Author: Tina Calder

SOMA Festival will return to Castlewellan, County Down this month for three days of excellent musical performances from artists right across the whole of Ireland. This year’s festival celebrates the rich heritage of Irish folk music and the vibrant local culture.

Spanning from July 19-21, some of the biggest names in folk music will headline the 2024 instalment of the ever-popular festival.

Kicking off the weekend, Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin will play the King’s Inn on Friday 19 July (doors 7.30pm), supported by the Ciara McCrickard Trio. This event is in partnership with Glór Uachtar Tíre. 

The Dublin-native is one of the best known vocalists and multi-instrumentalists from the Irish capital, performing in both English and Gaeilge and taking inspiration from the sean-nós tradition. 

Also playing to audiences on July 19 is Belfast-based tradtronica group Huartan, consisting of Stiofán Ó Luachráin, Catriona Ní Ghribín and Múlú.

Taking to St Malachy’s GAC stage, with doors at 9pm, the award-winning trio promise an evening of electronic beats combined with traditional Irish music that is unlike anything heard before.

Supported by DJ Dalba, this high-adrenaline event will have everyone jumping and dancing the whole night.

Headlining SOMA Festival 2024 is Saturday’s musical feat John Spillane, who returns to Castlewellan from his native Cork for another captivating concert.

Well-known for his iconic tunes such as All The Ways You Wander and The Dunnes Store Girl, the mesmerising show will see John switch between his love of music and poetry as well as some Irish humour thrown in there for good merit.

Joined on stage by the exceptionally talented Soma House Band, John will be supported on stage by Graham Henderson (keys), John McSherry (pipes/low whistle), Emma King (percussion/drums), Seán Ó Meara (guitar), and Tola Custy (fiddle).

Ending on a bang, King’s Inn is set to play host to both Grooveline and Lonesome George as well as support act Le Chéile from 8pm on Sunday 21 July.

Six-piece funk group Grooveline boast a unique sound, mixing jazz, hip-hop, trad and more together in one cohesive arrangement that is infectiously energetic.

Lonesome George will also take to the stage, with songwriting duo Joe Campbell-McArdle and Myles McCormack being joined by Finatan Mulholland, Dermot Moynagh and Catriona Ní Ghribín on a variety of instruments.

Delving into a range of hard-hitting lyrics sung in both English and Irish, the interwoven genres remain rooted in Irish tradition and are sure to provide an ambient event for all in attendance.

There will also be a session trail over the weekend that is open to musicians of all abilities. 

Speaking of the line-up, SOMA Festival Director, Tíona McSherry, said: “Our team has come up with another stellar programme for festival goers to enjoy this year. 

“We’re so excited for the incredible acts we have coming to perform. We hope Castlewellan is as buzzing for it as we are.” 

With funding from Newry, Mourne & Down District Council, Foras na Gaeilge, and sponsors and partners Whitewater Brewing Co., Glór Uachtar Tíre, Excalibur Press, Dolmes Climate Action Network, and Cumann Phobail Garbhdhoire, SOMA Festival 2024 tickets are already available and can be purchased for individual events or as a weekend access pass to all concerts.

The SOMA Festival runs between 19th-21st July and full details including tickets can be found at www.linktr.ee/thesomafestival 

Northern Ireland charity, Electrical Training Trust (ETT) is calling on all electrical workers and electrical apprentices to participate in a vital survey aimed at understanding the frequency, consequences, and reporting practices relating to electric shocks in the workplace. 

Electric shocks can lead to severe and life-changing injuries or fatalities. In 2013, the Health and Safety Executive released a publication highlighting that over 1,000 electric shocks or electric burns are reported each year, with around 30 being fatal. Many go unreported.

The ETT provides training, advice, and support services to the electrical industry. Speaking of the survey CEO Charlotte Bamber, said: “By collecting data from workers in the industry, we aim to gain insights into the prevalence of electric shocks and reporting behaviours, which is crucial to develop effective prevention and safety measures.

“By participating in this survey, electrical workers from across Northern Ireland are helping to shine a light on electric shock incidents that often go unreported and will be contributing to creating a safer industry for everyone.”

The survey is part of the wider Save Our Sparks campaign, an initiative inspired by Michael’s Story, a 26-year-old qualified and experienced electrician, who was electrocuted and tragically died. 

His death could have been prevented had his employer ensured safe working practices were being carried out, including safe isolation. 

Dr. Bryan Monson, deputy chief executive of the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI), has lent his support to the initiative.

