Author: whatsonni

Ards and North Down Borough Council is delighted to announce its 2023 Ards International Guitar Festival programme. The much-loved festival will take place from 19 – 23 April at various venues around Newtownards.

The festival is now in its 27^th year and continues to celebrate the world’s most popular instrument in a town steeped in guitar tradition. Bringing together some of the best guitarists from Ireland and the UK, along with visiting guitarists from around the world, the festival is sure to be a melting pot of musical talent and genres.

This year’s line-up features home-grown talent as well as performers from Germany, the Netherlands, and Iran, all assembled with the help of guest programmer Anthony Toner. From live gigs to Guitar Clinics and interviews, guitar fans will be spoiled for choice.

Opening the festival on Wednesday 19 April at The Web Theatre, Newtownards, Neil Ó Briain and Paul McMordie will perform live, original and new scores to silent movie favourites at the ‘Comedy Classic Soundtracks’ event. A must for fans of Laurel and Hardy and Buster Keaton!

The Aquarelle Guitar Quartet presents Cinema Paradiso at The Web Theatre on Thursday 20 April. A night not to be missed – a sweeping celebration of the silver screen with music from films such as Chocolat, The Piano and Schindler’s List.  As one of the world’s leading guitar quartets, The AGQ is known for its extraordinary performances and expansive repertoire. Formed at the Royal Northern College of Music in 1999, the quartet studied with renowned guitarists Sérgio Assad, Oscar Ghiglia and Scott Tennant and has performed in major concert halls throughout the UK and Europe.

The festival is also pleased to welcome Dom Martin and Band to play The Queen’s Hall on Saturday 22 April. Martin is a Belfast-born, multi-award-winning artist, inspired but not constrained by the blues. In 2019 he burst onto the music scene with a unique guitar style and voice, captivating audiences everywhere. His jaw dropping, entirely natural sounding and unforced/unschooled skill on acoustic guitar, matched with an authentic ‘Belfast Blues’ voice, brings to mind comparisons with many from John Martyn to Rory Gallagher.

An exciting all-female line-up will take to the stage in The Queen’s Hall on Friday 21 April; Karlijn Langendijk, Judith Beckedorf and Sophie Chasée. As three of Europe’s most talented female guitarists, hailing from The Netherlands and Germany, this concert will be a superb one-off evening of extraordinary playing.

 

Other highlights of this year’s programme include; Jim Mullen Trio in Concert, one of the UK’s finest jazz guitar talents, who has collaborated over several decades with top musicians in Europe and the US. Jim will appear in Ards Arts Centre on Friday 21 April. This year’s Classic Brunch sees broadcaster Ralph McLean bring his attention to one of the greatest rock albums of all time – Fleetwood Mac’s Rumour’s in Ards Arts Centre on Sunday 23 April. Ralph will also be in conversation with guitar manufacturing legend George Lowden and his son Aaron on Saturday 22 April, taking a look back over George’s extensive career and hearing about the next generation of Lowden guitars.

 

This year’s Weekend Wind Down, on Sunday 23 April, will take place in Falls’ Bar with Rodney Branigan. Rodney learned how to play in Austin, how to craft songs in Nashville and how to put it all together in London, playing all types of music to all types of venues in his storied career. At the Weekend Wind Down, Rodney will be supported by Ben Cutler, a 19- year-old musician from Belfast. Expect soulful acoustic singer-songwriter material, with

an eclectic range of folk-oriented blues and stripped-back Alternative rock.

 

Speaking about the festival, Councillor Karen Douglas, The Mayor of Ards and North Down said: “The Ards Guitar Festival has always been renowned for bringing guitar talent from all around the world to Newtownards and this year is no different. I am delighted to welcome the festival back for its 27^th year. The programme looks fantastic, and I would encourage everyone to get their tickets and come along and support the events.”

 

Ards Guitar Festival Director, Emily Crawford commented: “We have a great line up in store for you this year at venues across Newtownards with Jazz, blues, bluegrass, classical and world music to be experienced. We are particularly excited to welcome back the Aquarelle Guitar Quartet and to introduce the legendary Dom Martin to the stage for the first time, we’ve been patiently waiting for this one since 2020!”

