10 Exciting Things to do Across NI

By

Here are ten exciting things to do 30 January – 5 February 2023

  1. The Legacy of Saint Brigid at The Saint Patrick Centre, Downpatrick, County Down, 1 and 4 February. Brigid Watson is a local expert tour guide and environmentalist with a passion for Christian heritage and the fascinating life stories of people. In the ancient town of Downpatrick, home to the burial place of Saint Brigid at Down Cathedral, Brigid shares the story of the fascinating life of this Irish woman. After refreshments upon arrival, you will have the opportunity to explore an excellent display about Saint Brigid, the Goddess Brigid and the ancient traditions associated with the saint.
  2. Newry Arts Festival, Newry, County Down, 2- 11 February. A ten-day celebration of exhibitions, comedy, music and drama will shine a light on Newry’s arts scene as part of a major new festival. Newry Arts Festival will welcome renowned acts from the Newry area, including Rozlyn Sheridan, Newpoint Players, Joanne Quigley McParland, The Fews Ensemble and visual artist Cora Harrington, as well as top artists from across the region.
  3. Slieve Gullion Forest Park, Adventure Playpark and Fionn’s Giant Adventure, Killeavy, County Armagh, visit website for opening times. The Forest Park offers stunning walking trails, a scenic drive, an Adventure Playpark, Fionn’s Giant Adventure children’s trail and Courtyard where you will find the Synge & Byrne coffee shop. Rising some 576m above the surrounding countryside, the broad slopes of Slieve Gullion dominate the landscape of south Armagh. The mountain itself lies at the centre of a pronounced ring of hills – the Ring of Gullion.
  4. A Shot in the Dark – Cave Photography Session, Florencecourt, County Fermanagh, 4 February (more dates available). Explore a world deep underground where no natural light exists with Cave Explorer and Visual Storyteller Robert Mulraney. A Shot in the Dark is a practical photography session where basic cave photography techniques will be demonstrated. It is designed for those wanting to spend time in the showcave, taking photographs and getting to grips with the unique and challenging photographic conditions.
  5. Earth Yoga – In the Heart of the Cave, Florencecourt, County Fermanagh, 5 February (more dates available). Enjoy a unique experience as you get in touch with your inner yogi in a beginner-friendly 60 minutes yoga session in the depths of the Marble Arch Caves. Relax body and mind as you connect to nature inside the cave with an inviting and inspiring class welcome to all levels.
  6. Blessingbourne Mountain Bike Trails and Pump Track at Blessingbourne Estate, Fivemiletown, County Tyrone, visit website for opening times. The Blessingbourne Mountain Bike Trails lie in the heart of the Clogher Valley. Packed full of technical trail features such as berms, tabletops and rock drops, the trails at Blessingbourne cater for all ages and abilities and always provides a fun day out. Alternatively, enjoy a day out with their lovely walking trails if that is more your speed, and don’t forget to bring your dog.
  7. WWT Castle Espie Re-opening, Comber, County Down, visit website for opening times. WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre welcomed back visitors from Monday 23rd January. The cafe and shop are open as usual as are the sensory garden, art gallery and wildwood play. Although the resident bird collection area remains temporarily closed, visitors will have access to the nature reserve with woodland walks, bird hides and the wonderful mosaic of wetland habits which our precious native wetland wildlife call home.
  8. Fidela Experience – A Columbian Lunch and Coffee Tasting Tour, Coleraine, County Londonderry, 4 February. Have you ever wondered where the coffee in your cup comes from? Join us for an afternoon experiencing all that we love about Columbia from food to coffee and the whole process from farm to cup.
  9. Taste & Tour, Belfast, visit website for opening times. Taste & Tour is a series of multi-award-winning food and drink tours. With their signature Belfast Food Tour, Gin Jaunt, City Cocktail Circuit and 5 Stop Brunch Tour, amongst others, they’ve made it their business to lead guests to Belfast’s brightest and best flavours. Local guides will lead the cheer, helping guests discover the people, the history and the top tastes in the city.
  10. Giant’s Causeway, Bushmills, County Antrim, visit website for opening times. Flanked by the wild North Atlantic Ocean and a landscape of dramatic cliffs, the Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site is a geological wonder and home to a wealth of history and legend. The 40,000 basalt stone columns left by volcanic eruptions 60 million years ago, has captured the imagination of all who see it.

