Have you ever tried to build a cobb oven? Ever cooked with a Fulacht Fiadh? Tried wicker weaving or wattle & daub? Made pottery or helped build a boat? We suspect not, but this is your opportunity to try these new skills and see first-hand how life was for a Celtic family.
See how the Celts cook in fire pits as you become a Celtic apprentice @ the Navan Centre & Fort, Armagh
On Monday 30th May from 11.00am – 5.00pm the Navan Centre & Fort, Armagh are offering you the chance to become a Celtic Apprentice for the day!
This promises to be a great family day out as our Celtic characters show how they live from day to day and train you on how to be a Celt. They will be making a cobb oven and need you to get your hands dirty to help them out. How creative can you be with your wicker weaving? The Celts used this to make fences around their homes, garlands etc. and now is your opportunity to try this new skill.
Make some pottery and paint a shield to get ready to go to battle. See how the Celts cook and even try using a bread oven, fire pit and fulacht fiadh.
No booking is required, just drop in and enjoy all the fun! Normal admission charges apply.
For information please contact: Navan Centre & Fort, 81 Killylea Road, Armagh. BT60 4LD. Tel 028 3752 9644 or www.navan.com
An exhilarating week of drama is programmed for Theatre at the Mill from Monday 16th May to Saturday 21st May nightly at 7.45pm
Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Thomas Hogg, Maureen Dunn (Ulster Drama Festival ), Bernard Clarkson (Arts Services Manager)
Following a series of highly competitive festivals which took place throughout Northern Ireland in March, the top six award winning productions from North and South of Ireland have gained the honour of appearing in the 64th Ulster Drama Festival at Theatre at The Mill, Monday 16 – Saturday 21 May sponsored by Arts Council of N.I. and Enkalon Foundation.
The programme offers the amazing opportunity for audiences to see a spectacular range of plays by well-known and highly acclaimed authors from USA, England and Ireland – performed by companies from Dundalk, Ballyshannon, Wexford, Ennis, Dublin and Belfast
Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Thomas Hogg commented “ I am delighted to welcome the Ulster Drama Festival back to Theatre at The Mill where audiences will be entertained each evening by the crème de la crème of amateur theatre groups.”
Tickets for the festival are priced at £12 & £10 (Concession) Week Festival Ticket £60 or £50 (Concession) available from Box Office: 028 9034 0202 or www.theatreatthemill.com
PROGRAMME
MONDAY 16 MAY
GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS David Mamet’s dark comedy is nonetheless a ruthless play about small-time, cut-throat Real Estate Agents. Behind the suave exteriors are lies, blackmail, scheming and desperation – all in a day’s work! This is Mamet’s writing at its best, an abrasive attack on American business and a withering depiction of the men whose lives and values are twisted in order to survive. “….a chillingly funny endictment of a world in which you are what you sell.” Guardian
TUESDAY 17 MAY
OLD TIMES by Harold Pinter. Deeley and his wife Kate are visited by Anna, a mysterious friend of Kate’s from long ago. What begins as a trip down memory lane quickly becomes something much more as long-simmering feelings of fear and jealousy begin to fuel the trio’s passions, sparking a seductive battle for power. “Old Times is a joyous, wonderful play that people will talk about as long as we have theatre” New York Times
WEDNESDAY 18 MAY
LOST IN YONKERS by Neil Simon. Set in 1942 over a candy store in Yonkers, New York, teenage boys Jay and Arty find their lives turned upside down when their father, Eddie, moves away for work, leaving them in care of their strong-willed and stern grandmother and their loving and childlike Aunt Bella. The boys are left to contend with Grandma, with Bella and her secret romance and with Louie her brother, a small-time hood, his wife Gert who has her own afflictions and this strange new world called Yonkers! “One of Simon’s most impressive and funniest plays” New York Daily News
THURSDAY 19 MAY
THE LOVES OF CASS McGUIRE by Brian Freil.After fifty two years of romping as a saloon waitress in America, Cass goes home to Ireland. But the brother and his family, to whom she turns, really have no need for her, and ship her off to a rest haven for old dreamers. Nothing is as Cass envisioned it. She begins living off past memories like others in the rest home. This bawdy, vital and compassionate play deals with her genteel family’s rejection of her and her lonely struggle to re-discover the home she’s dreamt of all her life and her eventual surrender to the make- believe of Eden House.