 

Ards International Guitar Festival runs from 19 – 23 April. For ticket details or to view the full programme please visit the website www.ardsguitarfestival.co.uk  or call Ards Arts Centre on 028 9181 0803

                         

Kabosh Productions are returning to Armagh’s Market Place Theatre with the premiere of ‘Silent Trade’ by Rosemary Jenkinson, a deftly crafted and exposing new production unveiling the alarming rates of human trafficking and domestic servitude reported in the north.

You wouldn’t know it at first, but it’s happening.

Amongst the immaculate lawns and shiny new Audis of a leafy Belfast suburb.

Hidden away behind the noise and the chaos of a rowdy student street.

Trapped in the familiar anonymity of an isolated farming town.

The quiet figures manipulated between houses.

The human beings imported and exported in a market that’s anything but free.

The Silent Trade that’s booming in the north.

‘Silent Trade’ will be staged on Thursday 2^nd March at 8.00pm. Tickets are priced £15.00 and £10.00 (concession) and can be booked online at www.visitarmagh.com/marketplacetheatre or through the Box Office on 03300 561 025. This performance is recommended for age 15+.

Popular solar system trail makes its homecoming to Northern Ireland following acclaimed UK tour where it attracted over 1 million visitors in four cities

Our Place in Space, a recreation of our solar system as a 10 km sculpture trail designed by artist Oliver Jeffers, astrophysicist Professor Stephen Smartt and a creative team led by Nerve Centre, will land at the Ulster Transport Museum this February.

Free to visit and beginning in the grounds of the Ulster Transport Museum at Cultra, the trail will weave its way onto the North Down Coastal Path and end at Pluto in Bangor. The trail will launch to the public on 24 February running until 26 March, accompanied by an exciting event and learning programme for people of all ages.

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.

An epic family-friendly programme of events will enhance the trail this February and March. Strap in for iconic space themed films with a drive-in cinema at the Ulster Transport Museum, find out how the Victorians took us to the Moon with science historian Iwan Rhys Morus, take a tour of the planets via land or sea, enjoy nature workshops, go for a sea swim, and enjoy a celebratory closing weekend of music and entertainment in Bangor. All events are free but may require advance booking. Sign up to the Our Place in Space e-newsletter for priority access to bookings.

Following the four-week programme, the first half of the sculpture trail will become a permanent fixture at the Ulster Transport Museum where visitors will still be able to journey from the Sun to Mars and the installation from Jupiter to Pluto will be removed from the North Down Coastal Path.

Oliver Jeffers, internationally renowned artist and author said: “For centuries, we’ve defined ourselves by who we are and who we’re not. Which side we choose, on what ground we stand, who and what we fight for. A human story, that lives merely in human minds. But with distance comes perspective – and what happens to our perspective on everything when we look back at Earth from space? Our Place in Space is a playful experiment that asks: What is the difference between ‘us’ and ‘them’? Which side are we on, and if we look back at ourselves from vastness of outer space – alone on our tiny planet, the only one that can harbour life – should there be any ‘sides’ at all?”

David Lewis, Executive Producer at Nerve Centre, said: ““Our Place in Space has been a fantastic collaboration of STEAM partners from Northern Ireland, and we have been overwhelmed with the response to the project as it toured the UK. The sculpture trail has enjoyed a fantastic reception across the various locations and we’re excited to bring it back to Northern Ireland, where it first began. The figures that the project has generated in terms of audience shows the appetite that exists for collaborations of this nature – the trail provided people with the opportunity to experience the solar system in Oliver Jeffers’ unique style, and get involved in exciting educational activities and events.”

Kathryn Thomson, Chief Executive Officer at National Museums NI, said: “Welcoming Our Place in Space to the Ulster Transport Museum in February is a significant opportunity for us to invite people to engage with arts, science and heritage in new ways. The museum tells the story of ingenuity and innovation in this part of the world in our past, and we’re excited to launch the next chapter of this story through Our Place in Space.”