 

Booking is essential for most activities. Book in advance to avoid disappointment. Subject to availability.

 

For more information on what’s on or to plan a short break in Northern Ireland, visit https://discovernorthernireland.com/

10 Exciting Things to do this weekend!

By

Here are ten exciting things happening 23 – 29 January 2023

 

  1. An Ode to Robert Burns, Holywood, County Down, 28 January. Join the Ulster Folk Museum for a celebration of Robert Burns, Scotland’s national poet. Recognised the world over, Burns’ poetry focuses on love and nature with a touch of good old fashioned Scottish humour. Throughout the day, enjoy poetry readings in the ambient surroundings of their exhibition houses, try traditional ‘neeps and tatties’ cooked on the griddle over an open fire, and visit their town school to take a lesson in Ulster Scots.
  2. Imbolc Fire Lantern Experience at White Rock Glass Studio, Newtownhamilton, County Armagh, 28 January. Reconnect with your inner creative in this fully immersive, fused glass experience at White Rock Glass Studio with professional visual artist Tracey Mc Verry. Surrounded by the wild and dramatic scenery of the Fews Mountains, Tracey welcomes visitors to her 5th generation family home and glass studio, overlooking the National Trust’s ancient Ballymoyer Woodland.
  3. Vegan Table Tour, Belfast, 28 January (more dates available). For passionate vegans and non-vegans alike, this tour is for everyone who wants to sample a world-wide growing food movement. This is a combined food and walking tour allowing you to experience Belfast’s expanding Vegan food scene, while simultaneously enjoying a tour of Belfast City Centre with a local Blue Badge Tourist Guide.
  4. Sarah McQuaid at The Portico of Ards, Portaferry, County Down, 29 January. The Portico is delighted to welcome Sarah McQuaid on her first visit. Sarah’s talent paired with The Portico’s acoustics is surely an unmissable offering. In this tour she will be featuring music from The Buryan Sessions as well as some old favourites.
  5. Jiving Classes at Charlie’s Bar, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, 12 January – 16 February. Enjoy Jiving Classes in the Upstairs Lounge at Charlie’s Bar in Enniskillen. Starting Thursday 12 January at 8-9.30pm for five weeks this class is hosted by Tina McGurran from Modern Country Moves, and are a great way to get fit, meet new people and build up your confidence when dancing. Tina ensures the classes are light-hearted and fun whilst also ensuring you learn plenty.
  6. Bangor Weekly Market, County Down, 25 January (more dates available). Bangor Market populates ASDA car park every Wednesday from 8am to 1pm with stalls offering a wide selection of the freshest fruit and vegetables, a fantastic range of local seafood, irresistible home-baked cakes, seasonal plants, shrubs and much more.
  7. Tyrella Point-to-Point Races, County Down, 28 January. Point-to-Point is horse racing in its purist form, and you will often hear it described as the grassroots of horse racing. This is because unlike the racing you may see on television which takes place at permanent racecourses, Point-to-Point racing takes place at what are effectively pop-up courses. Tyrella Point-to-Point is the perfect day out for all the family in the countryside and you will get to witness the future stars of the racing industry make their introduction into competitive racing.
  8. Foodie City Cycle, Derry~Londonderry, check website for opening times. Get a taste for Derry~Londonderry (quite literally) on Far and Wild’s Foodie City Cycle. If you’ve got an appetite for discovering great food and learning about local culture too, this is the tour for you. On your guided cycle tour, you’ll take in two great, mouth-watering culinary experiences. With a focus on quality local produce, Far and Wild’s culinary partners vary with the seasons. That way you know there are only the freshest, in-season dishes waiting for you at each stop.
  9. Special Consensus Bluegrass Band at Roe Valley Arts & Cultural Centre, Limavady, County Londonderry, 27 January. The Special Consenus Bluegrass Band from Chicago is grounded in a deep appreciation and understanding of Bluegrass music whilst utilising the innovations of today. Evolving over four decades, they have released twenty albums, received six IBMA awards and had two Grammy nominations.
  10. Todds Leap, Ballygawley, County Tyrone, check website site for opening times. Ready for an adventure? Look no further than multi-award-winning Todd’s Leap. Days out at Todds Leap are all about getting outdoors, spending time with friends, doing something momentous and having more fun than you’ve ever felt possible. That’s what makes Todds Leap Activity Centre a great option for families as well as friends looking for a fun day out or celebrating a special occasion.

