Come join us for a relaxing and rejuvenating mindful walk along the stunning Crawfordsburn Coastal Path to immerse yourself in nature, breathe in the fresh air, and clear your mind. Experience the beauty of the coast, listen to the soothing sounds of the waves, and connect with your surroundings on this mindful journey that will include some mindfulness practices, nature mandala and some nature-based songs and poetry to inspire you
Location
The starting and ending point is Carnalea Station. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to unwind, de-stress, and find peace in the present moment. Join us for a mindful walk that will leave you feeling refreshed and renewed.
Guide
The walks are guided by Juanita Rea, yogi, artist, meditator, self-titled tree-cher and recently dubbed ‘mermaid of Crawfordsburn!” She is originally from South Africa, with Indian blood, an African heartbeat and feet that are most at home along the Crawfordsburn Coastal Path. She is recipient of a Global Talent Visa Endorsement from Arts Council since 2021 and moved to Carnalea in 2023.
Themes
Each walk has a unique theme.
- September 20th: `CommUNION
- September 27th: Interconnectedness
- October 2nd: Belonging
- October 4th: Home
- October 9th: Risk
- October 16th: Gratitude
- October 18th: Trust
- October 23rd: Serendipity
What to wear/bring
Wear comfy shoes and warm, comfy clothes and carry a raincoat or windbreaker and umbrella. Keep your phone on silent for the duration of the walk.
You can access the Eventbrite link here.
Celebrate the Autumn Equinox: An Evening of Film and Music at Ulster Folk Museum
Join us at Ulster Folk Museum on Saturday, 21st September, to celebrate the Autumn Equinox with a unique evening event. Experience a one-off screening of a specially commissioned archive film in our authentic 1900s Picture House, accompanied by a live score from the acclaimed Irish composer Róis.
This event, embodying the theme of ‘OpportUNiTY’, offers a special opportunity to reflect on the richness of the Autumn Equinox—a time that marks the transition from summer to autumn and celebrates the balance of light and dark. The film will feature astrological visuals, standing stones, and scenes of nature’s abundance and past harvests, interwoven to highlight the significance of this special time of year.
The Autumn Equinox is a moment steeped in ancient rituals, traditions, and folklore, from Neolithic alignments to the pagan festival of Mabon. By attending this event, you will engage with these rich traditions and explore new opportunities for understanding and appreciating our cultural heritage.
Róis, renowned for her innovative blend of folk, Sean-nós, electronic soundscapes, and jazz, will bring her unique touch to the evening, creating a captivating fusion of music and visual storytelling.
In celebration of Good Relations Week 2024 and its theme of ‘OpportUNITY,’ join us at the Ulster Folk Museum on Saturday, 21st September for a special Harvest event. From 10:00 to 17:00, explore our exhibit buildings adorned for harvest and engage in traditional activities such as potato picking, apple harvesting, and corn grinding. This family-friendly event will feature threshing demonstrations, craft activities, and traditional music sessions, alongside a screening of the ‘Autumn Equinox’ archive film in our original Picture House, supported by Film Hub NI.
Harvest season historically brought communities together to support each other in gathering and preparing crops, embodying the spirit of cooperation and camaraderie. This event not only celebrates the end of the growing season but also aligns with the week’s focus on unity and shared cultural heritage, offering a meaningful way to connect with both our past and each other.
Ards and North Down Borough Council Good Relations team would like to invite you to attend a special performance of “Ceasefire Babies” in the Queen’s Hall, Newtownards on Thursday 19th September.
“How do we form our allegiances and beliefs?
The annual bonfire preparations are underway. Mikey’s coming home from the Centre and his sister Jamie cannot wait.
But there is change in the air and not everyone’s ready for it.
Jamie wants to reignite her father and uncle’s old conflicts, but Mikey and their friends must decide whether to take hold of their own destinies or allow the ghosts of the past to dictate their futures.
Do we make our own decisions, or do we inherit them? Can a cycle of ideology and disagreement be broken? And who can take the first step?
The Ceasefire Babies is written by Fiona Doyle whose most recent play, The Strange Death of John Doe, is a finalist for the 2018 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize.”