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

How Northern Ireland has inspired some of the world’s greatest storytellers

Northern Ireland is famed for its world-renowned authors, poets, playwrights and storytellers – we are truly a land of literary giants.

The ’squat pen’ has rested in the hands of some of the world’s greatest writers who were born in Northern Ireland and have used the mesmerising landscapes to inspire fantasy worlds and classic novels adored by millions.

From Seamus Heaney to C.S. Lewis and Jonathan Swift, Northern Ireland has been the inspiration for some of our most loved poems and stories, and more recently our awe-inspiring landscapes have become the backdrops for box office smashes and award-winning TV shows.

Beyond our world-famous writers, we are natural storytellers creating legends and myths from every corner of this rugged and beautiful landscape.

To mark World Book Day on March 2, Discover Northern Ireland has compiled a list of attractions, landscapes and experiences to help you celebrate the genius of our literary legends.

County Antrim
No Alibis, Botanic Avenue, Belfast

• If you’ve run out of things to read, Belfast’s popular No Alibis bookstore offers the antidote. No Alibis is a general bookshop with a particular interest in children’s books, Irish literature, history and politics, the humanities and, of course, mystery fiction. Built around a community of people who love books, this is a great place to have a coffee and browse for your next fix. Local authors, like novelist Glenn Patterson, are a fan. If you’re lucky you might stumble upon a poetry reading or musical performance. Visit noalibis.com

 

County Londonderry
Seamus Heaney HomePlace, Bellaghy

• Seamus Heaney HomePlace takes you on an inspiring journey through the life and work of one of our greatest writers. Situated between Seamus Heaney’s two childhood homes at Mossbawn and The Wood, HomePlace is at the heart of the area that inspired so much of the poet’s work. Seamus Heaney’s distinctive voice guides you through the exhibition as you get to know the people and places that inspired him. Atmospheric video projections and touchscreen displays sit alongside precious items donated by the Heaney family. Visit seamusheaneyhome.com

 

County Armagh
Armagh Robinson Library

• Push open the great Georgian door, climb the stairs, and step into the 18th Century. There are some 42,000 printed works, covering subjects such as early medicine, science, history, law, politics, theology and travel, as well as maps and atlases. Discover some of the library’s many treasures, including Jonathan Swift’s own copy of Gulliver’s Travels from 1726, with corrections in his own handwriting. The library houses a unique record of the cultural and social history of 18th century Ireland. Visit armaghrobinsonlibrary.co.uk

 

County Down
Narnia Trail, Kilbroney Park, Rostrevor

• This family trail takes you through woodland at Kilbroney Park in Rostrevor and brings to life the Chronicles of Narnia with a number of fun features along the route. C.S. Lewis, as a young boy, spent regular holiday time in the Mournes and Rostrevor in particular inspiring his creation of the magical world of Narnia. Lewis is reported to have written a letter to his brother saying: “That part of Rostrevor which overlooks Carlingford Lough is my idea of Narnia”. This family trail seeks to capture the imagination of children of all ages. Visit discovernorthernireland.com/things-to-do/the-narnia-trail-p722461

 

County Fermanagh
Game of Thrones® territory – Enniskillen & Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark

• Pollnagollum Cave in Belmore Forest is part of the Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark. The cave has enjoyed a surge in popularity since it was used as a filming location for Game of Thrones®, the international sensation based on the books of George R.R. Martin. The exterior of Pollnagollum Cave was used to film Beric Dondarrion’s hideout in season three. Meanwhile, fans of the show can discover one of the Doors of Thrones at the popular bar, Blakes of the Hollow in Enniskillen town. The series of ten doors depicting stories from season six were created using wood from fallen trees from the iconic Dark Hedges, known in Game of Thrones® as the Kingsroad. Door Four features several striking designs, immortalising the Targaryens and Arryns. Visit fermanaghlakelands.com/blog/read/2021/09/game-of-thrones-b218

