USBF Announces Funding for New Projects

19 November 2025

The Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund (USBF) Investment Committee has awarded funding to two new projects.

Westway Films has been comissioned for a new series of Mahon’s Way for UTV and Makematic as part of their online animated educational series Essential State History. Both will celebrate next year’s 250th anniversary of US Independence, a key moment in Ulster-Scots history.

Joe Mahon and his team return to UTV with a sixth series of Mahon’s Way which will focus on local stories of American significance. Viewers can expect Joe’s meticulous deep dive as he explores those trans-Atlantic connections across ten episodes, sharing the stories of Ulster-Scots people who helped shape the founding of the United States.

Makematic will be producing a series of nine animated short films highlighting the Ulster-Scots origins of four US States. The online series will be made available to local and American students, ensuring they learn more about our connected history.

“Joe Mahon and the Westway team always deliver exceptional Ulster-Scots programmes, and theming their new series on the USA 250 anniversary ensures this pivotal part of history reaches a significant UTV audience,” said Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund Manager Heidi McAlpin, “and we are delighted to be a part of Makematic’s America-facing educational portfolio, allowing the Ulster-Scots story to reach the US, as well as Northern Irish, students as part of the America 250 celebrations.”

“This is a very exciting year for us in the Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund and demonstrates our commitment to support top-quality programme and project development,” added Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund Committee Chair, Dr. Frank Ferguson. “With the addition of a brilliant new series of Mahon’s Way and Essential State History we will extend local and international audiences significantly and provide further platforms to celebrate Ulster-Scots language, history, heritage and culture. Next year as we turn to commemorate the Ulster-Scots links with USA250, we are extremely proud to enable the creation of a range of top-quality documentary and digital projects.”

Both productions add to an already significant USBF investment in telling this story to as wide an audience as possible. In total, five TV productions for BBC NI, RTE and GB News, plus three digital resources, will be launched in 2026.