 

Booking is essential for most activities. Book in advance to avoid disappointment. Subject to availability.

 

For more information on what’s on or to plan a short break in Northern Ireland, visit https://discovernorthernireland.com/

4 Corners Festival Bringing Communities Together Through Sports

By

Uniting children with a Game of 3 Halves 

4 Corners Festival returns for its 11th annual instalment on January 27 for a 9-day event running until February 5, covering a variety of music, art, talks, sporting and religious-based events.

This year’s theme, Dreams…Visions For Belfast is hoping to inspire individuals from all areas within the city to create a peaceful home for all communities.

One of the many activities taking place within the festival is the Game of 3 Halves, which sees young people from all areas of Belfast brought together through the power of sports.

PeacePlayers NI are hosting the event, open to all young people aged 11 to 14, with the aim of changing the competitive nature of games and removing any conflict, instead replacing it with positive lessons and outcomes, on and off the court.

Games such as Gaelic football, soccer and rugby will be played by integrated teams from Belfast as well as having on-site PeacePlayers Coaches and mentors to help participants throughout the 3-hour long event.

Aoife Redmond, Regional Programme Coordinator, has seen how this scheme is successful in uniting children through engaging fun sports based activities.

She said: “We get kids together on integrated teams to play basketball, to engage in team building activities together and actually get to know one another.”

“We run programmes for multiple age groups; our Twinning programme brings catholic and protestant primary school classes together on integrated teams, to play basketball and engage in good relations conversations and activities.”

Aoife also explained that PeacePlayers offer further programmes to promote togetherness outside of the festival, which is ideal for any children and young people who enjoy the event to continue with the inspirational messages the team and activities produce.

She added: “We also have our Leadership Development Programme, which is for participants in 4th year – Upper sixth to come together and learn about cultures, our core values and curriculum delivery as well as playing basketball together.”

Ed Peterson of Clonard Monastery, representing the 4 Corners Festival, explained that the event is aimed at bringing young people from all communities, backgrounds and corners of the city together.

He said: “I love the overall ethos of the 4 Corners Festival to encourage all of us to get out of our corner of the city, not only just the geographical corner of the city to experience other parts of Belfast but also just around other ideas and opportunities.

“Young people can meet new people and explore various different subject matters together with people from different areas of Belfast or even beyond.”

Open to both previous PeacePlayers attendees and young people (aged 11-14) who have never been to the programme before, perfect for anyone looking to get involved, meet new people and develop connections and friendships.

Siblings Abdelmonieum and Maryam Salman are both participants who regularly attend the PeacePlayers events, with them both enjoying the sense of community they gain from going.

Abdelmonieum said: “PeacePlayers is always like a second home to me. I look forward to going to it every week.”

Maryam also explained how she has developed great connections with fellow students who attend the sessions, saying: “Because of PeacePlayers I got to meet new people and make new friends.”

Joshua Curtis, another young person who attends the games, said he finds PeacePlayers to be incredibly fun and rewarding.

He said: “I’ve made plenty of friends through the festival. There’s so many games, there’s so much to do, there’s such a great atmosphere in the stadium – it’s really, really fun.”

Game of 3 Halves will take place at 6 pm on Wednesday, February 1 at Queen’s PEC, and is open to young people across the city who have not attended these programmes before.

For more information on how to get involved with Game of 3 Halves go to eventbrite.co.uk/game-of-3-halves. For the full 4 Corners Festival programme visit 4cornersfestival.com

Playful Museums Festival returns to Causeway Coast and Glens

By

The Playful Museums Festival returns to Causeway Coast and Glens during February with a series of outdoor events, crafts and storytelling for children aged 3 – 4

Join the Museum Services team to ‘Seek, Find, Speak, Create’ at one of four local green spaces for an outdoor trail to explore nature’s treasures followed by an indoor family craft workshop.

