THIS WEEK, Friday 22 July – Thursday 28 July

Until Sunday 31 July, Sail the Tall Ship Johanna Lucretia

In association with the Skiffie Worlds 2016 the Johanna Lucretia Tall Ship is coming into the area and offering various sailing experiences.

Don’t miss the opportunity to sail on a wonderful tall ship. This Summer, the Johanna Lucretia is in the area for a number of days allowing you the opportunity to board and cruise either Belfast Lough or Strangford Lough!
Info: Ards Visitor Information Centre, (028) 9182 6846, ardsvic@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk, visitardsandnorthdown.com

This event is grant aided by Ards and North Down Borough Council

Until Sunday 31 July, Art in the Loft ‘Mi-NI’: An exhibition by Jewellery Designer Ruth McEwan Lyon

The Loft Gallery, Portaferry Visitor Information Centre

Jewellery Designer Ruth McEwan-Lyon from Holywood presents her collection of Northern Ireland inspired silver jewellery ‘Mi-NI’.

Exhibition open Mon – Sat: 10am – 5pm, Sun: 1pm – 5pm. Free admission.

Info: Portaferry Visitor Information Centre, (028) 4272 9882, portaferryvic@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk, visitardsandnorthdown.com

Until  Sunday 24 July, Ulster Fleadh 2016

Bangor, various locations

Ards CCÉ are delighted to announce that they will be hosting the Ulster Fleadh 2016 this year in the beautiful seaside resort of Bangor. It will incorporate an impressive combination of literary

events, workshops, seisiúns, street entertainment, concerts, dancing and singing.  The entertainment line-up already includes BEOGA, THE SANDS FAMILY, NA LEANAÍ & RÉALTA plus

many more top notch local musicians/vocalists.

Info: ulsterfleadh.com

This event is grant aided by Ards and North Down Borough Council

Wednesday 20  – Wednesday 27 July, Topper World Championships 2016

Ballyholme Yacht Club, Bangor

Info: BYC, 028 9127 1467, http://ballyholme.com

This event is grant aided by Ards and North Down Borough Council

Friday 22 July, Fair Weather Fridays Outdoor Performances

Conway Square, Newtownards

Free entertainment, 12.30pm-1.30pm

22 Jul: ‘That Man’ presented by Grant Goldie – A celebration of movement and manipulation, combined with skilfully constructed quirky skits. Charming and full of energy.

Part of the free programme of outdoor entertainment running throughout July and August.

In the event of inclement weather the performance will move into Ards Arts Centre!

Info: Ards Arts, 028 9181 0803, ardsarts.com

Saturday 23 July, Family Entertainment

Portaferry Visitor Information Centre

Free. 2pm – 4pm

23 July: Science Show, face painting and balloon modelling

Visitor Centre open Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 1pm-5pm

Info: Portaferry Visitor Information Centre, (028) 4281 9882, ardsvic@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk, visitardsandnorthdown.com

Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 July, Summer Market at the Museum

North Down Museum, Bangor

Sat 23: 10am – 4.30pm

Sun 24: 12noon – 4.30pm

To celebrate Ulster Fleadh 2016 taking place in Bangor, North Down Museum is

hosting a family market in the beautiful surroundings of the Museum on Saturday 23 July and Sunday 24 July.

Info: North Down Museum, (028) 9127 1200, northdownmuseum.com

Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 July, Family Fun at Cockle Row Cottages

Groomsport Harbour

Free entertainment, 2pm-4pm.

Sat 23: Animal Roadshow and magic show

Sun 24: Jumping Clay, balloon modelling and Ulster-Scots Agency Entertainment

Cottages open to the public 11am-5pm, daily. Free admission

Info: Bangor Visitor Information Centre, (028) 9127 0069, bangorvic@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk, visitardsandnorthdown.com

Every Sunday in July and August, Summer Music in the Park

Ward Park Bandstand, Bangor

Free live performances, every Sunday 3pm-5pm

24 July: Chris Keys Band – Chris is an award winning singer-songwriter hailing from Portstewart, who has developed an easy listening acoustic sound.

Info: Bangor Visitor Information Centre, (028) 9127 0069, bangorvic@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk, visitardsandnorthdown.com

Sunday 24 – Saturday 30 July, Skiffie Worlds 2016 and Strangford Lough Festival

Portaferry and Strangford Lough

Competitors from around the world converge on Strangford Lough this July to compete in the community coastal rowing championships

Many events free

Info: (028) 4272 9886, strangfordlough.org/skiffieworlds

NEXT WEEK, Friday 29 July – Thursday 4 August

Friday 29 July, Fair Weather Fridays Outdoor Performances

Conway Square, Newtownards

Free entertainment, 12.30pm-1.30pm

A programme of free outdoor entertainment programme running throughout July and August.

