– Thousands of people expected to descend on Ulster American Folk Park this May  –

Set against the backdrop of Ulster American Folk Park, Bluegrass Omagh is back, and this year’s festival promises an unforgettable weekend of music, culture and history.

Scheduled for the May Bank Holiday weekend 4^th to 6^th, Bluegrass Omagh honours the enduring legacy of Appalachian settlers who carried their songs and stories across the Atlantic. The vibrant music and culture they left behind is reflected in the event’s programme, with performances from some of the finest bluegrass acts in the world.

From bluegrass and old-time to Americana and country genres, taking to the stage on both dates this year is an impressive array of local and international talent. The line-up includes European bands such as Rookie Riot, American bands such as Nothin’ Fancy and local musicians and songwriters such as I Draw Slow and Pilgrim St.

Now in its 32^nd year, Bluegrass Omagh has always aimed to unite thousands of fans from across the world, fostering cultural exchange and community spirit whilst also highlighting the historical significance of Ulster’s connection to America, which the  Ulster American Folk Park is known for.

With accolades from professional Bluegrass associations and a prestigious nomination by the International Bluegrass Music Association for “Bluegrass Event of the Year,” John-Paul Coyle, General Manager at Ulster American Folk Park, discusses why Bluegrass Omagh resonates with audiences far and wide.

He said: “Over the last three decades, this event has become one of the largest bluegrass events outside of North America, welcoming thousands of fans every year. This is because Bluegrass Omagh offers a one-of-a-kind music event for visitors from both home and afar to delve into history and discover the rich heritage connecting Ulster and America through world-class bluegrass music. It’s become a flagship event at the Ulster American Folk Park because we’re a unique location to put on such an event, creating an inclusive and lively atmosphere for everyone while celebrating the shared history and music traditions of the people who emigrated to the heartland of Appalachian America. Whether you’re a history enthusiast, a big music fan, or simply seeking a unique cultural experience and something different for your bank holiday, there is something for everyone at Bluegrass Omagh and we hope to see an even bigger numbers join us for a weekend of fun this year.”

Chris Sexton, speaking on behalf of Nothin’ Fancy, expressed the band’s excitement about being part of the esteemed festival. He said: “It is a delight and an honour to be part of the Omagh festival lineup. We are stoked and ready to bring our music and entertainment to beautiful Northern Ireland, and this is a chance of a lifetime that we will certainly enjoy and remember for years to come.”

Since it began, the Bluegrass Omagh festival has become part of the fabric of Omagh that delivers for the local economy with domestic and international tourists enjoying the town’s hospitality offerings and other tourism hotspots in the region.

Speaking about the Bluegrass Festival, Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Councillor Thomas O’Reilly, said: “I am delighted to see the return of the Bluegrass Festival this year.  Over the three decades which the Festival has been taking place, it has evolved to be the biggest Bluegrass Festival outside of America.

“I believe the success of the Festival is due to the unique location of the Ulster American Folk Park and the eclectic mix of local talent and performers from across the Atlantic.

“We are fortunate to have the Ulster American Folk Park in our District as this award-winning attraction and the range of events it hosts are a welcome boost to the local economy, in particular the tourism and hospitality sector.

“I would like to commend National Museums NI and the staff at the Ulster American Folk Park for another excellent programme.  I would encourage everybody to attend to the Festival to enjoy the atmosphere and celebration of music, culture and community.”

Over the bank holiday weekend, festival-goers can also enjoy an array of entertainment alongside warm hospitality, delicious food and traditional craftwork.

As anticipation builds for the event, Kathryn Thomson, Chief Executive at National Museums NI, emphasises the festival’s significance in bridging cultural connections. She said: “Ulster American Folk Park plays a pivotal role in exploring the narratives of Ulster emigration to America in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, serving as a gateway to understanding the successes endured by those who embarked on the journey across the Atlantic. Bluegrass Omagh stands as a testament to the importance of preserving and promoting cultural traditions through music and community engagement. We look forward to seeing our home-grown talent join their fellow international bluegrass bands come together to share their music.”

Festivities will kick off on May 3^rd with a Friday Night Opening Concert at the Strule Arts Centre in Omagh, and finish with a bluegrass-themed Family Day at the Ulster American Folk Park on May 6^th.

Festival attendees can access the event via Translink services, with return buses available from Belfast and Derry~Londonderry.