 

County Tyrone
Ulster American Folk Park, Omagh

• The Ulster American Folk Park tells the story of emigration in the 18^th and 19^th centuries through self-guided tours, events and exhibitions. The current Bad Bridget exhibition highlights the adversities many women and girls faced when they migrated to North America in the 19th and early 20th centuries. An incredible storytelling journey that brings to life the experiences of these women and girls as they struggled to survive. If you fancy delving deeper into these stories, Belfast-based writer Jan Carson is hosting an exciting fiction writing workshop at the Ulster American Folk Park where you will be lead through a series of writing exercises, prompts and discussions. She will also tap into the Bad Bridget exhibition and discuss how you can use narratives based on the historical characters. Please note this event takes places on 18^th and 22^nd Keep up to date on more literary experiences via their website. Visit https://www.ulsteramericanfolkpark.org/

 

For more information on great experiences and places to visit in Northern Ireland visit www.discovernorthernireland.com

TITANIC Belfast will reopen on Saturday 4^th March with four exciting new themed galleries.

The reimagined Titanic Experience introduces The Pursuit of Dreams as a new theme and will use immersive technology combined with the authentic Titanic Story in its refreshed spaces called Never Again; Ballard’s Quest; The Ship of Dreams and The Lasting Legacy.

Guests will delve deeper into a reflective journey of the hopes and dreams of those impacted by the iconic ship, giving people the chance to find out more about the lives and stories of the passengers who had dreams of starting a new life in America, as well as those who built the ship in Belfast and those who discovered her wreck.

The world-leading visitor attraction has now revealed details of one of the centrepieces of the new experience – an illuminated 7.6m long scale model of RMS Titanic.

The new model will be illuminated, and suspended from the ceiling it will fully rotate, taking approximately 90 seconds to complete, promising to provide a true wow-factor for visitors.

It is replicated on a 1:35 scale and boasts some of the main features of the iconic ship including the lifeboats, propellers, engine, cranes, bridge, main staircase and chimneys. Fitted with 300 metres of LED lights that are programmed to highlight different areas of the ship in line with the stories being told, the ship is a must-see for visitors.

Designed by OPERA Amsterdam, the replica ship is the largest model the company has ever created. It took six months to build and will take a further three weeks to install and programme in Titanic Belfast.

Judith Owens MBE, Chief Executive of Titanic Belfast said: “We are delighted to announce that Titanic Belfast is reopening its doors on Saturday 4^th March with four exciting new themed spaces shedding new light on Titanic’s story.

She is known as The Ship of Dreams and bringing this fabulous replica Titanic model to life through light and giving visitors the chance to immerse themselves in the dreams and stories of the passengers will be very powerful.

Facts and details are fascinating but personal stories connect emotionally and by combining both, the reimagined Titanic Experience focusing on The Pursuit of Dreams will add a whole new dimension to the ship that has captivated people from around the world for 111 years.”

The £4.5m investment has been fully funded from the Titanic Belfast Gallery Refreshment Fund which was established when the building opened as part of the commercial operator agreement and held by the charity owner, Maritime Belfast Trust.

For further information or to book tickets for the new Titanic Experience from Saturday 4^th March visit titanicbelfast.com.

A conference looking at the region’s potential to drive food tourism and maximise its economic benefits is being held in Belfast next month.

Belfast City Council is organising the ‘Focus on Food’ conference at the ICC on 28 March, in partnership with Department of the Environment and Rural Affairs (DEARA) and Tourism NI.

It will bring together industry experts including food producers, restaurateurs, chefs and food educators to celebrate the economic contribution and creativity of the sector, as well as setting goals for Belfast and Northern Ireland to achieve further success as a culinary destination of choice.

Belfast Lord Mayor Councillor Tina Black said: “You just have to visit our award-winning St George’s Market on any given weekend to see the abundance of local food producers and outstanding homegrown products we have here on our doorstep. Belfast also boasts an amazing choice of local, independent restaurants.