In the event of inclement weather the performance will move into Ards Arts Centre!

Info: Ards Arts, 028 9181 0803, ardsarts.com

Friday 29 July, Arts Night at the Museum

North Down Museum, Bangor

Free, 6pm-9pm

Arts activity for all ages in a great venue – a Friday night with a difference! Try your hand at pottery, printing, sketching and much more, while listening to great music.

Info: North Down Museum, (028) 9127 1200, northdownmuseum.com

Saturday 30 July, Family Entertainment

Portaferry Visitor Information Centre

Free. 2pm – 4pm

30 July: Clayrazy and glitter tattoos

Visitor Centre open Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 1pm-5pm

Info: Portaferry Visitor Information Centre, (028) 4281 9882, ardsvic@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk, visitardsandnorthdown.com

Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 July, Family Fun at Cockle Row Cottages

Groomsport Harbour

Free entertainment, 2pm-4pm.

Sat 30: CSI Detective workshop and children’s crafts

Sun 31: Children’s crafts, Falconry Display and Ulster-Scots Agency Entertainment

Cottages open to the public 11am-5pm, daily. Free admission

Info: Bangor Visitor Information Centre, (028) 9127 0069, bangorvic@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk, visitardsandnorthdown.com

Every Sunday in July and August, Summer Music in the Park

Ward Park Bandstand, Bangor

Free live performances, every Sunday 3pm-5pm

31 July: Sam Wickens and Band – Soul and Blues tone

Info: Bangor Visitor Information Centre, (028) 9127 0069, bangorvic@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk, visitardsandnorthdown.com

Guided Walks and Tours

Nautical Past Short Sea Cruise – 23 July

From an Abbey to a Stately Home – 23 July

Strangford Lough Boat Tour – 24 July

Newtownards Historical Walking Tour – 28 July

Crawfordsburn to Helen’s Bay Walk – 30 July

A train, fit for a Queen, will be used this Sunday, 24^th July, for a public excursion from Belfast to Dublin and back.

The train has been restored by the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland, based in Whitehead and was used on 28^th June to transport the Queen and Prince Philip to the re-opening of Bellarena station.

The locomotive hauling the train will be sky-blue coloured steam locomotive No.85 “Merlin”, built in 1932 especially for operating the then-new “Enterprise” service.

RPSI Operations Officer Mervyn Darragh explains “When the Great Northern Railway of Ireland wanted to re-launch it’s Belfast-Dublin railway service in the 1930’s, it wanted to enthuse the public.  So they built very powerful locomotives, capable of hauling long trains at great speed on the hilly Belfast-Dublin railway line. They named them evocatively after birds of prey and painted them a very eye-catching sky blue colour. ”

National Museums Northern Ireland preserved one of the locomotives built for the Belfast-Dublin railway.  Number 85, named “Merlin” was built in Manchester in 1932 and spent it’s working life on the “Enterprise” service.  The locomotive has been lovingly restored by volunteers and staff of the Railway Preservation Society at their base at Whitehead in County Antrim.

RPSI Operations Officer, Mervyn Darragh commented “We have been using the locomotive for some months now and we have been very impressed with it’s power and steam-making capabilities.  It was a great honour to provide a train for the Royal visit and we are delighted to now be able to share that train with everyone on public steam trains this summer.”

Advance ticket purchase is essential.  Return fares cost £30 for adults and £14 for children, with tickets on sale by phone and in-person from the Belfast Welcome Centre, 9 Donegall Square North in Belfast, telephone 028 9024 6609.  Tickets are also available online from the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland website steamtrainsireland.com – something that would be inconceivable to a cross-border passenger in 1932!

The RPSI is a not-for-profit charity, so all income from these trains goes back into the continual job of restoring steam locomotives and carriages for future trains.

FACTFILE:

•         The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland was formed in 1964 and celebrated it’s Golden Anniversary in 2014.  Set up to preserve and operate steam trains and associated railway heritage stock and items, the RPSI is still managed by volunteers and the majority of restoration work is carried out by volunteers in Whitehead, Dublin and Mullingar.

