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Tackling the personal journey of a young woman affected by Asperger’s syndrome, c21 Theatre Company's latest production of ‘It Only Takes a Minute’, arrives in the Sean Hollywood Arts Centre next week Friday 19 October.
The punchy and fast paced one-woman show is performed by the extremely talented disabled actress, Anna Kyle from East Belfast, who takes the lead as Michelle, a 26-year-old woman with Asperger’s syndrome. Following her diagnosis, the play takes you on Michelle’s rollercoaster journey through life, presenting a series of flashbacks as she relives a number of key moments in her teenage years, growing up in the 1990’s.
Sound tracked by the music and lyrics of Take That, Michelle looks to the famous boy band as her confidants, mentors and best friends in the solace of her bedroom. However, soon becoming an obsession, we see the effects of Michelle’s diagnosis come to light, as she begins to take the lyrics all too literally.
A culmination of events leads Michelle to breaking point and a meltdown forces her to face up to the reality of her life, learning the truth about herself and the world around her.
The play is co-written by leading lady Anna Kyle, alongside co-writer and director, Tom Rowntree-Finlay from Newtownabbey.
Creative Director of c21 Theatre Company, Stephen Kelly said, “I am really excited about this show. The beauty of theatre is that it brings to life issues that are faced by many in the modern world. Theatre is a way of communicating the harsh realities of real life in a fun and honest way and this show is the perfect example of that.”
“It creates an understanding in the public eye as to what a person goes through during their life and provides comic relief during times of sincere emotion.”
The production is a mix of excitement, uncertainty and sometimes an all too real overload of emotion, casting a light on the increasing number of females with undiagnosed Asperger’s and their struggle living in a neurotypical society.
Co-writer and director, Tom Rowntree-Finlay said, “I am delighted to be taking this show on the road. We have worked hard for a long time to portray an honest experience of someone who has been diagnosed with Asperger’s, life is messy and unpredictable at times and I think this play offers a slice of reality to the public.
“I would like to thank Anna for bringing our words to life in a beautiful way, her performance is effortless and allows you to connect in a very real way to Michelle’s struggle.”
Stephen continues, “Tom and Anna have written a brilliant and brutally honest script and Anna does an incredible job of capturing every facet of Michelle’s personality. I have no doubt that you will all love the show as much as I do.”
Following the successes of ‘Ardnaglass on Air’ and May the Road Rise Up, ‘It Only Takes a Minute’ is set to be another hit.
The production is supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland through National Lottery Funding. Gilly Campbell, Arts Development Officer for Drama and Dance, Arts Council of Northern Ireland said; “The Arts Council is proud to support another production by c21 Theatre Company. c21 has a fantastic reputation in providing a platform for challenging subjects which are often ignored in the public eye. This is an important piece of theatre and I would encourage you all to go and see it.”
‘It Only Takes a Minute’ is also proudly sponsored by Doyle Shipping Group and Halifax Foundation NI.
To book Telephone the Sean Hollywood Arts Centre on: 028 3031 3180 or Email: arts.reception@nmandd.org
More information at c21theatrecompany.com
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The Aston Martin Red Bull Racing (AMRBR) Formula 1 team are bringing one of their famous F1 cars to Marcus Square in Newry next month as part of the second City of Merchants Festival. Set to take up its podium position outside the newly opened First Derivatives building, the car will be on display between 2pm and 4pm on Sunday 4 November 2018, and will add a distinct flair to the festival.
It's in celebration of Newry’s position as a leading centre of innovation and commerce and the team are being brought to Newry in partnership with Kx and Newry Business Improvement District (BID).
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairman, Councillor Mark Murnin said, “This is a great high-octane addition to an already action-packed City of Merchants weekend. Unleashing the spectacle of F1 for fans across the district is fantastic, and we are thrilled that Newry is one of its pit stop destinations during its travels around Northern Ireland.
“I am delighted that the Council is working in partnership with First Derivatives and Newry BID to host the Aston Martin Red Bull Racing team here and we are looking forward to welcoming visitors to the City of Merchants Festival weekend.”
The visit is a result of the team supplier partnership between Kx and Aston Martin Red Bull Racing which has resulted in the team using technology from Kx for the analysis of wind tunnel data; a critical element in the development of faster, more competitive F1 cars.
