The Broadisland Gathering, Ballycarry

30 August 2013, 19:45, Ballycarry Community Centre and Marquee

Runs to 07 September 2013

Preparations are now underway for the 21st annual Broadisland Gathering in Ballycarry, which is the longest established and largest Ulster-Scots festival in Northern Ireland.

This year's attractions will include exhibitions, musical groups including the Ulster Scots Experience and Stonewall, pageant parade, pipe bands, Scottish dancing displays, vintage vehicles, discussions on Ulster Scots, the old village fair and more.

 

The Broadisland Gathering was founded in 1993, and annually attracts considerable numbers of Ulster Scots and those with an interest in Ulster Scot culture to what is normally a quiet Ulster village, located within sight of the Scottish coast. The Gathering is a cross-community event in terms of the audience which it attracts, and it is clear that everyone sees it as a fun day within the context of a shared space for celebration and entertainment.

 

Ballycarry is overwhelmingly Scottish in origin, and the modern village was settled by William Edmonstone of Duntreagh in Stirlingshire in 1609. Edmonstone, who had come to County Down with the Hamilton and Montgomery settlement, obtained 2,800 acres of land at Broadisland or Braidenisland, now modern Ballycarry. The Gathering thus reflects this outstandingly strong Scottish heritage.

The event started with support from Larne Borough Council and attracted several hundred people. In 2005 the police estimate of numbers was in the region of 3,000 and in 2007 5,000 to 5,500. In 2008 despite poor weather conditions in the morning of the event, an estimated 2,500 were present. In 2009 the estimate was that upwards of 2,000 people attended the event, which was competing with other major events including the Gig on the Bann Festival and the Portrush Air Show. In 2010 we estimate around 3,000 visitors attended the event. In 2011 the largest number of visitors to date - in the region of 5,000 to 6,000 people attended throughout the Gathering Festival.

The event shows every potential of growing, given continued grant and business support and enhanced efforts are being made to raise funds locally to help with sustainability. The organisers are also hoping for corporate sponsorship, and ideas are welcome!

Typical events at the Gathering include pipe bands, drum major displays, musical groups, singers, storytelling and poetry, exhibitions, vintage vehicles, re-enactors, village fair, children's entertainments, a pageant parade, pet show, history walks and concerts. The unique family atmosphere which exists is a strong selling point and we have been delighted in the past to welcome visitors from the Republic of Ireland, England, Scotland, Canada, the United States, Germany, Spain, Hong Kong, Australia and elsewhere.

In 2011 our estimate is that 6,000 people attended the Festival, which was the largest number to date and the number was similar for 2012. Plans are well underway for the 2013 Gathering, the 21st anniversary of the event. Further updates will follow and you can also find more details on our Friends of the Broadisland Gathering facebook site.

 

Programme:

 

Friday 30 August 2013

The 1798 Tour

Bus trip around the 1798 sites in the area, including a visit to the new council offices in Antrim, hosted by the Deputy Mayor, Cllr. Brian Graham and including Ballycarry, Magheramorne, Larne, Donegore, and Antrim. Price includes free glass of wine, glass of beer or cup of tea in Millars.  

Tour guide: Dr. David Hume, leaving Ballycarry at 7.45pm, leaving Antrim at 9.30pm. Tickets £10. 42 seater bus.

 

Monday 2 September, 2013

7.30pm

Launch of Soul of a Nation: the Ulster Covenant 1912

Ballycarry Community Centre

7.30pm Exhibition from the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, talk by Dr. Jonathan Mattison on the archives of the Grand Orange Lodge.

Admission £2.00

Stall from Ulster Historical Foundation - £20 donation; table to be set up

Stall from Ballycarry Community Association

Exhibition runs throughout the week until Friday afternoon, admission £2.00 during the day (1pm-4pm), children free with adults.