For more information about Bluegrass Omagh and to purchase tickets, visit ulsteramericanfolkpark.org/whats-on/bluegrass-omagh-2024

Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Councillor Steven Callaghan has re-opened Green Lane Museum in the heart of the Roe Valley Country Park, offering visitors the opportunity to explore 19th and 20th century history relating to rural life in the Roe Valley.

There will be temporary exhibitions and craft demonstrations taking place at selected times throughout the spring and summer seasons.

The facility, which is free to visit, is now open every weekend and Bank Holiday between early April and the end of September.

After a period of closure, the museum reopened in April 2023 with the help of the Roe Vally Ancestral Research volunteers.

Since its reopening last year, the museum has welcomed over 4,000 visitors from across the UK, Republic of Ireland and further afield.

It is open to the public on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 11am until 3.30pm.

However, ‘Walk and Talk’ tours can be arranged for schools and other groups outside of these hours via a member of Roe Valley Ancestral Researchers.

Opening the museum, Cllr Callaghan said: “I just want to thank our generous volunteers for sacrificing their time and effort to help the public appreciate all that we have here.

“The Museum closed during COVID, but the collection, which is owned by Council, was looked after by Museum Services throughout this time and the building was maintained by DAERA.”

Cllr Callaghan also praised the team of “dedicated council staff” who look after the collection and maintain its accreditation.

“They have supported the Roe Valley Ancestral Researchers in enabling them to open to the public so thanks them also,” he said.

“The museum has been an important part of our Borough, keeping the memories of the past alive and allowing the younger generations to learn about the old ways of life.”

There are number of events coming up at the museum, including visitor portraits on the early May bank holiday and traditional home skills and dressing up on the late May bank Holiday.

For more information on upcoming events, email museums@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk  or follow us on Facebook @CausewayCoastandGlensMuseumServices

Part by Part, a solo exhibition by Louise French has opened in the Sunburst Gallery, Ards Arts Centre, Newtownards. Louise French is a recent graduate of Fine Art Painting from the National Art School, Australia and is interested in the life-cycle of objects.

This exhibition presents a series of paintings and assemblages that engage the viewer in the material qualities of the pieces, while they consider present and future artefacts. By using waste materials for assemblages and as a source for painterly interpretations, the exhibition explores the tension between the aesthetic appeal of consumer objects which at the same time are a toxic token of the current environmental crisis.

By dissecting contemporary waste and considering its continued existence hundreds of years from now, Part by Part will act as a marker of time. The exhibition runs until Thursday 23 May.

Pictures in Rock, an exhibition of photography by Keery Irvine opens in Ards Arts Centre’s Georgian Gallery on Wednesday 17 April. The exhibition is part of Ards International Guitar Festival and will feature a curated selection of Keery Irvine’s career highlights. Expect images of local acts, including Guitar Festival headliner Dom Martin and Life-Time Achievement Award winners Ronnie Greer and Pat McManus.

Keery specialises in photographing Blues and rock gigs and festivals and is the official photographer for the Rory Gallery tribute festivals in Ballyshannon, Dublin, Netherlands and Nantwich. Pictures in Rock runs until Saturday 27 April.

Ards Arts Centre is currently temporarily closed for maintenance work but will reopen on Tuesday 16 April. Everyone is welcome to attend a preview event for both exhibitions in the Arts Centre on Thursday 18 April, 7pm – 9pm.

For more information visit; www.andculture.org.uk

“I think small things can have the biggest impact on people”

For Melissa Irvine, social work has always been a goal. Even when she temporarily took a different path, she knew she wasn’t where she wanted to be.

The 30-year-old from Banbridge knew social work was something she admired following her personal experiences. It was from these that she decided that she wanted to be the person to help people too.

Speaking about where her passion for social work came from, Melissa said: “I had been looking after my grandparents, and I had my granny living at home with me receiving palliative care. I just remember the social worker being there and the difference that she made to those final days for my grandma and for our family.

“I know what that meant to me and so if I could get the chance to reciprocate that for someone else, it would be lovely.”

Melissa knew she wanted to help people, however, when applying for university courses through UCAS, she was put off applying for social work courses as her by teachers who advised her that it was difficult to get a place on the social work degree at the time.

Going down a different path, Melissa began studying psychology at Queen’s University Belfast, but within four months she knew that wasn’t what she wanted. She then went on to do a foundation degree in Early Childhood Studies. After taking a year out to have her son, she completed the course in 2016, but still felt like she wasn’t where she was supposed to be.