“There is a huge opportunity to build on our food tourism potential and our tourism strategy for the city identifies the importance of making this one of Belfast’s key selling points. Celebrating the food we are known for and creating a unique offering means we can transform how we position Belfast on a global stage, where so many cities are competing to attract visitors; we want to become a destination of choice for foodies and make our name as a city famous for what’s on the menu.

“Getting everyone together at this major event is the start of that process as we look at how we can support our hospitality and local food businesses to achieve our tourism ambitions and the benefits that will have for not just Belfast, but the entire region.”

Belfast City Council is leading on an action plan around food tourism which includes setting up a new food and drink network and steering group. It’s hoped that by setting ambitious but achievable goals, Belfast can establish itself as a leading food and drink destination and eventually achieve international status.

The conference will bring together a stellar line up of guest speakers including restaurant critic Grace Dent, Chris McClurg (chef patron at Paul Ainsworth at No. 6 and Great British Menu winner), Anna Pollock (strategist on regenerative hospitality and tourism), Gemma Austin (chef patron at A Peculiar Tea and Great British Menu finalist), Skye Gyngell (chef patron at Spring and Heckfield Place), Giles Gibbons (co-founder of Sustainable Restaurant Association) and Conor Spacey (founder of Food Space, Dublin).

Albert Johnston, Head of DAERA’s Agri-Food & Corporate Support Branch, said: “DAERA is delighted to support Belfast City Council’s Focus on Food Conference 2023, as it is a key engagement platform for all involved in our food supply chain to showcase the strength of our local agri-food industry and to bring together the agri-food and hospitality sectors.

“Northern Ireland has a wealth of high quality, safe and wholesome foods available to the processing, food service and retail sectors and we continue to encourage processors and consumers to seek out local produce where possible.”

David Roberts, Director of Strategic Development at Tourism NI added: “Food and drink tourism plays a central role to the visitor economy. In recent years, it has become a motivation for visitors who are spending more time and more money on opportunities to connect with local food and drink.

“Tourism NI is delighted to be supporting The Focus on Food Conference which provides delegates with an opportunity to celebrate the creativity of our sector whilst learning from others to strengthen our reputation as a world class food and drink destination.

“The conference will stimulate opportunities for knowledge exchange where delegates can garner insights from panellists who are delivering exceptional food and drink experiences.  Tourism NI look forward to collaborating with those who have a shared interest in raising the quality of the experience that we offer to visitors.”

For more details of the conference including ticket info, visit www.belfastcity.gov.uk/events

The award-winning creators of ‘Female Gothic’, ‘I, Elizabeth’, ‘Christmas Gothic’, and ‘Austen’s Women’, Dyad Productions return to Armagh’s Market Place Theatre with a twenty-first century take on Virginia Woolf’s celebrated pre-TED talk, ‘A Room Of One’s Own’.

Take a wry, amusing, and incisive trip through the history of literature, feminism, and gender. Meet Charlotte Brontë, Jane Austen, Aphra Behn, and Shakespeare’s sister – Judith! Travel to the far-flung future of… 2028. But whatever you do, Keep Off the Grass.

Rebecca Vaughan performs Woolf’s 1928 exploration of the impact of poverty and sexual inequality on intellectual freedom and creativity.

Dyad Productions creates, produces and tours classic theatre with an innovative and contemporary emphasis. A regular fixture at the Edinburgh Fringe, their work has been a critical, 5-star, sell-out success since 2009. In 2018 Dyad Productions was awarded the prestigious Three Weeks Editors’ Award for Cumulative Body of Work.

‘A Room Of One’s Own’ will be staged for one night only on Thursday 23 February at 8pm. Tickets are priced £15 and £13 (concession), and can be booked online at www.visitarmagh.com/marketplacetheatre or through the Box Office on 03300 561 025.

For a romantic, classy and relaxing getaway with your Valentine, Hastings Hotels has a stunning selection of packages available.

Ranging from £150 per room per night each of the six unique properties offer luxurious accommodation, delicious meals, fizz and a quirky touch of romance with their “Kiss me Quack” love duck.