He said: “The electric shock survey as part of the Save Our Sparks NI campaign is an essential step towards enhancing workplace safety in the electrical industry. 

“Accurate data on electric shocks will enable industry to more effectively address safety concerns and implement strategies that protect workers’ health and lives.”

Individuals can complete the NI Electric Shock Survey at https://forms.office.com/e/nz8P3vw4vM

For more information about the survey or the Save Our Sparks campaign go to ett-ni.org 

The well known SOMA Festival will be returning to Castlewellan, County Down later this month with a whole host of musical performances, exciting activities and holistic experiences.

Running from July 19-21, the ever-popular SOMA Festival will feature a variety of performances, offering audiences the chance to embrace the alternative festival vibe that can’t be found anywhere else.

The three-day event has been specially curated by the SOMA volunteer team to ensure that the best artists from across the island of Ireland and beyond will be in attendance.

Tíona McSherry, SOMA Festival Director, said she was delighted to develop another fantastic line-up for this year’s event along with the wider team.

She said: “Our team has come up with another stellar programme for festival goers to enjoy this year. 

“We’re so excited for the incredible acts we have coming to perform. We hope Castlewellan is as buzzing for it as we are.”

With funding from Newry, Mourne & Down District Council, Foras na Gaeilge, and sponsors and partners Whitewater Brewing Co., Glór Uachtar Tíre, Excalibur Press, Dolmes Climate Action Network, and Cumann Phobail Garbhdhoire, SOMA Festival 2024 tickets are already available and can be purchased for individual events or as a weekend access pass to all concerts.

With a full line-up set to be released in due course there will be a number of festival hubs scattered around the town with SOMA on the Square, Little Gems and Mind, Body & Soul also making a return.

Tíona added: “It takes a dedicated group of people to attempt to pull any festival off, not to mention doing it for the love alone. 

“A big thank you to all of our funders and sponsors, in particular Whitewater Brewing Co. and Newry, Mourne & Down District Council, and the wonderful volunteers who help make the SOMA Festival a reality.”

SOMA Festival 2024 is set to offer a welcome space for everyone regardless of what they’re interested in, including everything from live music and family entertainment to nature walks and meditation sessions.

The SOMA Festival runs between 19th-21st July and full details including tickets can be found at www.linktr.ee/thesomafestival 

The inaugural Remarkable Marketing Awards recognised 20 experts across the industry recently at a glittering awards ceremony at the Europa Hotel.

Sponsored by Card Group Research, the awards were created by the team behind the hugely popular annual Big Marketing Meet Up conference.

Hosted by communicator and presenter, Emer Maguire, the RMA’s gave marketers and their teams the chance to blow their own trumpets to be recognised for their creativity, innovation and marketing successes.

Winners on the night included Catherine McKernan from Galgorm Collective (Hospitality), Stephanie Watson from Lusso Tan (Market Research and Lifestyle & Wellness) and Leonie Bond from Trifecta Studios (independent consultant) plus many more.

Speaking of the awards, Treena Clarke, founder, said: “The Remarkable Marketing Awards are a celebration of the people behind groundbreaking initiatives. These awards are not about brands, channels or tactics, they’re about the people, the visionary marketers.” 

This year’s theme was about encouraging marketers to blow their own trumpets and celebrate the people in Northern Ireland behind some of the most impactful campaigns promoting brands, helping clients hit targets and turning remarkable ideas into reality. 

Winner Charlotte McAteer of Jack Murphy Jewellers said: “Winning the prestigious award for Most Remarkable Marketing in Retail and eCommerce is an immense honour and it wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the entire team at Jack Murphy Jewellers, and each and every customer that has and continues to support our Welded Forever Bracelets experience.”

The event also featured a special keynote address from lead judge Walter Campbell, one of the most awarded creative thinkers and inspirational ECD’s in advertising. 

When asked what stood out to him most during the judging of the awards, Walter Campbell highlighted his admiration for the dedication and resilience displayed in the submissions. 

He said: “I was highly impressed by the commitment to ideas and the physical tenacity evident in some of the work. The determination to extend or unlock aspects of the ideas over 

Melissa Devlin of GCD Technologies who won the Digital & ICT award said: “I’m really proud to have won! 

“Marketing isn’t always about the big shiny campaigns but also the hard work that goes on in the background, particularly in small and medium-sized companies, so it feels great to have been recognised amongst my peers.”

