Grants Allocated For Cultural Based Initiatives
For further information on each event simply click on the event name below:
Altnaveigh House Cultural Society, An Evening of Cultural Diversity
Ballymacarrett Arts & Cultural Society, Ulster-Scots Quilt Project
Ulster-Scots Heritage Council, Magheramason Cultural Evening
The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society, Musicians’ Course & Children’s Day School
Organisation: Altnaveigh House Cultural Society
Event: An Evening of Cultural Diversity
Date: 21 June 2002
Altnaveigh House Cultural Society at St Anne’s Cathedral staged “An Evening of Cultural Diversity” on 21 June 2002. The purpose of the event was to promote not only the culture and tradition of Ulster Scots, but to demonstrate the Ulster Scots commitment to cultural diversity within the island of Ireland. To that end, the evening also featured Irish traditional musicians, a Chinese singer and a performance by “The Mighty Zulu Nation”, which was touring Northern Ireland at the time.
Artists included the Ulster Scots Folk Orchestra and the Gillian Jones dancers, together with the Altnaveigh Memorial Pipe Band and Young Drums from Rathfriland. The contingent from the Irish dimension was led by the Saval Clanrye Dancers and featured The Henderson Family of traditional musicians and Rose O’Dwaine, who was recently voted “Voice of Ireland”.
The programme was advertised through a number of display posters in shops in Belfast, Newtownabbey, Bangor and Holywood, and, on the evening, 400 people attended.
The event was jointly funded by the Ulster Scots Agency and Foras na’Gaelighe.
The event was considered to be a success as it achieved the objectives intended from it and demonstrated the popularity and value of such cross community and cross cultural events.
Organisation: Ballymacarrett Arts & Cultural Society
Event: Ulster Scots Quilt Project
Date: February – June 2002
The making of this Cultural Quilt highlighted the need not only for the cultural education of the community, but also the need to bring more local people into projects of this type to develop the skills that are available in abundance.
This project, although formally an art project, helped to develop the groups understanding of cultural issues that was relevant not only to themselves but also to their community. In the process of researching materials to include on the quilt, the group educated themselves on a lot of their traditions and heritage, and also gave them a better insight to their Ulster Scots roots. Through a lot of research at the local library, the group received a lesson in their history, which in turn gave them a better understanding of some of the Ulster Scots themes.
The launch of the Ulster Scots Cultural Quilt took place in the Long Gallery at Parliament Buildings, Stormont. This was hosted by Mr David Ervine MLA, Mrs Iris Robinson MP, MLA, Mr Sammy Douglas MBE, Chairman of the Greater East Belfast Partnership, Mr Ian Adamson MLA and Mr George Holmes represented The Ulster Scots Agency.
Organisation: Ulster-Scots Heritage Council
Event: Magheramason Cultural Evening
Date: 2 May 2002
This event was held on “2nd May 2002 in Magheramason Presbyterian Church Hall. This was the Ulster Scots Heritage Council’s first public event in the village and was very well attended. Support from Bready and District Ulster Scots Association ensured a local presence and input to the evening.
The event provided a wide range of Ulster Scots music which included performances by Corcrain Flute Band, Robert Watt and Emma Culbert, the Ulster Scots Folk Orchestra, Caledonian Connection, Bready and District US Dancers, Magheramason Primary School choir, Bready Junior Pipe Band and Bready Pipe Band.
All present agreed that the evening was beneficial and that the foundation had been laid for continuing Ulster Scots work in the area.
The Ulster Scots event was certainly worth holding as there were numerous influential people present, from school headmasters to local councillors, all of whom thought the event a tremendous success, with many enquiring as to whether this could be an annual event.
Organisation: The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society
Event: Musicians’ Course & Children’s Day School
Date: 27 April 2002 and 10 June 2002
The course for musicians was held in Knockbreda Parish Church Hall on Saturday 27 April, 2002. The tutors for the course were John Renton and Ricky Franci, with the additional assistance of keyboards and a drummer. The band was in Belfast to play at the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society’s “End of Season Ball”, and the course was timed to make use of their being there. Mr Renton made no charge for tuition for the course since he was already being paid for playing at the two dances.
The aim of the course was to introduce local musicians to the techniques necessary for playing at Scottish Country dances, and to encourage them to consider the possibility of reaching the standards required for playing at local classes and dances. It is hoped that development of local expertise will avoid the necessity of bringing bands from Scotland for formal dances, and form an occasional alternative to the use of tapes at classes. It was decided to hold a short course in order to gauge interest among local musicians in studying the proper musical techniques.
This course was advertised by sending leaflets to the secretaries of local Accordion and Fiddle clubs, and by a notice in the magazine “Box and Fiddle”. Articles in the Belfast Telegraph and other local papers also advertised the course. It was hoped to attract up to 15 participants, and in fact, 16 attended. (Fourteen full time and 2 part time.)
The attendees were mostly piano or button accordion players, with two fiddle players and one percussionist. Five of those attending played in bands that normally play for Irish Dancing. These musicians have found that there is an interest for Scottish Dances for functions such as weddings, as well as for Scottish Country Dancing classes. A questionnaire was sent to each of the participants, asking if they would be interested in a longer course during the coming winter, and half of the participants expressed an interest in a longer course. These musicians commented that playing for Scottish Country Dancing required a more disciplined approach than many of the participants were accustomed to.
It was considered that the course was very successful and it would be worthwhile to hold a longer course, or courses, during the present winter dancing season. The course represented extremely good value for money, particularly since it was held at the same time as John Renton’s band were in Belfast to play at a dance organised by the Society, and no fee was charged for the services of the tutors.
The Children’s Day School gave the children an opportunity to receive tuition from a visiting teacher, with 25 children attending, ranging in age from Primary 1 to mid teens. The cost of running this school laws reduced considerably since the teacher and pianist insisted on coming from Edinburgh by low cost airline and returning the same day. Again, this class was considered to be a great success by pupils, teacher and parents.