•         The steam locomotive for this event is named “Merlin” and it is unique, the last of 5 “V”-class, three-cylinder compound locomotives built by Beyer Peacock in Manchester for the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) in 1932.  The locomotives were built to be powerful and fast, but still be small enough to be worked-on inside the dimensions of the railway company workshops at Dundalk.

•         The 5 locomotives were named after birds of prey – No.83 Eagle, No.84 Falcon, No.85 Merlin, No.86 Peregrine, No.87 Kestrel.

•         No.85 was last steamed in railway company service in about 1962 and was eventually bought by the Belfast Transport Museum.  The locomotive was on display at their museum in Witham Street Belfast until 1982 when Lord Henry Dunleath provided substantial funding to have the locomotive restored.

•         The locomotive’s first overhaul in preservation was largely carried out by Harland and Wolff and she ran from 1985 to 1990 before returning to the RPSI depot at Whitehead for further extensive work.

•         She hauled steam trains all over Ireland from 1994 to 2004 before retiring again for overhaul and returning to traffic in 2014.  The overhauls are largely carried out by volunteers and the work on “Merlin” earned junior volunteer Nathan Lightowler from Moira the national award of UK Volunteer of the Year 2013.

•         The RPSI is always seeking new volunteers and interested persons should first of all join the Society, details of which can be found online at http://www.steamtrainsireland.com/

•         Since 1991, the RPSI has carried the Queen and two Presidents of Ireland on it’s trains.

•         The RPSI is developing a £3.1m museum, education and interpretative centre at its base in Whitehead. Visitors will be able to see the sole surviving traditional railway workshop in Northern Ireland. This is where the RPSI overhauls its heritage steam locomotives and carriages.

•         The development project comprises extensions to the locomotive workshop, locomotive sheds and carriage shed, construction of a carriage workshop, provision of a 60ft turntable, conversion of the former stables building to an education centre, substantial upgrading of staff and volunteer facilities, and upgraded material storage premises.

•         Heritage Lottery Fund is the lead funder for the project, backed by Tourism NI (part financed by the European Regional Development Fund under the European Sustainable Competitiveness Programme for NI), with additional support from Mid and East Antrim Council and Ulster Garden Villages.

•         Construction work is being carried out by MSM Contracts, a Portadown-based building and civil engineering company, while RPS from Belfast is the lead design consultant.

ENTRIES for Molly’s Bar and Restaurant Moto3 GP 125 Lightweight Race have exceeded expectations with some 25 riders entering with only four newcomers according to the Armoy Motorcycling Road Racing Club.

The entry list sees the majority of racers coming from Northern Ireland, with several from England, Dan Sayle from the Isle of Man and there is a couple from the RoI which include Derek McGee from Mullingar and Sean Leonard from Donabate.  There are also two female road racers with Sarah Boyes from Ballymena and Melissa Kennedy from Enniskillen taking part.

With Derek McGee and Sam Wilson from Cullybackey racing under Joey’s Bar Racing Honda, Gary Dunlop racing under William Dunlop Racing Honda and Paul Robinson and Sam Dunlop racing under CB Racing Aprilia and Glover/MSC Racing Honda respectively, it certainly will be exciting to see who will be on the podium.

Bill Kennedy, Clerk of the Course, Armoy Road Races, said, “The 125cc race is where many of our top racers started out. It’s great to see so many entries as it is important to encourage sport at these levels.

“Although there are a few less riders for the 250cc it is fundamental that these two races allow the best and brightest of road racing’s future to race on our 3.03 mile circuit.”

“It’s also great to see local sponsor, Molly’s Bar and Restaurant, and proprietors Sammy and Shelly Mullan, return to sponsor this race for the second year in a row,” continued Bill Kennedy. “It’s rewarding to see the local businesses and communities getting behind us year on year as we continue to grow.”

The event is part funded by Tourism Northern Ireland and Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council. Bike Week runs from Sunday 24^th July until Saturday 30^th July 2016 with the SGS International ‘Race of Legends’ featuring on the Saturday 30^th July 2016.

Please support the Armoy Road Races by buying a programme. They are available from the AMRRC office and the Petrol Station in Armoy costing £10.00 or €15.

For more information visit www.amrrc.com or search for ‘AMRRC’ on Facebook and join the official fan page and you can also follow us on twitter at @ArmoyRoadRaces.