Speaking on the upcoming arrival of the celebrated car and its partnership with AMRBR, Louise Cunningham, Vice President of Marketing at First Derivatives said, “We are delighted to welcome Aston Martin Red Bull Racing to our hometown of Newry. Over the last year, we have been building upon our partnership and supporting the team with data analysis for off track projects helping the development of its 2019 cars. Whether you love F1 or not, to see the car up close is a fantastic opportunity.”
Newry BID Manager, Eamonn Connolly commented: “Newry BID is delighted to continue our partnership with First Derivatives; in this instance, with the Aston Martin Red Bull Racing team. The event epitomises First Derivatives’ cutting edge technology and commitment to Newry. We very much look forward to a family friendly event to remember, in the heart of Newry city.”
The City of Merchants Festival is taking place from Friday 2 November to Sunday 4 November and will see a whole host of activities celebrating the area’s maritime and trading heritage.
Activities on Friday include a walking tour and banquet at Bagenal’s Castle; a twilight market from 5pm to 10pm in Hill Street; free children’s art and craft workshops at the market; a sensational parade to the Fathom Line at 7.15pm ending with a magnificent fireworks display from 8pm.
On Saturday visitors can enjoy the tall ships from 12noon to 4pm; a theatrical Merchant Quest through the streets of Newry created by theatre company, Big Telly and interactive horse and trap tours. Those coming to the Festival can also enjoy a day at the museum with a guided tour of Bagenal’s Castle and there will be a comical look at trade through the years taking place in and around the city.
This year will also see the inaugural Scenic Carlingford Ferry Loop Sportive in which hundreds of keen cyclists will take on a 62km route around the shores of Carlingford Lough. More details on this event can be found at www.loopsportive.com
For more information on the overall City of Merchants Festival programme and for details on how to book tickets for the events please visit: www.heaveninaheartbeat.com/giant-adventures
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For the second year Newry City of Merchants is once again holding its highly anticipated walking tour culminating in a celebratory banquet at Bagenal’s Castle.
Focusing this year on Newry’s railway heritage, the tour will start at 2.30pm from the Museum, and will visit locations once occupied by stations, bridges and platforms. Participants will find out how the railway and port provided the foundation for Newry’s development as a mercantile centre on Carlingford Lough.
Starting at 5pm the banquet will be a sumptuous and enjoyable end to the walking tour. The menu consists of a cold meat buffet including a dressed salmon, ham and a choice of dessert, plus a glass of mulled wine.
Entertainment will be provided by Living History re-enactors who will perform songs and poetry inspired by the 1885 Golden Wedding celebrations of Newry MP and railway investor, Peter Quinn.
Peter Quinn was a merchant in Newry and served as a Justice of the Peace in the counties of Armagh and Down. He also served on the committee which issued the prospectus for the Newry, Armagh and Enniskillen Railway in the autumn of 1844 (the company was formed in 1845) and was on the Board of the Newry Navigation Company.
Speaking on Newry & Mourne Museum’s activities, Deputy Chairperson Oksana McMahon said: “It is great to see the return of the 2018 City of Merchants celebrations. The walking tour has proved extremely popular and it is a wonderful insight into the heritage and history of Newry as a Merchant town. By celebrating Peter Quinn through the banquet, it is a great way to acknowledge those that have helped build the trading legacy we are proud of.”
Numbers are limited and due to its high demand, we urge people to book tickets soon. Tickets are £10 and available from Newry Visitor Centre, Bagenal’s Castle Tel. 028 3031 3170
The City of Merchants Festival will take place from Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th November and will see a host of activities take place to celebrate the area’s maritime and trading heritage. Activities on Friday alongside the Walking Tour & Banquet at Bagenal’s Castle include a Twilight Market from 5pm to 10pm in Newry Variety Market Hill Street; free children’s art and craft workshops at the market; a sensational parade to the Fathom Line at 7.15pm; ending with a magnificent firework display from 8pm.
On Saturday you can enjoy the Tall Ships from 12noon to 4pm; a theatrical Merchant Quest through the streets of Newry created by theatre company Big Telly; interactive Horse and Trap tours; a theatrical guided tour of Bagenal’s Castle; plus, a comical look at trade through the years taking place in both The Buttercrane and The Quays Shopping Centres. This year will also see the inaugural Scenic Carlingford Ferry Loop Sportive in which hundreds of keen cyclists will take on a 62km route around the shores of Carlingford Lough. More details on this event can be found at www.loopsportive.com
On Sunday in partnership with Kx and Newry Business Improvement District (BID), Aston Martin Red Bull Racing will be bringing one of its famous Formula 1 cars to Marcus Square in Newry. Set to take up its podium position outside the newly opened First Derivatives building, the car will be on display between 2pm and 4pm.