And Ellen White of the MarTech Laboratory at Ulster University who won Future Marketing Leader added: “I am incredibly encouraged by being awarded this accolade and it has empowered me as I hope to progress my career post-graduation within the Northern Ireland marketing sphere.”

The RMA’s are sponsored by headline sponsors Card Group Research and Insight, along with category sponsors Excalibur Press, Horrible Brands, Mrktsearch, Belfast Academy of Marketing, Thought Boxes, Creating Retail Magic and CO3.

For more information or to see a full winners list go to >> remarkableawards.com 

An internationally acclaimed, award-winning interactive VR adventure that transports you into the heart of the Acid House movement is heading for Belfast early next year.

In Pursuit Of Repetitive Beats, produced by East City Films and created by Darren Emerson, has added Belfast to its eight-city UK tour.

In partnership with Belfast XR Festival the experience will take audiences back in time to the beginning of the Acid House movement and the creation of UK rave culture telling a multicultural story of collaboration and unity that celebrates music, friendship, and the joy of youth.

Belfast XR Festival, entering its fourth year, specialises in curating worldclass immersive technology content that takes the art of storytelling to a new level.

Extended Reality or ‘XR’ is the collective name for virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). VR is a computer-generated artificial environment with scenes that appear to be real, while AR is a digital overlay onto the real world, which is viewed through your phone or an iPad. 

Deepa Mann-Kler, director and curator for Belfast XR Festival which is an annual gathering for the XR arts – storytelling, visual arts, music, drama, dance, literature and theatre, said she is delighted to be showcasing In Pursuit Of Repetitive Beats at the forthcoming 2025 festival.

She said: “Northern Ireland has an incredible track record when it comes to music which is internationally recognised. 

“It made sense to bring this work to Belfast as it also features music by a leading Northern Irish artist Max Cooper. Belfast also holds the prestigious UNESCO City of Music title. 

“This marks a debut and premiere for the work on the island of Ireland. We are looking forward to this exciting collaboration with East City Films.”

The experience, which is jointly supported by Arts Council England and BFI, will take audiences on ‘a multi-sensory joyride into the heart of a working-class revolution in dance’.

Viewers of the experience will witness the joy of tracking down and arriving at an all-night illegal warehouse party at the height of the rave scene in Coventry, 1989 by stepping into the shoes of rave culture pioneers.  

“Bringing to life the stories of the promoters, police officers, pirate radio stations, and secret warehouse rave-goers, whose rivalries and relationships drove a revolution in music and society, the film features euphoric rave anthems such as Chime by Orbital and Energy Flash by Joey Beltram. 

Beats uses Virtual Reality (VR) technology to fully immerse audiences in a one-hour multi-sensory interactive experience that is awash with meticulous period detail. It surrounds participants with the sounds, senses, and the thrill of being young (again).  

Director Darren Emerson, East City Films said: “With In Pursuit of Repetitive Beats I wanted to take audiences back to a moment where a community formed from their passion for music, dance and freedom of expression.  

“In a modern society where we are constantly monitored, and tracked by devices, this experience, although using technology, seeks to reunite audiences with the thrill of freedom and those important, crazy nights where we not only find our friends, but truly find ourselves.

“The response to Beats has been overwhelming; seeing people emerge from VR moved and excited and wanting to connect with each other has been so rewarding.  

“After success touring Internationally, I’m delighted we are now bringing Beats back to the UK, to connect with the audiences that were shaped in some way by the cultural revolution that was Acid House.”  

The creative team behind Beats spent time making the experience fully accessible to all audiences, accessible to wheelchair users with a seated version and d/Deaf audiences with subtitles, Haptics (vibration), Access Packs, VR Explainer and scene descriptions and Touch Tour.

To further enhance the experience, East City Films has partnered with Woojer. Woojer’s innovative haptic vests will add to the multi-sensory journey, immersing users in a vibrant auditory landscape and enhancing accessibility for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. This collaboration aims to deliver an inclusive experience that resonates deeply with all audiences.

Hundreds of manufacturing companies and supply chain experts from Northern Ireland are set to travel to Dublin this week for the 2024 National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition at RDS Simmonscourt, Dublin.

Following this major event, the same organisation will bring the Northern Ireland Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition to the Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in September 2024.

Incorporating a comprehensive conference programme and an extensive exhibition area displaying the latest technological solutions and business services available, the 2024 National Manufacturing and Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition will be held over two days on May 28 and 29.