“Once I had the degree, I felt unfulfilled. I didn’t know what I was supposed to do, there were no jobs for that foundation level” she explained.

After getting married, buying a house and having her second child, Melissa decided it was time to get back to her original plan.

“I applied for social work at Queen’s and started in September 2020.”

Melissa’s experience with her grandparents sparked her interest in social work and she hoped to work with older people when she qualified.

She explained: “It was an area of my personal life that I had experience in, but not professionally. I wanted to challenge myself. That’s the beauty of social work, the training is generic so you can work in any field when you qualify to find your perfect fit.

“I just thought about older people’s services and how I enjoy that work. Older people have a wealth of knowledge but they can also be vulnerable. My experience and compassion are based around that.”

After taking part in one of the few face-to-face interviews in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Melissa began her course in September at a time when the education system had to make changes to the way students were taught.

“My experience at Queen’s was not how I imagined it at all. But I embraced it, just like everyone else. We had to get on with it and figure it out. I had a baby and a child in P1 at home so I was trying to home school them while also getting my degree. It’s not what I would have wanted” said Melissa.

The main thing that Covid altered for Melissa was her first placement. After being assigned to the South Eastern Trust on the Permanent Placement team, there were a lot of infection control measures that had to be taken in order to get into the care home.

Speaking about her experience, she said: “the first placement was where I learned core skills like the social work process and reflection.

“My second was in my final year. I had to apply for special circumstances because my granny at that point was receiving palliative care. I asked to be placed within half an hour’s travel from home should I need to get to her.”

“Granny fell and broke her hip and although when she came out of hospital we arranged for her to go to a care home, she just wanted to go home. She was deteriorating so much.

I wanted to bring her home to live with me, so I phoned her social worker, Lisa.

“I knew it was a big ask, but I wanted her home for me for Christmas. It meant organising equipment and moving Granny from her house to mine, and all of that on the 23rd of December.

“Lisa got her home to me and two weeks after Christmas, she passed away. She was where she needed to be to let go.

“If it hadn’t been for Lisa and what she did for me, I wouldn’t have had that final time with her. She died surrounding people she loved and where she wanted to be,

“I now work with Lisa every day, and I want to do for other people what she what she did for me. She made me realise how valuable social work is.”

Reflecting on public awareness of social work with older people Melissa thought that more people knew about the role in children’s services. She said: “Older people services are actually carrying some of the highest levels of caseloads in the social work profession. We have an ageing population and there are more and more people needing our services.

“A lot of families don’t know about these services until they have a loved one needing to access support. We’re trying to respond and support people and families who have ever changing needs. There are a lot of demands on services and sometimes people have unrealistic expectations of what we can actually do”.

In terms of advice for others who hope to pursue a career in social work, Melissa said: “The degree gives you training but it felt like a big step up to become a qualified social worker. I think as a social worker there are things that you need to be able to bring to the table that you cannot learn, for example, your values, your empathy.

“Every area of social work is different. You need to believe in yourself. If you don’t have confidence in yourself, in what you’re doing and what you’re saying, then how can you expect other people to have confidence in you?

“The more you put into it, the more you’re going to get out of it. And the more you invest yourself in what you’re doing, the better outcomes you’re going to achieve.”

And when it comes to how difficult the profession is, Melissa explained: “The social work degree is demanding. I think it is that way for a reason.

“You’re being assessed and tested at every juncture to ensure you are going to be able to cope with the pressures, the workload and the pace and the difficulties that you’re going to face in day-to-day practice.

It’s the little unexpected things that make it worth it: “Just seeing people happy, and being able to be that person who can sometimes help them  fulfil their wishes.

“I think sometimes small things can have really big impacts on people.”

For more information on how you can train to be a social worker in Northern Ireland go to https://niscc.info/degree-in-social-work.

Australian entertainment icon and bonafide national treasure, Jason Donovan is thrilled to announce his “Doin’ Fine 25” tour, a spectacular celebration of his remarkable career in music, theatre, TV and film. This exciting tour will take fans on a journey through 35 years of hits on stage and screen accompanied by his live band.