Review: https://sharedfuture.news/ceasefire-babies-a-significant-play-on-impact-of-the-troubles/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3RhlEBPKwNWGraDeKFcswkSHwnn7cTKIvfvd32SnJmEZjqUiLw3oNPvZ4_aem_YnY12oQSATadO5AafopnPA
Thursday 19th September 2024 – 8pm – Queen’s Hall, Newtownards
(Doors open at 7.30, first come first seated)
Entry is Free, but registration is required.
To register please contact: Goodrelations@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk
WoFUNd – Good Relations Fund. Participatory Budgeting in Holywood. You Decide!Participatory budgeting is a form of citizen participation in which citizens are involved in the process of deciding how public money is spent. Woven will develop, lead out and run a Participatory Budgeting programme for Holywood and surrounding area for groups to put an application in to run a good relations project in the area. Those who apply will come along to an evening where they will vote and decide who is successful in securing up to £1000.00 to run a good relations project in Holywood.
This initiative is funded by the Department for Communities and Housing Executive as part of a Good Relations plan for Church View development in Holywood, Co Down.
Teams from across Northern Ireland have gathered in Newtownards for a Walking Football tournament aimed at increasing physical fitness and improving mental wellbeing. Now in its second year, the tournament organised by Glen Men’s Walking Football has benefitted from a Community Involvement Grant worth £3,042.98 from the Housing Executive.
For more information visit: The Housing Executive – News (nihe.gov.uk)
The Ards and North Down Borough Council’s Good Relation’s Shared history programme –
A shared history programme exploring the history of Londonderry/Derry. Four cross community trips to “The Siege Museum” and the “Museum of Free Derry”.
Participants learn about both the Siege of Londonderry/Derry, the formation of the Apprentice Boys and Bloody Sunday, formation of The Bloody Sunday Trust and the ongoing search for justice with a facilitated tour and seminar.
Between the visits to the Museums, we will have two online seminars from the facilitators of the Museums, allowing participants to gain more knowledge and ask questions.
Seminars are delivered on Zoom @ 7pm
Tuesday 19th September – William Moore – Past Governor and current General Secretary of the Apprentice Boys
Wednesday 20th September – John Kelly – Relation, campaigner and facilitator for The Bloody Sunday Trust.
Make the most of volunteer opportunities at Ulster Folk Museum.
Come along on Friday 22nd September and help us bring our cottage gardens back to life, growing the heritage fruit and vegetables they would have produced over 100 years ago.
The session is from 10am – 3pm. Come for a couple of hours during that window or bring a packed lunch and stay for the full session.
See link below for more information and details on how to register.
Harvest is an important time of year and marks the culmination of the agricultural season when crops cultivated throughout the year are finally ready for gathering and processing.
It is a time of celebration and hard work with deep-rooted cultural and historical significance. Communities came together during the harvest season to help each other gather crops and store them for the winter months. The spirit of cooperation and camaraderie was evident as neighbours supported one another in this labour-intensive process. There were always jobs to be done in the harvest season – vegetables and fruits to be picked, crops to be harvested, corn to be threshed and ground, flax to be pulled and food to be preserved in preparation for the long winter months.
But harvest wasn’t only a time of hard work and was also a joyous celebration of the abundance of nature; fairs and feasts would have been a common occurrence through the season.
For the whole month of September, visit the Ulster Folk Museum to explore and celebrate harvest and our close connection to the land and to each other. During your visit you can explore our beautiful exhibit buildings dressed for harvest and learn about traditional harvest activities. Our visitor guides will be busy making potato bread and butter and our craft demonstrators will be busy on harvest themed work. There are plenty of walks to take in the autumnal hues of the woods and farmlands as you watch the season turn and the work of harvest unfold.
The Museum of Innovation is where we tell the story of Irish and Northern Irish ingenuity and innovation. These individuals pushed the boundaries of what was thought achievable in pursuit of their dreams.
This season’s ‘Innovator in Focus’, Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, born in Lurgan Co. Armagh, epitomises the theme of togetherness as we contemplate our position within the universe. As the first scientist to discover pulsars in 1967, which earned her the Nobel Prize for Physicas dedicated to inspiring others within the scientific community and enabled many others to pursue a career in this field of research.
You can learn more about Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell and more of our Innovator in Focus series at the Ulster Transport Museum throughout Good Relations Week.
The Museum of Innovation is located at the Ulster Transport Museum