In addition, some packages offer late checkout and a complimentary room upgrade.

In the heart of Belfast city, the 5-star Grand Central Hotel’s aptly named “Love is in the Air” package which includes luxurious accommodation with unrivalled panoramic views over Belfast, a romantic four-course evening meal and prosecco in the AA Rosette Seahorse Restaurant with live musical entertainment as well as breakfast the next morning. The package costs from £440 per room, per night.

For a truly romantic experience, the 5-star Culloden Estate and Spa, voted Best Hotel for Romance by Luxury Lifestyle Magazine, offers the “Cherish & Adore” package which starts from £420 per room, per night and includes an overnight stay in the hotel’s famous bespoke cloud beds, rose petal turndown with truffles, a candlelit 5-course dinner in the hotel’s gourmet restaurant with Prosecco, and breakfast the next morning as well as full access to the spa amenities.

For an extra £80 per person, you can indulge in the ‘Spa with your Valentine’ treatment, which includes hot stone neck, back and shoulder massage and oriental scalp, and ground foot ritual.

Hastings Hotels’ Loved up packages include:

 

• Love is in the Air at the Grand Central in Belfast from £440 per room per night
• Cherish & Adore at the Culloden Estate & Spa in Belfast from £420 per room per night
• Winter Indulgence at the Europa in Belfast from £220 per room per night
• Romance by the Sea at Ballygally Castle in Co Antrim from £215 per room per night
• Romance in the City at the Everglades Hotel in Derry from £180 per room per night
• Laidback Love at the Stormont Hotel in Belfast from £160 per room per night

 

Additional luxury extras such as Champagne and chocolates can also be arranged upon request.

 

To book, contact 028 9047 1066 or visit Hastings Hotels’ dedicated Valentine’s page online at www.hastingshotels.com/valentinesoffers

 

*Subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply.

When Claire Lomas was paralysed from the chest down when she fell from her horse during an eventing competition in 2007 she never could have believed that one day she would ride a lap of the North West 200 course on a motorcycle.

Claire’s life was turned upside down when she was just 27. Her accident saw the Englishwoman lose her sport and a career as a chiropractor. Her relationship also fell apart and Claire felt she was losing her identity before she began to focus on rebuilding her life by pushing the boundaries of what she could achieve to new and unforeseeable levels.

In the years since her life changing accident Claire has raised over £850,000 for charity through various challenges, including taking 17 days to complete the 2012 London Marathon in a special robotic suit. A mum, an author and a motivational speaker, she was awarded an MBE in 2017.

Alongside her charity endeavours, Claire has also qualified as a pilot and learned to ride motorbikes, eventually gaining her race licence. Having never ridden a motorcycle prior to her accident, getting to grips with two wheels was particularly challenging for Claire as she has no movement or sensation from the chest down. Taking on her charity lap of the North West 200 roads course on May 11 will present another new challenge as she has previously limited her outings to tracks like Donington Park.

“I am absolutely honoured to have the opportunity to take on this incredible challenge.” Claire says.

“It will be very different to being on a track, which is my only experience. I’m raising money for Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation so that one day paralysis can be reversible.”

Claire’s Suzuki has been adapted with straps to stop her knees from flapping in the wind and toe clips securing her feet to the foot plates. A special shifter allows her to change gears using only her hands. Her husband and father are part of the team, helping to launch her at the start of her lap and catching her when she returns.

“Straight after my accident I thought life was pretty much over.” Claire says.

“Then I started to explore what I was able to do and found new doors to open but I never thought I would be riding a motorbike around the roads in Northern Ireland. It’s both scary and exciting in equal measure!”

“What Claire has achieved is remarkable and we will be delighted to welcome her to the North West 200 as she takes on a new challenge in her journey for a very worthwhile cause.” Mervyn Whyte of the NW200 said.

“Her determination and courage are an inspiration to everyone and Claire will have the support of every North West 200 fan during her lap of the famous 8.9 mile Triangle circuit in May.”