Activities will be facilitated by The Hares Corner Cooperative, and, with help from Freddie the Squirrel, children will be encouraged to look for the signs of nature.

Participants will have a chance to get creative together by decorating a frame representing nature using items gathered from the outdoors and museum collections.

The children’s work will then go on display in a week-long exhibition at Ballymoney Museum.

The four sessions will take place from 10am-12pm in the following locations:

Tuesday 7th February, Roe Valley Country Park – Green Lane Museum;

Thursday 9th February, Anderson Park – Coleraine Town Hall;

Tuesday 21st February, Megaw Park – Ballymoney Town Hall;

Thursday 23rd February, Ballycastle Forest Park – Ramoan Parish Centre.

The Playful Museum’s Festival programme also includes a storytelling session for 3–4-year-olds with Colin Urwin from the Armstrong Storytelling Trust on Wednesday 8th February in Ballymoney Town Hall from 10am – 11am.

For more information and to book your free place at any of the events please email cms@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk or ring Ballymoney Visitor Information enter on 028 2766 0230.

The sessions are delivered with support from the NIMC Playful Museums Festival grant funding.

Dublin Coffee Chain FUEL Invests £100k In South Belfast Café

By

FUEL Lisburn Road creates 8 jobs locally

Dublin’s renowned coffee chain FUEL has opened its first Belfast branch on the Lisburn Road, in a £100,000 investment that is set to create at least eight new hospitality jobs, to begin with.

Belfast born businessman David Beggs has two FUEL branches in Dublin in Rathmines and Clontarf but aims to further expand the offering in Northern Ireland in the future.

Based in Dublin, he said it was inevitable he would eventually open in his home city as he further developed FUEL from its initial roots.

“Having experienced some really good eateries in places like New York I wanted to bring the international love of and accessibility of healthy, tasty, and vibrant food home,” David said. 

“Trends are changing, and people want high-quality food that is good for their body and soul.”

With a background in professional healthcare, David has a heightened awareness of the need to bring healthy street food into the community. 

“We all know the phrase ‘you are what you eat’ but the thing is, it’s not what you eat on one day, it’s the consistency of what you eat and how it fits into your ecosystem. It needs to be accessible,” he explained, adding: “Whenever you’re eating the right food for a sustained period of time, you’re going to feel better, you’re going to sleep better and you would hope that everything else will fall into place.”

David admitted that his drive to lead a healthier lifestyle was not a trait he was born with, but rather something he learnt over time which is why he is keen on giving people easy access to quick and healthy food.

He explained: “We want to provide people with healthy, tasty, and vibrant food to eat in or on the go.The Dublin-based businessman knows the benefits of making healthy choices himself.

“I believe that diet is something you have to constantly work at making some tweaks here and there and then hopefully see the benefits. My current regime seems to be the one that is best for blood sugar levels, mental health, and general well being.”

This is not to say that David is waging a war on sugar. He believes that there is a time and place for everything, but while on weekdays people would opt for salads, healthy soups, and other healthy options, on the weekend’s many people break out into an all-day-brunch menu which can still serve you well.

With FUEL, his vision is one with a community vibe at heart. 

“The idea of the local pub being the epicentre of the community is gone,” he explained. “People are meeting at coffee shops and very much at the takeaway coffee shops because they may not have the time to sit for an hour and a half with each other, but they’ll have a catch up as they grab and go.”

Manager of FUEL in Belfast, Thom Moreland says the values of the brand and its healthy range of options will resonate well with customers visiting the Lisburn Road outlet.

“When customers arrive at FUEL they will be greeted with great coffee in a community focused setting where they can choose from a range of everything from your healthy options such as protein pancake stack, sweet potato fritters and chorizo eggs all the way to your beautifully indulgent fresh dishes like our decadent french toast, breakfast burrito and range of pastries and protein balls.

“One of the things we’ve found is that many groups of friends find it difficult to find something for everyone so we’ve curated a menu that gives you the option to choose the dish that suits you best, especially if you’re on a cheat day.

“All our produce is sourced locally, we have a wide range of gluten free and vegan options and our freshly squeezed, made on site juices, have become a firm favourite with our regulars.