FRIDAY 20 MAY
ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS BY Richard BeanFrancis Henshall becomes minder to Roscoe Crabbe, a small-time east end hood, now in Brighton to collect £6000 from his fiancés dad. However, Roscoe is really his sister Rachel posing as her own dead brother, who’s been killed by her boyfriend Stanley Stubbers. Holed up at the Cricketer’s Arms, the permanently ravenous Francis spots the chance of an extra meal ticket and takes a second job with Stanley Stubbers who is hiding from the police and waiting to be reunited with Rachel.To prevent discovery, Francis must keep his two guvnors apart. Simple… or is it? “This is the most hilarious comic evening in the theatre since Noises Off. The Stage
SATURDAY 21 MAY
KINDERTRANSPORT by Diane Samuels. Between 1938 and the outbreak of war, almost 10,000 children, most of them Jewish, were sent by their parents from Germany to Britain. Nine year old Eva ends up in Manchester. When Eva’s parents fail to escape Germany, the child changes her name and begins the process of denial of her roots. It is only when her own daughter discovers some old letters in the attic that Eva is forced to confront the truth about her past. Samuels has written the best play about the pain and passion of mother/daughter relationships. Guardian
There’s something for everybody at this year’s Sea Bangor Festival; whether you’re into cooking, art, good food, live music or you fancy sailing the high seas, we’ve got it covered with lots happening in the tented village on Quay Street, Bangor on June 4 & 5.
Hosted by Ards and North Down Borough Council, the much-loved maritime festival is always a hit with young and old alike.
Pete Gough, The Stove Yard, James Currie, Head of School for Hospitality, Tourism & Events at SERC and Alan Royle from SERC checking out the “Big Green Egg Barbecue” which is the top prize in this year’s Sea Bangor BBQ competition which is being co-ordinated by SERC and kindly sponsored by The Stoveyard. Sea Bangor is taking place at the tented village, Quay Street on June 4 & 5.
The event will heat up this year, when the festival will hold it’s very first “Big Green Egg BBQ Comp” where contestants will pitch their talents against each other on top of the range Egg Barbeques kindly provided by The Stove Yard. The competition will be fierce and entertainment value high! Members of the public are invited to take part in the competition to showcase the best local food from the best local BBQ chefs. Contestants can prepare their best chicken dish, pork dish or beef dish which can be as wide ranging and diverse as pork ribs, chicken wings, beef burgers, chicken tikka skewers, pork chops or steak. The aim of the game is to have fun, cook some amazing food and win great prizes!
If you fancy showcasing your BBQ talents live at Sea Bangor and being crowned Bangor’s BBQ Champ, please get in touch. The top prize is a stylish Big Green Egg Barbeque. Closing date for entries is May 29. For further information and to obtain an application form, please go to www.thestoveyard.com
In keeping with the carnivorous theme, look out for “Bangor’s Best Banger” competition and sausage making challenges, just a taste of the action-packed Sea Bangor Kitchen programme which will feature local chefs, butchers and catering students showcasing their skills and competing in cookery challenges over both days of the festival.
The festival will play its part in Northern Ireland’s Year of Food and Drink with celebrity chef Paula McIntyre who will hold dairy-based cookery demonstrations to mark June the “Month of Dairy.” For more information on a series of Year of Food and Drink events in Ards and North Down see www.visitardsandnorthdown.com/food.
Speaking about the event, Paul Mercer from SERC said: “The students and staff of South Eastern Regional College are excited to be involved with the ‘Bangor BBQ.’ It’s a great opportunity for students to participate in project based learning and local residents to showcase their cooking talents and learn from the range of local guest chefs and butchers.”
