drive will host the hugely popular free family games and activities on Saturday from 12noon – 4pm. Those feeling adventurous can try their hand at archery, bottle shy, horseshoe toss and rodeo sheep.

Car enthusiasts won’t want to miss the Vintage and Classic Car Show with Ballymoney Old Vehicle Club at Station Square from 12noon, showcasing a range of restored vintage vehicles, then joining the carnival parade at 3.30pm. Old time cars, tractors and impressive lorries from local hauliers will join the spring-themed spectacle of music and colour, setting off from the Town Hall and travelling along High Street, Main Street and Meeting House Street.

For more information about the event go to www.visitcausewaycoastandglens.com and make sure to follow Causeway Coast and Glens Events on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Family Friendly Events to Take Place on Site at Armagh Observatory and Planetarium From 5th to 16th April 2023

Armagh Observatory and Planetarium has announced that a number of family friendly Dome Shows will take place on site during the Easter break, from 5th to 16th April 2023.

These will include:

The Astronaut George Toddler Dome Show. Running daily at 10:30am from 6th to 16th April, except for 9th April, this show is a perfect introduction to the planets in our Solar System for pre-school children.

This full-dome show sees Astronaut George investigate the best planet to live on and the dangers lurking on the surface of other planets in our Solar System.

The Perfect Little Planet Family Dome Show. This 30-minute show will run daily from 5th to 16th April at 11am, except for 9th April. Visitors will explore our Solar System from the perspective of a family from another star system who are seeking the perfect vacation spot.

Come fly over the surface of Pluto, our best known Dwarf Planet. Dive down the ice cliffs of Miranda, sail through the rings of Saturn, feel the lightning storms at Jupiter and walk on the surface of Mars.

The Our Solar System Dome Show. This live family dome show will run daily for 35 minutes from 5th to 16th April at 12pm, except for 9th April. The popular interactive show, produced by Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, will allow visitors to sit back, relax and enjoy a tour of our Solar System. Come see the planets up close, safely gaze at the Sun and let your presenter guide you to where you want to go.

The Look Up! A Spring Night Sky Tour Dome Show. Produced by Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, it is suitable for adults and children aged over 8, this live, presenter-led, 30-minute show will run daily from 5th to 16th April at 1pm, except for 9th April.

The show will take visitors on a seasonal tour around the night sky, as seen from Ireland. Its presenters will guide the audience through the beautiful sights and constellations that can be seen at this time of year. The show is ideal for anyone starting out in astronomy or interested in learning about what can be seen in the night sky.

The We are Stars Dome Show. Suitable for adults and children over the age of 6, this 30-minute show will run daily from 5th to 16th April at 2pm, except for 9th April.

Narrated by Andy Serkis, this show offers an immersive experience that perfectly balances scientific understanding with family entertainment. It seeks to answer some of the most profound questions of all time and explores the secrets of our cosmic chemistry, our explosive origins and the connection between life on Earth and the evolution of the Universe.

The Magic Globe Dome Show, which will run daily from 5th to 16th April at 3pm, except for 9th April. This 30-minute show is suitable for families.

Visitors will learn how a little girl called Mia accidentally discovers a mysterious piece of astronomical machinery whilst on vacation at her grandpa’s. They will also learn how Edmund, Mia’s eccentric uncle, attempts to trick the girl into using the tool’s secret powers to change the world’s seasons, with interesting consequences.

The Passport to the Universe Dome Show. Narrated by Tom Hanks and running daily at 4pm from 6th to 16th April, except for 9th April, this 30-minute show is suitable for adults and children aged over 6.

Visitors will embark on an incredible journey through the observable universe and fly beneath the rings of Saturn, into the heart of the Orion Nebula, and out into the vastness of space to experience stunning cosmic destinations.

Ria Mee, Education Officer at Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, says, “We welcome visitors to enjoy our Easter Holidays Dome Show programme.

“Armagh Observatory and Planetarium is a globally renowned centre for astronomical research, and we aim to inspire Northern Ireland’s next generation of STEM leaders. As such, we have created and curated a compelling series of Dome Shows to educate and entertain the whole family.”

All Dome Show tickets include exhibition entry. Children Under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

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

The 14th Walled City Music Festival is taking place this week, and will bring an international line-up of guest artists to perform in Derry~Londonderry’s Christ Church venue.

Raphael Wallfisch, one of the most celebrated cellists performing on the international stage, will open the Festival along with Derry-born pianist Cathal Breslin (also co-artistic director of the Festival). Raphael and Cathal performed the very first Walled City Music Festival together in 2009, so this concert will be a special occasion. Their performance will include music by Brahms, Franck, Schumann, and Debussy.

Irish artists, mezzo-soprano Sharon Carty and pianist Fiachra Garvey join forces on Friday 24^th, bringing a programme of beautiful art songs by Grieg, Debussy, Stanford and Elgar.

In the final evening performance of the Festival, Belfast-born pianist Barry Douglas will perform a programme of Schubert and Beethoven for solo piano. Barry has established a major international career since winning the Gold Medal at the 1986 Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition. As Artistic Director of Camerata Ireland, the only all-Ireland orchestra, and the Clandeboye Festival, he continues to celebrate his Irish heritage whilst also maintaining a busy international touring schedule.

During the week of Festival, Walled City Music will bring together Young Artists from Northern Ireland Opera, the Royal Irish Academy of Music and Walled City Music Piano Festival to take part in a series of education projects, culminating in a Festival-closing performance by the students in the beautiful surroundings of the Great Hall, Ulster University Magee. This concert will continue the Festival’s tradition of inspiring local young musicians, and placing upcoming Irish talent at the heart of its programming alongside established, world-class artists.

Cathal Breslin, Co-Artistic Director of the Festival, said “The 14^th  Walled City Music Festival will be one of the most special Festivals so far. It is all about returning home, but now returning in-person and musically is especially important post-pandemic. The theme of “return” is marked from the Festival opening with incredible cellist Raphael Wallfisch, who performed with me to open the very first WCM Festival in 2009. The theme continues with pianist Barry Douglas returning to the Festival to perform a solo recital. Our ongoing promotion of great Irish artists is represented by singer Sharon Carty and pianist Fiachra Garvey, and we are delighted to continue our ongoing collaboration with NI Opera, and to combine that with a pianist from our Piano Festival is our opportunity to showcase some of the best young talent in Ireland. It will definitely be one of the most memorable Festivals we have ever experienced in Derry.”

Full details of the Walled City Music Festival programme can be found on the WCM website. Tickets are available on Ticket Source. Keep an eye on the WCM social media channels for updates.

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.