Cornucopia of food and drink at Hillsborough festival

When the gates open at this year’s Sunflowerfest visitors can expect more than just a feast of music to enjoy – festival goers will now have a cornucopia of food and drink to tickle the taste buds. To celebrate the NI year of Food and Drink, Sunflowerfest  organisers will tantalise festival goer’s senses through cookery demonstrations, tastings, talks and workshops.

Sunflowerfest takes place at Tubby’s Farm, Hillsborough, from 5^th – 7^th August and will feature a packed music line-up of 150 acts across six stages, including The Strypes, Le Galaxie, Emerald Armada and Trucker Diablo.

The new attraction of the NI Year of Food & Drink Tent in the Sunflowerfest village will also add to the family friendly feel of this superb festival, which is growing in popularity each and every year.

Foodies will have the chance to see chefs prepare dishes using local produce including locally sourced meat, in keeping with the theme for August Love NI Meat; they can participate in foraging tours for a plot to plate experience, taste craft beers and ciders or take part in baking workshops utilising Tubby’s very own brick oven to bake breads and pizzas. The children – our little Sunflowers – can join in the pizza making workshops and get stuck into growing, creating, crafting and learning.

There will be Vikings too this year at Sunflowerfest, as the Magnus Viking Association will be setting up camp and demonstrating traditional crafts and skills and battle re-enactments for all ages.

Vanessa Magowan, of Sunflowerfest said everyone is excited by this addition to the festival: “The festival is renowned for its music, art, poetry and family-friendly atmosphere, and now there will be so much more with our association with the Year of Food and Drink NI.  It means everyone can enjoy new tastes, try new things and learn new skills.

“From coffee and tea brewing, through to Vegan talks and gluten free produce; cooking demonstrations with locally sourced meat by the team from South Eastern Regional College and a visit to the Community garden on Tubby’s Farm there is something to suit all tastes!”

Tickets for Sunflowerfest are now available from www.sunflowerfest.co.uk, with a range of options including family deals, weekend passes and day tickets. Don’t hesitate to escape to Tubby’s Farm this summer to grab some music, poetry and fantastic local food!

EastSide Arts Festival 2016 will bring 11 days of inspiring events to Belfast from 10^th – 21st August. The festival programme is packed with 100 events including music, comedy, movies, theatre, talks, workshops, visual art, exhibitions, poetry, events for the young and old, community events and heritage tours plus over 50 free events.

Among this year’s musical highlights are two headline concerts- Nick Lowe and Anúna. You can also check out the Kaz Hawkins Band with their unique take on the blues, or renowned saxophonist Keith Donald. For younger audiences there’s The Late Twos with support from Petty Youth.  The fantastic Woodstock Rhythm & Blues Festival opens the Festival this year featuring Amanda St John, Anthony Toner, Ken Haddock, Ronnie Greer and Rab McCullough amongst others.

The Festival will host a wide range of readings, film screenings and poetry. Iconic films will be screened at Strand Arts Centre including Breakfast at Tiffany’s, The Big Lebowski and Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet.  For fans of written and spoken word, treats include a special Page to Stage event with Lucy Caldwell and Rosemary Jenkinson, a Literary Supper Club at The Lamppost Café and a bus tour with poet, Alice McCullough.

Be inspired by the fantastic range of theatre this year. To mark the Somme anniversary local actors Sam and Joan McCready, along with a brass quintet from the Ulster Orchestra, present Letters From The Front- a selection of poems and letters giving accounts of this harrowing time.  Also featured is The Prodger – a story about a Catholic Irishman who fought at the Somme.

Looking for some comedy? Then look no further than Neil Dougan’s Heretics’ and Head the Balls – a funny look back at 500 yrs of Protestant Culture, or 1916 Tim McGarry Goes Over The Top –a brand new stand-up show about the history of 1916 Easter Rising and the Battle of the Somme, with Tim’s usual take on things!

This year’s festival is also jam packed with workshops and community events, talks and tours, visual art and much more. Check out the full programme at www.eastsidearts.net

Tourism NI has put together a list of 10 exciting things to do in Northern Ireland next week (July 18 – 24).

• Dalriada Festival, Glenarm Castle, Co. Antrim, July 18 – 23. Enjoy one of Northern Ireland’s biggest cultural family events. The festival has something for everyone from Highland Games, Fine Foods, Celebrity Chef demonstrations, arts and crafts, live music and children’s entertainment. www.dalriadafestival.co.uk

• Rose Week, Sir Thomas & Lady Dixon Park, Belfast, July 18 – 24. The international rose garden at Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park is one of the world’s leading rose gardens attracting thousands of visitors each year. Rose Week, with its full programme of activities is a celebration of this spectacular rose garden and is now one of Belfast’s most popular annual events.