The largest event of its kind in Ireland, the National Manufacturing and Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition serves as a national forum for manufacturers and operators involved throughout the associated supply chains from across Ireland to gather to discuss pressing issues facing Irish industry. 

As such, the Event successfully connects key stakeholders across the full spectrum of Irish manufacturing, including the food, drink, pharmaceutical, medical, chemical, life sciences and electronics sectors.

Accounting for almost a third of Ireland’s GDP and employing over 270,000 people, the manufacturing industry is crucial to the Irish economy and also helps to redress regional imbalances as more than 80% of operations are based outside of Dublin.

However, Irish and international manufacturers are currently facing serious challenges due to disruption to supply chains and markets caused by Brexit, the war in Ukraine, the situation in Gaza and the Red Sea region, and soaring energy, transport and raw materials costs. 

The Irish manufacturing industry and its associated supply chain are also trying to adapt to the disruptive changes generated by the digital revolution and the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’ (Industry 4.0).

 A new wave of advanced technologies is transforming the manufacturing landscape. These technologies include AI (Artificial Intelligence), IoT (Internet of Things), Cloud Computing, Digital Fabrication (including 3D printing), Big Data Capture, Advanced Automated and Autonomous Systems and Collaborative Robotics.

The 2024 National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition will highlight the key trends and challenges facing the industry, while also offering practical solutions, as well as showcasing the latest innovations, developments in best practice and new technological advances.

The organiser of 2024 National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition, Dublin-based Premier Publishing & Events, is assembling an impressive line-up of manufacturing leaders, academics and government agencies who will engage in a stimulating blend of keynote addresses and debates. 

Visitors interested in improving the performance of their business can listen to case studies and technical presentations from leading global and local manufacturing experts, whilst also meeting with providers of cutting edge technology.

For instance, Professor Henrik Von Scheel, the originator of the fourth industrial revolution (industry 4.0) will examine the future of manufacturing in his presentation titled ‘Factory 4.0: Megatrends that shape the next decade’. Carlos Garcia Santiago, Head of AI Strategy at Irish Manufacturing Research, will discuss the changing interaction between humans and AI in the field of manufacturing during his presentation titled ‘Beyond automation: Human Wisdom in the AI Revolution’. Dr. Yasmine Daher, Project Manager CE at Irish Manufacturing Research, will aim to aims to demystify AI adoption for Irish manufacturers during his talk titled ‘AI-Driven Circularity: Insights & Opportunities for Irish Enterprise’.

Tristan McCallum, Technologist for Engineering and the Green Economy at IDA Ireland, will look at ‘How the Digital Transformation is benefiting Irish Industry’. 

Anne Bannon, Head of Healthcare & Life Sciences at AIB, will provide an overview of the manufacturing sector and the changing landscape around sustainability while explaining how AIB can assist customers in this area in her presentation –‘Supporting the decarbonisation of the Irish Manufacturing Sector’. Diana Vaz, Renewable Research Technologist at Irish Manufacturing Research, will consider ‘The Role of Renewable Energy Systems (RES) in the decarbonisation of industry’.

Adam Fox, Ireland & UK Business Development Manager at Swisslog, and Brian Cooney, Managing Director of KUKA Ireland, will deliver a comprehensive insight into the future of robotics in the logistics and supply chain industries and wider manufacturing circles during their chat titled ‘What is possible in the realm of autonomous systems? The answer, anything’.

Brendan McAuley, Director at the International Trade Institute, will look at ‘Changes in international trade and what they will mean for your supply chain’.

Engineering Industries Ireland (EII), the Ibec group representing the engineering manufacturing and services sector in Ireland, is the headline Sponsor of the annual Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition. 

As the industry membership body for engineering and manufacturing, Engineering Industries Ireland connects its members to expert knowledge, advice, and supply chain opportunities, supporting a thriving and sustainable sector to compete effectively on both national and world stages.

The National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition incorporates several complementary events – all under one roof. The co-located events include: the Automation and Robotics Event; the IOT & Industry 4.0 Expo; the Sustainability Summit; the Supply Chain & Logistics Expo; the High Tech Manufacturing & Precision Engineering Expo; the Digital Transformation in Manufacturing Event; the Pharma and MedTech Expo; and the Lean Productivity and Continuous Improvement Summit. The co-located events within the National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition are designed to show visitors how to harness new technology to improve their own business performance.

Free registration to attend the National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition is now open at https://www.manufacturingevent.com/register/