Gastronomic and culinary treats galore are in store for visitors to the event with local restaurants and food producers selling their wares in the Sea Bangor Cafe each day. Run by SERC, this year’s food tent will feature local food providers serving locally produced, mouth-watering food.
Over in the kid’s tent “Tiddlers,” Cahoots NI will be performing a special illusion show “The Great Carmo” and The Dockside Emporium promises to be a world of entertainment and wonder with demonstrations and crafts from lots of local artists. With maritime-themed street theatre, a tall ship, a fantastic live music programme, an aerial demonstration by the Twister Aerobatic Team, Jet Lev demonstrations and so much more, Sea Bangor is definitely not to be missed!
Sea Bangor will be open from 10am to 6pm on Saturday 4 June and 12 noon to 6pm on Sunday 5.
So whatever floats your boat, come along to Sea Bangor for a great family day out! This is a FREE event.
A capacity crowd filled the hall at the ancient site of Navan Fort in Armagh for the launch of the 2016 Armagh County Show which will be held on Saturday 11th June in the beautiful surroundings of Gosford Forest Park at Markethill.
Pictured at the Armagh County Show Launch held at the Navan Centre are from left: Ivor Ferguson, Deputy President of the Ulster Farmers' Union, William McConnell, Chairman of Fane Valley, Hampton Ewart, Markethill Livestock Sales, Noel Reid, Armagh Vice-Chairman and Barclay Bell, President of Ulster Farmers Union — at Navan Centre Armagh.
The Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council, Darryn Causby, welcomed the Show Committee and their guests and wished the organisers continued success with this flagship event in the Armagh area. Chairman, Stephen Hamilton, extended a warm welcome to all attending with a special mention for the members of other Show Committees and for the special guests Barclay Bell President of the Farmers Union, and Ivor Ferguson Deputy President UFU. The Chairman concluded his remarks with special thanks to all the sponsors, both present and absent, who generously contribute to the continued success of the event.
General Secretary, Mrs Flo McCall, then gave a brief outline of some of the prestigious championships being held at this year’s Show including, the NI Irish Beltex Sheep Breeders Club National Show 2016, The Ulster Dorset Sheep Championships, and the inclusion of new classes in both dairy, beef and sheep sections. In addition, the status and scope of the equestrian section continues to grow with the allocation of 12 Irish Shows Association qualifiers for All-Ireland Championships and important qualifiers for the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show in July, namely: The Breeders’ Championship, The Ladies’ and Intermediate Side-Saddle Championship and the Invitational Qualifier for the winner of the Open Race to Riding Horse Class. The long-established and mutually beneficial association with Tydavnet Show will also continue with the running of joint equine competitions for brood mares, first-ridden ponies and working hunters.
New attractions to our show this year include: Radio Ulster with Anne Marie McAleese broadcasting from 8am. The Mothers Union have volunteered their services as part of their charity outreach programme facilitating our new ‘mums’ marquee for feeding and changing babies. After the success of the last year Adult ‘Cook off’ we are moving forward with a “Schools Cookery competition” again highlighting the talent of young people in local schools, all within a bigger and more spacious Food Village Area. The Young Farmers Clubs will be in the forefront with demonstrations and competitions of Sheep Shearing in the main arena with Ritchie Remo entertaining the crowd. The Dog Show will be under new management in 2016, with our local deputy dog warden Sarah and Emma McCall taking control and we wish them well with the task. Our fashion show is a popular attraction and this is something we plan to build on this year with Lila’s providing the style. Best dressed Lady and Gent now also a firm favourite. And finally a beautiful hand painted map has been produced to complement our show and guide our visitors around the stunning Gosford Park, finally look out Gosford Park may well be morphing into Jurassic Park on the 11th June as we welcome a dinosaur to stroll through the park and entertain young and old.