• Ulster Fleadh, Various locations, Bangor, Co. Down, until July 24. With an impressive combination of literary events, workshops, street entertainment, dancing and singing, this year’s Ulster Fleadh is not to be missed! Throughout the festival there will be performances from Beoga, The Sands Family and many more. Everyone is invited to enjoy the craic as well as the countless family amenities Bangor has to offer!

• Foyle Cup, Various locations, Co. Derry~Londonderry, July 18 – 24. Join almost 3000 footballers in Derry City and surrounding areas this month and participate in Ireland’s premier festival of football Camaraderie, friendly rivalry and superb hospitality from the local population will make your visit to the 2016 tournament one to remember.

• Hats off to the Hill, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, July 22. Celebrate the beauty of Enniskillen’s Victorian park, The Forthill, overlooking the picturesque island town. With music from the Bandstand, face painting, balloon modelling, animal handling, butterfly & biodiversity trails and a show by Jo-Jingles, the whole family will enjoy this free day out.

• The Whistlin’ Donkeys Live, Alley Theatre, Co. Tyrone, July 22. An extravaganza of traditional Irish rock/folk music with Ireland’s best loved and home grown folk rock band – The Whistlin’ Donkeys. Throughout the evening the Donkeys will perform some of their tops hits and for the first time play a number of tracks from their forthcoming album. Tickets £15. To book call (028) 71 384444.

• Food and Drink Exhibition, Armagh Public Library, Co. Armagh, until Aug 6. To coincide with the NI Year of Food and Drink 2016, Armagh Public Library has launched a temporary exhibition exploring the history of food and drink and its cultural importance. The exhibition highlights what the Armagh Public Library holds on eighteenth century food and drink in Ireland, from production to consumption.

• Dine around Deanes at the Races, Belfast, July 22. Place your bets on a great day out and join a culinary experience you won’t forget. Your day will begin with a glass of bubbles on arrival at Deanes Meat Locker, followed by a two-course lunch before you are transported to Down Royal for an afternoon of racing.  Return to Deans Love & Fish and finish the evening with Fish and Chips. Cost £50.  To book call (028) 90 329080.

• Carrowmena Summer Camp, Carrowmena Activity Centre, Co. Derry~Londonderry, July 18 – 22. Do your kids want to have the best summer ever? Carrowmena’s annual 5 Day Summer Camp for all 8 – 17 year olds promises action packed activities form zip line to canoeing to archery to orienteering. Booking essential. To book call (028) 777 63431.

• Butterfly Safari, Portstewart Strand, Co. Derry~Londonderry, July 23. Join the National Trust Rangers on the hunt to catch and identify the dunes’ fluttering residents. The sand dunes are always full of adventure, but this safari is a timely one as it is butterfly and moth season, so the kids will have a ball. Please note some of the events require pre-booking. For more details on these and other events click on www.discovernorthernireland.com/events, visit your local tourist information centre or log onto www.facebook.com/discovernorthernireland.

The world’s greatest detective, Sherlock Holmes, accompanied by his dear friend Dr. Watson, will wow you with his fabulous powers of observation and logical reasoning when he descends on Solitude Park, Banbridge on Thursday 28 July 2016 at 7.30pm to solve the mystery of why a phantom beast is stalking the Baskerville estate.

This thrilling performance by Chapterhouse Theatre Company of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s best known crime novel, The Hound of the Baskervilles, will have you gripped as the story unravels to reveal if Sir Charles Baskerville has indeed been killed by a ghostly hound believed to haunt his family because of an age-old curse.

Holmes and Watson are introduced to the case by Dr. Mortimer, a friend of Sir Charles Baskerville, who found a paw print near Sir Charles’s corpse. He is worried that there may be some truth to the superstitious legend, which is detailed in an old manuscript, and thus approaches Holmes in the hope that the detective can protect Sir Henry, who is soon to arrive to claim the family estate and fortune.

Will Holmes and Watson solve the case before Sir Henry suffers the same fate as Sir Charles or will the phantom beast, which roams the mist-enshrouded moors around the isolated Baskerville Hall on Dartmoor, claim the life of another member of the Baskerville family?

Families are welcome to come along to this free outdoor performance and enjoy an unforgettable evening of mystery, suspense and theatre.