 

Tuesday 3 September 2013

Soul of a Nation: the Ulster Covenant 1912

Ballycarry Community Centre

Lambeg drum displayand talk by Mark Anderson, Museum Outreach Officer for the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, 7.30pm-9pm, admission £2.00

Stall from Ballycarry Community Association

 

Wednesday 4 September 2013

Coffee morning and sale, Ballycarry Community Centre,

Admission £2.00

Stall from Ballycarry Community Association  10.30am-12 noon

Presentations to Garden Competition winners 2013

 

 

Thursday 5 September 2013, 6pm

Youth Disco for primary school ages, main marquee, admission £1.00

Tuck shop to be operated by Youth Club.

 

Friday 6 September, 2013

Car Boot sale on the village green, £5.00 per car

8pm The Big Gig at Broadisland:

Risin’ Stour,Ballycarry Community Centre, 8pm-10.30pm or marquee

Magowan’s Barn Dancewith Caller (£150 fee)

Tickets £5.00

Presentation of Clan Chieftains 2013

 

Saturday 7 September, 2013

MAIN ENTERTAINMENT AND EVENTS DURING THE DAY

 

Main Marquee

(Jackson Marquee)

 

MC Joe Graham

10.00-11.30am – Ballycarry Pet Show

11.30am-11.40am John Fittis Pipers

11.40am – 11.45am Joe Graham

11.45am – 12.30 Killyglen Accordion Orchestra

12.30noon – 1.30pm Stonewall

1.30pm-1.45pm Flower of the Bann Dancers

1.45pm – 2pm Royal Scottish Country Dancers

2pm-3pm Flutes of Mourne

3.15pm-4.30pm Ulster Scots Experience               Ends 4.30pm

 

Main parade 4pm – 5pm

 

 

Main Raa

12 noon – 12.15pm Major Ingleby’s Fife and Drum

12.15pm – 12.45pm Royal Scottish Country Dancers

12.45pm-1pm Mounthill Drumming Club

1pm – 2pmDrum Majors Display (with Major Sinclair Pipe Band)

2pm - 2.30pm Flower of the Bann dancers

2.45pm-3pm Magheramorne Silver Band

3pm- 3.30pm Burning Bush Fife and Drum

4pm – 4.30pm Mounthill Drumming Club

 

3.30pm Magheramorne Silver Band lead Banner of Honour parade from bottom of West Street along Main Street and to Church of Ireland. Wreath to be laid at General Steele Memorial en route. Band to halt on road for this to happen. Desi Campbell to lay wreath.

 

ORR TENT – The Language Tent

11.00am John Fittis piper

11.05am  First Families: Dr. David Hume explores the founding families of Ballycarry

11.30 Matthew Warwick – an introduction to Ulster Scots

12.15pm Liam Logan A wurd or twa in the hamely tongue – 1.15pm

1.30pm – 2.30pm Killyglen Accordion Orchestra

 

 

 

 

4pm – 5.15pm Parade

 

 

Community Centre Car Park

12.30pm – 1pm Flower of the Bann dancers

1.15pm – 2pm The Thompson Brothers

2.30pm- 3pm Ballyboley Pipe Band

3pm – 4.15pm Dummigan Accordion Ochestra

 

Top amenity green

10am-4pm Children’s amusements

1pm Ballyboley Pipe Band

2pm Drum Accordion Band

 

Bottom of Fairhill

Parades 3.30pm Magheramorne Silver Band lead Banner of Honour from bottom of West Street along Main Street to the Steele Memorial for wreath laying, piper to play

Then parades on to St. John’s Church for parade assembly.

4pm parade from Bentra Road, along Black Hayshed Road, Bridgend Road and Main Street to disperse at foot of Fairhill.

 

Vintage Vehicle Cavalcade

Starts 2.30pm from Hillhead through the Main Street, Bridgend Road, Bentra Road, Forthill Road, Bridgend Road, Main Street. Vehicles will be parked on Main Street between 11am and 1pm and from 3pm to 5pm.