After the success of our Park and Ride facility we are building capacity with extra tractors and trailers to transport the crowds into the forest, an adventure ride enjoyed by young and old. Park and Ride fields lie on the outskirts of the forest park. Stewards are available to direct you throughout the process. Gates open for our show at 9.00am. Everyone is very welcome on Saturday 11th June at Gosford Forest Park.
Further details about this year’s Armagh County Show can be obtained from the Secretary at: 028 3752 2333 or email: info@armaghshow.com. Details can also be viewed on the website at: www.armaghshow.com and you can follow us on facebook and twitter.
Chances are if you’ve been to one of the country’s many summer festivals, you will have run into ‘No Oil Paintings’. A four piece comprising two brothers and their two long-time friends, ‘No Oil Paintings’ bohemian charm has made quite an impression.
They play banjos, mandolins, guitars and they write all their own music. Think Mumford and Sons meets James Morrison meets Traditional Folk. It is an eclectic mix of music. Recently eschewing the novelty of rapid-fire bluegrass in favour of a sound that has more in common with Jack White than Earl Scruggs, ‘No Oil Paintings’ occupy their own artistic niche in Northern Ireland’s vast musical tapestry.
‘No Oil Paintings’ will perform at The Market Place Theatre on Saturday 7th May at 7.30pm. Tickets are priced £8 each.
Now’s also the chance to see the great comedian, Rich Hall, at work when he appears at The Market Place on Thursday 12 May. Rich’s critically acclaimed grouchy, deadpan style has established him as a master of absurdist irony and the king of rapid-fire wit. The award-winning Montana native, saddles up and hitches his wagon to visit Armagh once again.
Rich is a Perrier [Edinburgh Comedy Festival] Award and Barry [Melbourne International Comedy Festival] Award winner and has become well known for his television work with notable appearances on ‘Stand Up For The Week’ [C4], ‘QI’ [BBC], ‘Live At The Apollo’ [BBC1], ‘Channel 4’s Comedy Gala Live At The O2’, ‘Have I Got News For You’, ‘Rich Hall’s Cattle Drive’, ‘Rich Hall’s Gone Fishing’ and ‘Never Mind The Buzzcocks’ [BBC] and his most recent BBC4 documentary ‘Rich Hall’s Californian Stars’. This show is recommended for age 14+, as it will contain some swearing and adult content. Tickets for Rich Hall are priced £16.
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.
Bring along your youngest scientists for W5’s next Little Sparks toddler sessions on Wednesday 11 May!
Visit W5’s under 8s area, the town of Discovery, and take part in a 25 minute ‘Pirate Pat at the Beach’ workshop as part of your visit!
Children are born natural scientists so why not bring them to W5 to let them imagine, explore, play and have fun? The town of Discovery is a place where children can learn about themselves and the world around them. Get hands-on with its interactive exhibits, play animal sounds in the farmyard, paddle in a virtual rock pool at the beach or flick through digital storybooks in the castle.
Little Sparks will be held one morning each month in W5. (Term time only) Your special Little Sparks ticket allows you entry into W5 from 10am – 12noon (unless otherwise stated) and sessions are aimed at children aged between 18 months and 4 years.
There will be two sessions held in the morning and each session will be themed and will include a 25 minute workshop at 10:30am or 11:15am with one of W5’s education team. Places are limited and must be pre booked by calling 028 90467790 or 02890467793.
Costs:
Children 4 and under: £1 each
Adults: £5.50*
Additional (non-participating) children over 4: £4.50
*Season ticket holders only pay for the workshop Details of up and coming sessions:
11th May 2016 – Pirate Pat at the Beach
Come dressed up and enjoy the pirate fun as we take a trip to a treasure Island, make some waves and find some treasure with Pirate Pat.
These are just some of the sights and sounds in store at the Rathlin Sound Maritime Festival on the Causeway Coast at the end of May.
Pictured at the launch is Caroline Carey, Tourism Development, Causeway Coast and Glens and Glens and John Morton, Harbour Master, Causeway Coast and Glens.
Now in its fourth year, the Rathlin Sound Maritime Festival celebrates the unique stretch of water lying between Ballycastle and the magical island of Rathlin.