“We’re delighted to be opened on Lisburn Road, the bustling heart of South Belfast. The community here has been incredibly welcoming and we’re looking forward to getting to know everyone.”

Show your love for LegenDerry food this February

By

Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Sandra Duffy, has launched a month long celebration of the City and District’s thriving food and drink scene.

Love LegenDerry will take place throughout the month of February and feature a programme of events and initiatives to allow locals and visitors to sample the best of our food offering.

Derry City and Strabane District Council Mayor, Councillor Sandra Duffy pictured at the launch of the Love Legenderry Food Month with, Emily McCorkell, Chairperson, Selina Horshi, Margaret Edwards, DCSDC, Feargal Doherty, Mark and Shauna Froydenlund, Odhran Dunne, CEO, Visit Derry. Picture Martin McKeown. 13.01.23

Members of the LegenDerry Food Network, in partnership with Council and Visit Derry, are bringing together an exciting programme of events and experiences to celebrate our vibrant food and drink scene in the city and beyond.

“The LegenDerry Food Network has made significant strides over the past few years to strengthen the range and quality of our food and drink offering,” said Mayor Duffy.

“The City and District has now firmly established itself as a foody destination and more and more visitors are coming to sample our locally sourced food and drink.

“Love LegenDerry will celebrate how far we have come and encourage locals and visitors to get out and about across the City and District and sample our authentic experience for themselves.”

Tourism Manager at Derry City and Strabane District Council, Margaret Edwards, explained more about the initiative.

“The overall ambition of the Love LegenDerry campaign is to drive economic benefit by extending the food tourism season and attract visitors to travel here, stay overnight and sample our food experiences.

“It aims to enhance the reputation of our food and drink offering by using local produce, raising awareness of local provenance, great quality and value for money and provide a financial boost to our food businesses by extending their peak season.

“Members of the network created a series of special events during the month to highlight and celebrate the thriving scene here.”

Events include Meet the Producers at a long table event with Soda and Starch and Artis, a special Valentine’s gin making experience at the Walled City Brewery, afternoon tea at the White Horse Hotel and a new foodie fusion experience with a set menu of French inspired Irish cuisine.

You can also have fun at a special couples cooking experience, visit a goat farm in the Sperrins, find out about cheese making, take part in some urban foraging, experience a ‘wine, wild and wasted’ tasting dinner with talks and a focus on zero waste and an oyster and stout bluegrass festival at the Walled City Brewery.

The LegenDerry Food Brand and Network was set up by Council and the private sector in February 2019 to bring forward ambitious plans to build on the North West’s unique food offering as part of the wider food and drink strategy for the Council area.

Full details are available at www.legenderryfood.com

4 Corners Festival Announces This Year’s Programme

By

The annual 4 Corners Festival programme has been unveiled featuring a range of art, music, discussion, sport and faith-based events from January 29 to February 5 in venues across the city and streamed online across various platforms.

The Festival, which announced its dates for 2023 earlier this month alongside this year’s theme, Dreams…Visions for Belfast is now in its 11th year inspiring people from across the city to transform it for the peace and wellbeing of all.

This year’s week-long festivities will give people the opportunity to listen to the dreams and visions for a better Belfast from Church leaders and women in leadership to children and young people from working-class PUL (Protestant, Unionist, Loyalist) communities, the homeless and artists.

2023 marks a number of significant anniversaries: 25 years since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement and 60 years since Martin Luther King’s ‘I Had A Dream’ speech. The 2023 festival explores whether the dreams behind these historic events have been realised and if we still hold enough hope to dream big for Belfast. 

Included in this year’s busy programme will be a photographic exhibition and discussion of homelessness in the city, women in peace building, visions of Belfast, and will conclude with the theme of ‘the city where dreams become reality’.

In ‘Never In My Wildest Dreams’, a photographic exhibition will be installed at Artcetera Studio people will get the opportunity to explore the topic of homelessness in Belfast city and beyond. This eye-opening exhibit aims to increase awareness of and encourage discussion around the grim reality of homelessness in our city and speak the truth about the issues that force people into it.

