2012 February Archive
A re-vamped version of the touring exhibition Images of Ireland: the politics of identity, 1867-1916 is returning to Coleraine Town Hall. The exhibition is part of Cultural Fusions, a collaboration between the Causeway Museum Service and Mid-Antrim Museum Service. Images of Ireland explores an important period of history and cultural debate in Ireland, with specific case studies drawn from the region. It features objects from the Irish Home Industries collection, Ballycastle Museum, not previously on display in Coleraine.
Cultural Fusions is a heritage based project being delivered by Causeway Museum Service and Mid-Antrim Museum Service across the local councils of Ballymena, Larne, Ballymoney, Coleraine, Limavady and Moyle. It is supported by the PEACE III Programme through funding from the Special EU Programmes Body administered by the North East PEACE III Partnership.
The theme of the exhibition is ‘identity’ – how ideas of Irish, British, Gaelic and Orange identity evolved over the period commonly known as the ‘Celtic Revival’. From the mid-nineteenth century, in Ireland, as in many places across Europe, there was a growing interest in cultural identity. This was linked to Romantic Nationalism that celebrated national historic and artistic traditions. At the same time local identities were being defined in political terms as a result of the Home Rule crisis. The symbols and iconography used to define Irish and British, Unionist and Nationalist, Protestant and Catholic identity became more prescribed and directly in opposition to each other. We are still living with the legacy of this cultural and political division today.
Images of Ireland is one of six heritage based projects designed to support communities emerging from conflict to re engage in dialogue and interaction leading to improved Good Relations and a more peaceful and stable society.
The exhibition will be on display in Coleraine Town hall from 6th to 27th February, Monday to Saturday, 11am to 4pm. Admission is free. For more information, please contact the Causeway Museum Service on (028) 7034 7234 or cms@colerainbc.gov.uk.
- Official Launch of the Community Integration Project
- Tullyglass Hotel, Ballymena
- Tuesday 21st February 2012
The North East PEACE III Partnership launched Phase 2 of its Faith Works Project at The Braid Arts Centre on Monday 23rd January. The project is supported through the European Union’s PEACE III Programme and is managed for the Special EU Programmes Body by the North East PEACE III Partnership. “Faith Works” will support 30 faith groups and 6 church forums from across the North East to help reduce sectarianism.
Speaking on behalf of the North East PEACE III Partnership, Patricia McCallion, PEACE III Manager, stated that “Religious and faith based groups are among the key PEACE stakeholders in the North East”. She added that “the project will increase the confidence and ability of individuals and communities to explore faith based issues. It will support faith based groups and networks to explore sectarianism and racism through a bespoke programme of learning, development and bottom up initiatives across the six council areas of Coleraine, Limavady, Ballymoney, Moyle, Ballymena and Larne”.
The Faith Works Project has been developed to enable local churches and faith based groups to engage with each other, develop awareness of other perspectives and explore how they can help to reduce sectarianism within their local communities. The participant groups will participate in a range of activities including training, good practice visits, conferences and a residential. Each group will have access to a resource allocation to enable them to deliver a project in their area.
If you have any queries in regard to the Faith Works Project please contact the Project Director Mr Tommy Stewart by email: faithworks@vmsconsults.com or by telephoning 028 25 659141.
Dame Mary Peters at the Sport for Peace Launch
The North East PEACE III Sport for Peace Building Project officially launched the Ballymena Cultural Awareness project on Tuesday 7th February at the Ballymena Showgrounds.
This Project, which has already been awarded the prestigious London 2012 Olympic Inspire mark, is one of a number of initiatives that make up the North East PEACE III Action Plan, funded under PEACE III by the Special European Union Programmes Body.
The overall North East PEACE III Programme aims to improve attitudes and promote behavioural change among the residents of the North East area leading ultimately to a peaceful and stable society.
The objective of the Cultural Awareness Project is to encourage people to become fully engaged in activities not normally associated with their community background. Using sport as a medium, the main aim is to bring people together to understand each others cultures and develop relationships. This practical involvement in a safe environment will help to build trust and challenge negative perceptions, while creating shared spaces within the Borough.
Delivered by the University of Ulster Sports Academy, the Project has brought together four local sports clubs to take part in a series of cross skills and cross community leadership activities over a series of weeks. This will culminate with a cultural team building and leadership residential.
The clubs involved in this innovative project are Ballymena Rugby FC, All Saints GAC, Geraldine’s Camogie Club, and Portglenone and Ballymena Hockey Club.
Speaking at the event, Paul McKinnon, Former High Performance Development Manager to the All Blacks, gave a presentation on ‘Building Cultural Inclusion in Sport’. During his talk he emphasised the cultural importance of the All Blacks vision “Diversity is our Strength” which highlights their ethos of respect by bringing five different cultures together within the team.
Councillor Hubert Nicholl, Mayor of Ballymena commented: “This cultural awareness project has overtaken the work achieved by the clubs in previous years. A lot of commitment goes into organising such projects and the leaders of each club are to be commended for their proactive approach to building links at a local level.”
“Those involved this year will not only be able to obtain new skills, new friendships and new understanding, they will also have the opportunity to achieve an accredited qualification in sport and good relations as the programme progresses to a residential in June.”
“It is great to see local clubs and young people coming together on the sports field and building friendships across the community.”
The GAA representative for the Cross Cultural Sports Programme and All Saints GAC coach, Sean O’Brien remarked: “The programme provides a much needed link between sporting groups who have so much in common both in the sporting arena and personally. It has helped the participants forge an understanding of each others sporting code and skills as well as giving them the chance to meet athletes of their own age from a different cultural background. The result has seen players from one code training and competing in the other code.”
Ballymena RFC and Ballymena Council’s Community Development Officer, Tom Wiggins reflected: “This initiative builds on our relationship with All Saints and forms part of our wider community programme in which we attempt to give our players life experience as well as simply rugby coaching.”
Sport for Peace Launch
- Official Launch of North East PEACE III Phase 2 of the Action Plan
- Ross Park Hotel, Ballymena
- Thursday 8th March 2012 10.30am – 1.00pm
- Invitation only
The North East PEACE III Partnership Phase 2 of the Action Plan will be officially launched at the Ross Park Hotel, Ballymena on Thursday 8th March 2012. The launch is to acknowledge that the North East Cluster of Councils has been awarded £4.1 million to deliver a range of strategic programmes aimed at challenging attitudes towards sectarianism and racism and supporting conflict resolution and mediation throughout the North East Cluster area.
For further information on the event, please contact Leisa Duffy on 028 7034 7052 or by email at leisa.duffy@colerainebc.gov.uk
- 6th – 27th February 2012
- 11am – 4pm Monday – Saturday
- Coleraine Town Hall, The Diamond, Coleraine
- Admission is Free
The theme of the exhibition is ‘identity’ – how ideas of Irish, British, Gaelic and Orange identity evolved over the period commonly known as the ‘Celtic Revival’. From the mid-nineteenth century, in Ireland, as in many places across Europe, there was a growing interest in cultural identity. This was linked to Romantic Nationalism that celebrated national historic and artistic traditions. At the same time local identities were being defined in political terms as a result of the Home Rule crisis. The symbols and iconography used to define Irish and British, Unionist and Nationalist, Protestant and Catholic identity became more prescribed and directly in opposition to each other. We are still living with the legacy of this cultural and political division today.
For more information, please contact the Causeway Museum Service on (028) 7034 7234 or cms@colerainbc.gov.uk.