For more information on the overall City of Merchants Festival programme and for details on how to book tickets for the events please visit: www.heaveninaheartbeat.com/giant-adventures
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Neil Delamere is bringing his Controlled Substance tour to the Canal Court in Newry on Friday 16 November and you have a chance to win a pair of tickets to see him. The prize is worth a cool £44 and there are two sets of tickets up for grabs.
To enter the competition just comment either in a Facebook Comment on the Newry.ie Website or on Newry.ie Facebook or Twitter Pages. You must only comment once.
The two best comments win. Comment can be witty, not witty, Neil Delamere related or unrelated to anything! We will pick our 2 winners on Monday 22 October. Winning decision by Newry.ie is final.
Best of Luck
The Gig
Fresh from a sell-out tour, the star of BBC's The Blame Game and Soft Border Patrol, Neil Delamere, returns to tour with a brand new show ‘Controlled Substance’ to the Canal Court Hotel, Newry on Friday 16 November 2018.
This time he thinks he has that whole "illusion of control" idea sussed.
Then again he would think that, wouldn't he?
'You'll be hard-pressed to find a more gifted comic at the Fringe' ***** (Scotsman).
'One lean, mean, comedy, killing machine' ***** (Herald).
Tickets can be got at Canal Court Hotel or www.ticketstop.ie
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APOLOGIES THIS SHOW HAS BEEN CANCELLED 6/11/2018
Newry Town Hall is the venue later this month for band The Illegals who will perform their Rumours of Hotel California 40 year anniversary special show as they celebrate two classic rock albums from two iconic bands, The Eagles of course and Fleetwood Mac.
The show, which features Niamh Kavanagh, winner of the Eurovision Song Contest in 1993, will take place on Friday, 16 November at 8pm and follows on from a year of playing to sell-out crowds. The music will take the audience on a three hour journey of soulful harmonies, exciting riffs, blistering guitars and unforgettable songs.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairman, Councillor Mark Murnin said, “I am delighted to welcome The Illegals once again to Newry. This production will be a wonderful night of music and nostalgia for all those who grew up to the sounds of The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac. To have the best of two legendary bands in one night - it’s almost too good to be true.”
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The Ring of Gullion Winter Solstice Festival begins this week and continues with many events running until 22 December.
From plays to sessions to workshops to walks, to history to volunteering to wellbeing there is much to see. You can find out about all the happenings and book when required at www.ringofgullion.org
The festival includes a series of lectures celebrating the events that shaped the culture and landscape of the area.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and the Ring of Gullion Landscape Partnership are hosting the lectures.
Kicking off the programme of workshops will be Paul Gosling, a native of Dundalk who lectures fulltime in the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology. A professional archaeologist and a member of the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland, Paul will discuss his current research on the route aspects of the medieval epic, Táin Bó Cúailnge (The Cattle raid of Cooley) on Thursday 8 November at 7.30pm in Cross Square Hotel.
Táin Bó Cúailnge is the story of a cattle-raid reputed to have taken place during winter sometime around the time of Christ. Set in a rural, tribal and pagan Ireland, it is peopled with fearless warriors, haughty queens and kings and prize bulls. It is often ranked alongside Ireland’s greatest literary classics and frequently described as ‘epic literature’.
On Tuesday, 20 November, the focus will be on more recent history when Dr Éamon Phoenix makes his welcome return to the area. Dr Phoenix, a political historian, journalist and commentator, is a member of the Taoiseach’s Expert Advisory Group on Centenaries. His book, ‘An Ulster Unionist at the 1916 Rising’ is based on the 1916 diary of Belfast-man, James Mitchell who arrived in Dublin on Easter Saturday. Dr Phoenix will be covering ‘The North Began: Northern Narratives of the 1916 Rising’ in Bessbrook Town Hall at 7.30pm.
Rounding off the Solstice programme is Dr Kirstin Lemon from Geological Survey of Northern Ireland. On Tuesday, 27 November, she will be speaking about ‘Rock Legends: Myth Busting in Mourne Gullion and Strangford’. Dr Lemon will look at some of the myths around the unique geology of the area, explaining the subject in language accessible to all.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairman, Councillor Mark Murnin said, “I am certain that his exciting programme will be of interest to a wide range of people. We are very lucky that the Ring of Gullion Winter Solstice Festival can avail of such a prestigious range of speakers, both locally and nationally, who will highlight the significance of this area in respect of the history, architecture and geology of Ireland.”