The Millennium Forum has just announced its new season of events taking us into the Autumn/Winter of 2016. The Sept-Dec 2016 season will open for bookings @ 9am on Thurs 14^th July.

The season opens with acclaimed Irish folk favourite CHRISTY MOORE for two nights on 2nd and 3rd September.  Music is a central part of the Millennium Forum programme and local fans can look forward to hearing PETER CORRY when he returns after a long break with the much loved MASTERS OF THE MUSICALS in October.  Legendary crooner TONY CHRISTIE, (famous for ‘Amarillo’ and ‘Avenue and Alleyways’) arrives for his debut here in November.  In the same month, Derry’s own THE UNDERTONES celebrate their 40^th anniversary as a band with what is sure to be an unforgettable night in their home city.

Also featuring this season are FOSTER AND ALLEN, NATHAN CARTER and THE FUREYS.  For something different, why not enjoy an evening of Mozart Masterpieces with the MAGICAL MOZART BY CANDLELIGHT.   This season, a wide range of the best in stand-up comedy is on offer by SEAN LOCK who returns with his new show in October, while host of ‘Live At The Apollo’, HAL CRUTTENDEN, debuts on the Forum stage in the same month.  Internationally acclaimed, JIMEOIN, is back in November while Channel 4 favourite, JIMMY CARR makes a welcome return for what is sure to be another sell-out show.  Comedy newcomer, ROMESH RANGANATHAN, joins us in December.

The Force is with us when an all new INVASION DERRY returns for another weekend of fantastic photo opportunities for Star Wars fans in September.

The first ever touring production of CELTIC THE MUSICAL arrives in the cityside venue this season.  This is the story of a world famous sporting institution, a people’s club, and showcases a musical history of Celtic Football Club. The UK Tour of BLOOD BROTHERS stops off at the Forum for one week in October.  Written  by Willy Russell, and featuring a superb score, the legendary BLOOD BROTHERS tells the captivating and moving tale of twins who, separated at birth, grow up on opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with fateful consequences.

International multi-award winning singer Tommy Fleming takes to the stage for his first major acting role in the hit drama/musical PADDY, which returns by popular demand.  There is local drama with the return of the well-known PACKIE’S WAKE; there are two new plays by local playwrights, Jonathan Burgess’ DIVIDED BY HISTORY UNITED BY MUSIC and Brian Foster’s WHEN THE BOGSIDE SPINSTER MET THE CARNDONAGH STUD.

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without the Millennium Forum pantomime and this year’s CINDERELLA is shaping up to be the biggest and best!  There is a stellar cast, a fabulous script, an amazing set and even more special effects.  It’s fun for all the family from aged 4 – 94!

The full programme of events is now available to download from the Millennium Forum website at www.millenniumforum.co.uk

The new Sept-Dec season of events is open for bookings from 9am on Thursday 14^th July. Telephone the Box Office on 71 264455 or visit www.millenniumforum.co.uk for tickets.

The 29^th John Hewitt International Summer School is making a welcome return to The Market Place Theatre in Armagh from Monday 25^th until Saturday 29^th July, extended for the first time to six days.

This year’s celebration of culture and creativity will feature talks, readings, theatre, performances, discussions and workshops from well-known writers, performers and esteemed speakers from across the UK, Ireland and beyond. The theme is ‘A Role in History: the Rising, the Great War and a Shared Past’, and will look at the influences – cultural, political, economic and historical which led both men and women, Nationalist and Unionist, to choose various ‘roles’ in 1912, 1914, 1916 and consider the factors old and new on those who have enlisted in numerous conflicts since then. The summer school aims to explore how historical narrative, media, culture, literature and the arts have kept the record straight, or have been harnessed to politically and culturally divisive ends.

Key events in the Summer School programme include a poetry reading with Sinead Morrissey who is a central figure in contemporary Irish poetry, music from Duke Special, one of our most significant musical talents, a World War 1 musical | story from celebrated storyteller Liz Weir and acclaimed fiddle player Ciaran Mulholland, a performance with one of the most important Irish traditional musicians of the last fifty years, Martin Hayes, as well as a rare opportunity to hear one of Ireland’s finest and most cherished poets, Paul Durcan.

The full programme is available to view online at www.johnhewittsociety.org

Tickets for all performances can be booked through the Box Office on [028] 3752 1821, or online at www.marketplacearmagh.com And to keep up-to-date with the latest news at the Market Place Theatre, you can follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/marketplacearmagh) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/mptarmagh) where you will find all the latest information, special offers and video previews.