Today Jason adds 3 Irish dates to his tour. From April 4th to 6th 2025, the tour will grace Cork’s Opera House, Dublin’s The Helix, and Belfast’s Ulster Hall, promising evenings filled with nostalgia and vibrant performances. presale begins on Thursday 4th April at 10am.. General onsale is on Friday 5th April at 10am. Full details for pre-sale and tickets are available via jasondonovan.com

“I’m so pleased we are getting over to Ireland on this tour” Jason Donovan said, announcing the addition of Irish dates to his “Doin’ Fine 25” tour. “My musical journey has taken me across the globe, but there’s a special joy in bringing the celebration to Ireland, where the warmth of the audience always feels like an embrace. My original 1990 tour included Belfast and Dublin dates and they were amongst the most memorable and fun! And the Irish know how to party!”

Known for his versatility as an actor, singer, and all-around entertainer, Jason Donovan has captivated audiences worldwide. Doin’ Fine 25 is a celebration following the momentous Doin’ Fine 90 tour, still vividly remembered by fans.

The 1990 tour followed a frenzied few years of success. Jason’s debut single, “Nothing Can Divide Us,” had shot to number 5 in the UK charts in September 1988, followed by the iconic duet with Kylie, “Especially For You,” which topped the charts for 14 weeks. The hype around Jason Donovan continued with his first solo UK number one, “Too Many Broken Hearts,” and the chart-topping album “Ten Good Reasons” in 1989.

With an armful of awards for his acting and a growing pile of platinum selling records, 1990 proved to be as much of a career whirlwind as Jason released his second album, “Between The Lines,” and continued to dominate the UK charts with singles like “Hang On To Your Love,” “Another Night,” “Rhythm Of The Rain,” and “I’m Doin’ Fine.” In June of that year, Jason embarked on his “Doin’ Fine 90” tour, performing to thousands of enthusiastic fans in sold-out venues worldwide. Doin’ Fine 25 hopes to invoke some of the memories from that special moment in time.

From pop-mania to the dazzle of London’s West End, Jason took on the lead role in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1991 production of Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, solidifying his status as a musical theatre legend. Jason has gone on to star in massive shows like ’The Rocky Horror Show’, ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’, ‘Priscilla’, ‘The Sound of Music’, ‘Annie Get Your Gun’, ‘Jeff Wayne’s ‘The War Of The Worlds’, ‘The King’s Speech’ and ‘Grease’.

With a career spanning over three decades, Jason has amassed a rich catalogue of hits, and “Doin’ Fine 25” is set to be a sensational culmination of his outstanding achievements to date. The tour promises to be a night of unforgettable entertainment and musical memories. Jason will perform a dynamic selection of his most beloved songs from stage productions plus he will also cover his pop music career, a stream of chart-topping hits – “Too Many Broken Hearts”, “Especially For You”, “Any Dream Will Do” and ‘Sealed With a Kiss” and many more fan favourites.

“I am really excited about this tour,” said Jason. “My musical journey has been an incredible ride, and I can’t wait to celebrate it by performing the songs that have been such an important part of my life and career. It’s going to be a fantastic show, and I look forward to sharing these unforgettable moments with the audience.”

IRISH SHOW DATES

• 4th April 2025 – Cork – Opera House
• 5th April 2025 -Dublin – The Helix
• 6th April 2025 – Belfast – Ulster Hall,

Full information is available at jasondonovan.com

Treat yourself to an afternoon of exceptional choral performance set within the charming setting of Armagh’s historic Primates Chapel

On Saturday 6^th April, Chamber Choir Ireland will present a small, yet perfectly formed, quartet of part-songs and miniatures, spanning the centuries.

Paring back the full choral sound to its most basic form, an intimate experience of hearing four exquisite voices perform everything from Palestrina to Gershwin including new works by Rhona Clarke, Stephen McNeff and Eoghan Desmond.

Garnering a strong reputation for tis unique approach to creative commissioning, recording and programming, Chamber Choir Ireland is the country’s flagship choral ensemble and national chamber choir under the Artstic Direction of the multi-award-winning conductor, Paul Hillier.

The choir’s programmes span from early renaissance to the present day, incorporating established choral classics with cutting edge commissions, and a style of performance that incorporates versatility, dynamism and often vocal pyrotechnics.

‘The Ulster Orchestra on your Doorstep’ will perform at the Primatial Chaple, Palace Demesne, Armagh on Saturday 6^th April at 2.30pm. Tickets are priced at £13 (general sale) and £11 (concession).

Tickets for all shows can be booked online at www.visitarmagh.com/marketplacetheatre or through the Box Office on 03300 561 025.