Unfortunately after careful consideration due to the corona virus outbreak our sub group the RATH Community group have had to postpone this Sundays football event.

Many thanks to the WheelWorks and Peace IV Programme Antrim and Newtownabbey for their understanding on this matter. We will assess the situation in the coming weeks with the hope of rescheduling.

This Sunday (15th March) our sub group the  RATH Community Group (Rathcoole) are running a Disability football tournament at three mile from 11.30am to 2.30pm. Family feel atmosphere such as bouncy castles dinky donuts etc

All are welcome.

This evening members of Dalaradia attended the official unveiling of a new mural for our friend Stevie “Xray” McCrea.

Today our group was pleased to facilitate an educational Ulster Scots event involving music , poetry and story telling in relation to Robbie Burns , this was delivered free to Rathcoole  Primary and Abbots Cross Primary Schools.

These fantastic shows can be delivered to any school or youth group, please contact us if you would like to avail of this service.

“Not So Serious Burns”

“Not So Serious Burns” is a 35-minute theatre-in-education play on the life and work of the national bard of the Scots and Ulster Scots – Robert Burns!

We are welcomed into Rabbie’s world as we meet his wife Jean and best friend Archie as they join him on stage. It’s Burn’s Day and as they wait for the haggis to cook, they reminisce together as Rabbie tells the children about his upbringing on the farm and his love of school. He remembers his first poem that he wrote at 15 years of age “Once I Lov’d A Bonny Lass” and sings a version of his poem “My Love Is Like A Red, Red Rose”.

It’s not all about Rabbie though as Archie gives us a few hearty renditions on the pipes and Jeanie treats the audience to a bit of her speciality of Highland Dancing whilst encouraging the audience to join in with an impromptu fling!

Whilst all this has been going on, everyone has forgotten about the haggis and, when they remember, they are worried it will be over-cooked. Luckily, though it is saved and dinner can be served – for some of the audience too! But first, the haggis must be piped in and ceremonially served. Once the dinner has been served, it is time to part in the traditional manner of a rousing rendition of “Auld Lang Syne” for the whole audience to join in.

“Not So Serious Burns” combines music and drama, poetry and song, Highland dancing and haggis as well as incorporating the Ulster Scots / Lallans language in this fast-paced entertaining Burns’ experience, for young people from 4 to 84!

Written by Jonathan Burgess, author of other theatre-in-education plays such as “Fair Faa Ye”, “Old Glory” and “The Honest Sod” and Produced by Sollus Cultural Promotions producers of “The Walled City Tattoo”.

Ps Please click on attachment for further information.

Spring Lectures 2020

This evening our group help a social function for our members. It was also a night to present a plaque to a very good friend of ours, Jim Rainey.

Jim would be known to host very popular “Night at the riots” evenings which we have held on many occasions. He help and friendship through the years has been second to none.

Happy Robert ‘Rabbie’ Burns day folks.

Scotland’s National Bard, Robert Burns, was born on this day in 1759. His birthday continues to be celebrated around the world.

Many people don’t realise that he also had close connections with Ulster. He is regarded as Scotland’s national poet: an icon who has loomed large in Ulster/Scottish culture and consciousness ever since his early death at the age of 37. Arguably his best known work is the song Auld Lang Syne: a long established feature of New Year celebrations in every corner of the world settled by the Scottish diaspora (which means, in effect, every corner of the world).

Yesterday evening in the Skainos Centre, Belfast our group in conjunction with REACH hosted an evening challenging the idea that Ulster-Scots has a sectarian subtext and that it does not have cross community potential by pointing to evidence in several literary and autobiographical texts that have not received sufficient critical attention.

The meeting was organised following the release of the “NEW DECADE – NEW APPROACH” deal of which it states in section 27/c : “ to enhance and develop the language, arts and literature associated with the Ulster Scots / Ulster British Tradition “

Last Thursday evening our group hosted an event at the The Somme Association & Somme Museum in Conlig to remember our former patron and friend Dr Ian Adamson OBE on the 1st anniversary of his passing.

Two stained glass pieces of artwork were made by the community and donated to the Somme Museum in his memory. One piece will remain in the museum while the other will be installed in the Ulster Tower in Thiepval, France.

Our Chairperson and Carol Walker, Director of the Somme Museum and the Ulster Tower, highlighted the great work by Dr Adamson in relation to the Somme. Speakers also included David Johnson (NIO) and Robbie Hull (DFA). While in France in the 1980’s, with young people from the Shankill and Falls in Belfast and Tallaght in Dubin, Dr Adamson decided to stop off in the Somme. This would lead to the creation of the Somme Association and the refurbishment of the Ulster Tower.