The week-long festival will run from 27th May to 4th June. It has a packed programme of events and activities lined up in Ballycastle and on Rathlin itself, with all kinds of water-based activity on Rathlin Sound in-between.
From Tall Ship rides, to racing yachts and fishing trips, and from powerboats to traditional hand-crafted rowing boats (curraghs), every pace will be catered for.
Why not take a boat trip of the coast and marvel at the puffins.
Once again, this year’s festival has been organised by the Council, Ballycastle Community Development Group, the Rathlin Development & Community Association, and the Ballycastle Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Sponsors for this year’s festival include Tourism Northern Ireland, Malin Waters and Rathlin Boat House Partnership as returners. Also on board are new sponsors Rathlin Island Ferry Ltd, Marine Hotel Ballycastle, Naturally North Coast & Glens Market and Causeway Coast and Glens Food Network.
Caroline Carey, Tourism Development, Causeway Coast and Glens, said “The Festival is packed with a number of fantastic family friendly events and attractions. There’s a wealth of adventure-filled history in Rathlin Sound, from tales of Vikings and pirates to mysterious shipwrecks laying deep beneath the island’s waters and of course the myths and legends around the Causeway Coast’s famous giant, Finn McCool. With the area’s unique wildlife, birds and age-old crafts, it’s sure to capture the imagination of kids of all ages.
“For the music lovers, two of Ireland’s best-loved sea shanty groups, Molgoggers from Cobh and Hooks and Crooks from Waterford, will conjur up the sound of the seas with their incredible male harmonies; and for the land-lubbers, there will be a special show by one of Ireland’s top female country singers, the hugely popular Lisa McHugh, while Aoife Scott from the famous musical Black family returns to Rathlin Island again this year with her folk music. There’s also a wealth of pop-up gigs and performances in store in bars and venues throughout the week.
“Two Festival highlights not to be missed are the unique boat blessing event being held on Rathlin and Ballycastle at the opening of the Festival, and the visit of the handsome Tall Ship, The Johanna Lucretia, with free opportunities to board and explore this unique vessel.”
Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Councillor Michelle Knight-McQuillan said, “We are delighted to invite visitors back to Rathlin Island and Ballycastle for the fourth year of this superb festival. We have a unique melting pot of natural riches, both on land and in the seas around this little part of the world. The Rathlin Sound Maritime Festival is a fantastic mix of culture, entertainment, nature, sport and, of course, food.
“Given that 2016 is Northern Ireland’s Year of Food and Drink, this is the perfect event to showcase the wealth of seafood on our shores. Local restaurants will have special seafood menus, there will be local artisan food markets we’ll have classes teaching the art of smoking your own salmon, as well as sushi-making lessons and our first ever ‘Ulster Chowder Cookoff’. We can’t wait!”
For further information about the festival and to pre-book tickets for some events, visit www.rathlinsoundmaritimefestival.com or contact Ballycastle Visitor Information Centre 028 2076 2024.
On Wednesday 11 May 2016 council buildings in Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough are lighting up purple to mark ‘Make May Purple’ – the Stroke Association’s campaign to raise awareness of stroke.
The charity’s annual awareness month is all about encouraging communities to get involved in something purple to raise awareness of Northern Ireland’s 4th biggest killer. Mossley Mill, Ballyclare Town Hall and Antrim Civic Centre will join other iconic buildings around the UK in supporting the cause by lighting up purple.
Kate Gorman had a stroke in 2005 and now volunteers with the Stroke Association Newtownabbey group. She joined Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Thomas Hogg to launch the Make May Purple campaign.
“Stroke happens in an instant and it changes people’s lives forever. A quarter of all strokes happen to young people like me and about half of stroke survivors are left with a permanent disability. The Stroke Association wants to prevent strokes and help those who have had strokes get the support they need, whether that’s via local groups, 1 to 1 support or by campaigning for better stroke services. I’m absolutely delighted that Antrim & Newtownabbey Council is showing their support for Make May Purple and I hope the local community will get involved too. Whatever you choose to do, whether it’s holding a bake sale or signing up for an event, it’s an easy and fun way to show your support for local stroke survivors”.
Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Thomas Hogg commented “We are delighted to support the Stroke Association’s ‘Make May Purple’ campaign by lighting up our council buildings in purple. We hope that local residents will be encouraged to find out more about stroke, take steps to reduce their risk of stroke and support the fantastic work this charity does to support local people affected by stroke and their families and carers too”.
The Stroke Association is a charity that is changing the world for people affected by stroke. They work with thousands of stroke survivors and their families and carers, with health and social care professionals, with scientists and researchers, and with supporters to conquer stroke. For more information visit www.stroke.org.uk
You are invited to register your interest in the Inaugural Ulster Chowder Cook Off 2016.
Destination Ballycastle are hosting the “Ulster Chowder Cook off” to celebrate our fabulous sea food in Year of Food and Drink NI. The lucky winner will be sponsored to attend the All Ireland Chowder Cook Off in Kinsale in April 2017 to represent Ulster.
Taking Place on Sunday the 29th of May at the Rathlin Sound Maritime Festival in the Cookery Theatre Marquee from 3pm!
Participants are invited from all Ulster counties and will compete live on the day at the Sea Front venue. The winning Entrant will be sponsored by Destination Ballycastle to partake in the World Famous Kinsale Chowder Cook Off 2017 as the Ulster representative!
~ Tourism Ireland’s latest Game of Thrones®campaign is showcasing Northern Ireland to millions of fans worldwide ~
3 May 2016 – Episode two of the long-awaited sixth season of Game of Thrones® aired last night (Monday, 2 May) and Tourism Ireland unveiled its second ‘Door of Thrones’ – this time in Fiddler’s Green bar and B&B in Portaferry, Co Down.
The door is part of Tourism Ireland’s latest Game of Thrones® campaign, created in partnership with HBO, which is showcasing Northern Ireland to millions of the show’s fans worldwide.
Earlier this year, the Dark Hedges – the Game of Thrones® filming location known to the people of Westeros as the Kingsroad – were battered by Storm Gertrude. Tourism Ireland saved the trees that fell that day, to turn them into a piece of Game of Thrones® history for fans – creating 10 intricately carved doors, each one telling the story of the latest episode in season six.
The doors are being unveiled by Tourism Ireland each week as season six unfolds, in pubs and other venues near Game of Thrones® filming locations across Northern Ireland – so, by the end of this season, we’ll have a brand new Game of Thrones® trail linking the major filming locations around Northern Ireland. The first door, from episode one, is hanging in The Cuan guest inn in Strangford.
Tourism Ireland has also unveiled its second – limited edition – Game of Thrones® stamp, another element of its new campaign.
Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said: “We are delighted to continue our partnership with HBO in 2016, to highlight Northern Ireland – through the exciting events of Game of Thrones® – on the global stage. TV and film are recognised as strong influencers on travellers everywhere and the stellar popularity of Game of Thrones® is a fantastic opportunity for us to promote Northern Ireland to a huge audience of potential visitors. Our latest campaign is a fun and innovative way to bring the destination to the attention of Game of Thrones® fans everywhere – they will see our ads, spiking their curiosity about the landscapes and locations featured in the series and inspiring them to come and explore them for themselves.”
Each week, Tourism Ireland is releasing a mixture of short films and images from the campaign on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube in ten markets – including Great Britain, the United States, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Scandinavia. It is building on the success of Tourism Ireland’s previous Game of Thrones® campaigns, which generated about five million clicks, comments and shares and reached about 100 million fans across the world.
Tourism Ireland is also targeting its own social fanbase – posting and tweeting to about 3.4 million Facebook fans and more than 323,000 followers on Twitter globally. The campaign is directing fans to a special section on Tourism Ireland’s international website, Ireland.com, which attracted more than 16.5 million views in 2015.