Throughout the week, visitors will also be able to experience an immersive video and audio installation titled ‘Present Future’ at the Telegraph Buildings which explores themes of dreams, aspirations and leadership from the perspective of children and young people in PUL communities in Northern Ireland. 

Each night of the festival, Rev Kiran Young Wimberly and Jim Deeds will lead a night prayer with a mix of contemplation, music and scripture to help reflect on the day that’s been and on the events in the festival via Zoom.

The week-long festival will also feature a range of innovative events designed to entice people out of their own ‘corners’ of the city and into new places where they will encounter new perspectives, new ideas and hopefully meet new friends.

Discussions will take place around synodal conversations which inform the future of the Catholic Church as well as women’s role in peacebuilding via a panel including Inspector Róísín Brown from the PSNI, Dr Maria-Adriana Deiana from Queen’s University, Eileen Weir from the Shankill Women’s Centre and Emma De Sousa, campaigner and writer.

Speakers at the events will include Dana Masters, who will be talking about Civil Rights and its impact on America as well as the families of its leaders and Captain of the Belfast Giants ice hockey team David Goodwin who will speak about his own dreams as a sportsman and as a captain of the team in a specific place.

Another highlight of this year’s festival will be the screening ‘The Letter’, a documentary which starts with a personal letter and invitation from Pope Francis to 5 climate activists from different parts of the globe to enable their voices to be listened to as we face together the climate emergency we are all facing today.

Alongside all this, young people aged 11-14 are invited to an exciting evening of sports and team activities delivered in partnership with PeacePlayers – NI in ‘Game of Three Halves’, where participants will try their hand at playing games including GAA, soccer and rugby in integrated teams from across Belfast.

The festival will conclude with a vision from near the end of the Biblical scriptures led by Rev. Dr. Inderjit Bhogal OBE, the Founder and President of the City of Sanctuary movement, a former President of the British Methodist Conference and former Leader of the Corrymeela Community who will discuss what it means to live in a city with open gates.

The full programme of events is available on 4cornersfestival.com

AB&C Insurance Named As 2023 NI Motorcycle Plus Show Sponsor

By

The 2023 NI Motorcycle Plus Show, hosted by 360 Events, is proud to announce AB&C Insurance as the new headline sponsor for the upcoming February extravaganza.

This is a first for the long established, family-owned, local company, as they put their support behind the return of the weekend show at the Eikon Centre on February 4 and 5.

Planned as a curtain raiser for the start of the motorcycling season for the year ahead the show will attract fans of both on and off road competitions as well as bike enthusiasts across the country.

Attractions at this year’s show will include everything from trade stands with motorcycle and rider equipment and merchandise as well as talks with guest speakers, Q&As, meet and greets, vintage vehicles and much more.

Kenny Gardner of 360 Events said: “We’re delighted to be welcoming BSB Superstock Champion and North West 200 winner, Richard Cooper as well as multiple TT winner, and Ulster Grand Prix superstock lap record holder, Dean Harrison who will be over from England for the event, along with former World Grand Prix 250 winner, North West 200 and Daytona winner Jeremy McWilliams, and British Superbike Championship rider, Korie McGreavey who are also set to appear at the show.

“Former road racer turned commentator Gareth Keys has also been confirmed as the host and compere for the event who will be organising interviews, question and answer sessions and making sure all attendees know what is happening throughout the two days.”

Sponsor AB&C Insurance is a welcome addition to the show lineup with over 50 years of experience in the general insurance sector with decades serving insurance for motor and motorcycle customers.

AB&C Insurance associate director Amy Logan, believes the partnership with the NI Motorcycle show is highly complementary.

She said: “We are delighted to put our name to this remarkable event and look forward to being on site across the two days to speak to existing and hopefully new customers.

“We look forward to working closely with 360 Events to ensure the two days are maximised in every way possible and that those attending the Eikon Centre will have a fabulous day out.

“We have provided insurance products to the motor industry for years, but we very much want to concentrate on the motorcycle market and association with the show is a major part of our strategy in 2023.”

AB&C Insurance will also be on hand representing their five branches in Belfast, Lisburn, Banbridge, Lurgan and Dungannon throughout the weekend offering single and multi-bike policies, with breakdown, legal and key cover available. Staff will also be able to advise attendees on a range of other insurance services including home, commercial and travel insurance products, with quality insurers and highly competitive rates. 

For young drivers, AB&C Insurance is renowned for its innovative telematics product, Lollybox, that helps to drive down the cost of insurance.

Speaking of the sponsorship Kenny added: “On behalf of the 360 Events team we are absolutely delighted to have AB&C Insurance on board this year. Many of our team have personal experience with the guys at AB&C over many years and for us it is a perfect fit.”

The Motorcycle Plus Show will take place at Eikon Centre in Lisburn on February 4-5, 2023. 

All online bookings will be entered into a free raffle to win prizes such as a small motorbike, discounted ferry bookings and other prizes. 

More details on the prizes will be confirmed but there are vouchers to the value of £1000, £300, £100, 4 ball golf voucher, and money off ferry travel vouchers to be had from Hursts, Crossan’s, Norman Watt Motorcycles, Edenmore Golf Club and Nutt Travel. 

For tickets go to motorcycleplusshow.co.uk

Public asked to help regenerate Belfast’s forgotten spaces

By

A new project has been launched today (23 January 2023) inviting people to share images of the unloved spaces of Belfast and to imagine what they could become.

Forgotten Spaces is a new Liminal Space Belfast project in partnership with the Imagine! Festival of Ideas & Politics which seeks to involve the public in discussion about how to regenerate the city.

The unique project is designed to be the first stage of a process that will highlight and map a range of forgotten spaces with the intention of making use of them in future programming with the Imagine! Festival and other partners. The public are invited to submit details for an online exhibition of a derelict site or forgotten space which will be hosted on the festival’s website. A competition for the best image and description will take place with prizes awarded for the best entries as part of the forthcoming Imagine! Belfast Festival of Ideas & Politics.

Project curator, Meadhbh McIlgorm, said:

“Liminal Space Belfast has developed a number of exciting projects that use alleyways and entries to host outdoor exhibitions and performances. Forgotten Spaces is an extension of this work, and I hope we can help regenerate forgotten and neglected places  to help reimagine the city.”

The open call for people to submit photos and comments about their unloved spaces is now open on the Imagine! Festival website (imaginebelfast.com) and will close on 12 February. Submissions will be exhibited, with a public vote, on the website  during March, and will be presented at a special event and prize giving during the festival on 22 March in the Europa Hotel. Category prizes of (£100, £75 and £50) for the best images and best descriptions will be decided by public vote and by a selection panel at the event.

According to Peter O’Neill, Imagine! Festival Director:

“We want the citizens of Belfast to share images of their favourite unloved spaces which deserve some attention. We also want to hear what they could become in the first step towards regeneration and useful purpose. The festival seeks to stimulate new ideas on politics and culture so we are delighted to support this exciting new project which will hopefully capture the imagination of local people who care about the future of this great city.”

A TALE OF BRIBERY, DECEPTION AND DISGUISE AT THE MARKET PLACE THEATRE

By

Ulster Touring Opera are coming to Armagh’s Market Place Theatre with Rossini’s ‘The Barber Of Seville’ a tale of bribery, deception and disguise!

Figaro, town barber and jack-of-all-trades, is going to need all his wiles to outwit old Dr Bartolo and make sure true love wins the day.

Carrickfergus-born mezzo-soprano Sarah Richmond sings Rosina in an international cast featuring Thomas Chenhall as the industrious barber and rising star Jack Roberts as the lovestruck Count.

Following his success in UTO’s ‘A Night At The Opera’ tour, Belfast baritone Malachy Frame re-joins the company in the role of Basilio, and Spanish soprano Lorena Paz Nieto takes on the fiery role of Berta.

The production will be sung in English in Amanda Holden’s beloved translation. With vocal fireworks, scheming lovers and one very busy barber, Rossini’s comic opera is bursting with fun, mischief and the world’s best tunes.

‘The Barber Of Seville’ will be staged on Saturday 4 February at 8pm. Tickets are priced £17.50 and £15 (concession), and can be booked online at www.visitarmagh.com/marketplacetheatre or through the Box Office on 03300 561 025.

© Copyright What's On NI 2017. All Rights Reserved.