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A new temporary exhibition entitled ‘War Declared: the local impact of World War II’ has opened at the Newry and Mourne Museum at Bagenal’s Castle, on Thursday, 23 May 2019.
The new exhibition marks the 80th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II and looks at the impact the conflict had on the Newry and Mourne area. The exhibition also considers the effect of the war on the local economy, especially in the context of a Border community, and the legacy of war in the area in the later 1940s and 1950s.
Speaking at the launch of the exhibition Chairperson, Newry, Mourne and Down Council, Councillor Charlie Casey said, “I am delighted to open this important exhibition. I particularly want to thank all those who responded to the Museum’s appeal for memories. The large number of documents, photographs and objects, many of which are on loan from local people, is an indication of how much World War II still resonates with us today. Your contributions have been invaluable for interpreting this period of history for future generations.”
Key themes in the exhibition include preparations for war in the area during the late 1930s, Civil Defence, local recruitment in the armed forces, evacuees, rationing and smuggling, regiments stationed in the area, and the arrival of American troops and airmen in 1942.
Many of these artefacts on display have been donated by members of the public and include photographs, posters, leaflets, drawings, newspaper cuttings, gas-masks, uniforms, an ammunition box, goggles and badges.
The development of this exhibition continued through interviews with local people who had first-hand experiences of living through this tumultuous period. These can be seen in the booklet, which accompanies the exhibition.
The new exhibition is now open to the public. For further information, please telephone the Newry and Mourne Museum at Bagenal’s Castle, on 028 3031 3182.
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Four of Ireland’s most enduring comedy acts are teaming up in a tour de force to open Newry’s annual Iúr Cinn Fleadh with a smile.
George Jones, May McFettridge, Jimmy Cricket and Gene Fitzpatrick will present You Must Be Joking at Newry Town Hall on 5th September.
George Jones is said to be one of Northern Ireland’s most accomplished all-round entertainers. He is a TV and radio presenter, comedian, musician, singer and after dinner speaker. George began his career as a member of the Monarchs – which included his boyhood friend Van Morrison. Scooping the prestigious Sony Radio Award for best regional radio presenter, George has continued to combine mirth with music.
Northern Ireland’s ‘Queen of Comedy’ May McFettridge has notched up 30 years in her various roles from hilarious housewife to pantomime dame. A bronze bust of her sits in pride of place at Belfast’s Grand Opera House. May is the creation of former car mechanic John Linehan. He rose to fame as the plain-speaking, gap-toothed character after media celebrity Eamonn Holmes had asked John to phone his then radio show, to liven up the programme.
Jimmy Cricket was born James Mulgrew in 1945 at Cookstown. He ploughed through a variety of jobs from working in a betting shop to being a Butlin’s Redcoat. Jimmy won LWT’s talent contest Search For A Star, and snatched his own series on Central Television. He featured in the Andy Williams Christmas Spectacular which toured from London’s O2 Arena to the Harrogate International centre. Jimmy’s charity work earned him a papal knighthood in 2015.
Gene Fitzpatrick has become a household name with a string of album successes and a reputation as one of the funniest comedians in the country. In recent years, Gene has re-invented himself. Clubland is in the past and the corporate sector is now where you will find him – delivering after dinner shows to prestigious clients across these islands. Gene has served as compere at shows with singers Chris de Burgh and Tony Christie.
Tickets for You Must Be Joking cost £22.50 each and are available from www.iurcinnfleadh.com, Sean Hollywood Arts Centre and Buttercrane Help Desk.
Please note – tickets are available at present for a limited time for the Early Bird price of £20.
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Newry Masonic Hall at Downshire Road in Newry is hosting a fascinating WW1 exhibition this weekend with a wealth of exhibits and information on lodge members who died in World War One.
The exhibition entitled Newry Freemasons' in WW1 continues tomorrow Saturday 28 June from 11.30am to 5.30pm.
Lodge members are also very happy to show people round their historic building, an opportunity you should not miss as it will give you an incredible insight into another facet of Newry life.
David Henry Ferris, born 1893 was a member of Francis Crossle Lodge 83. From Windsor Avenue in Newry David entered the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin before cutting short his studies, enlisting and serving as a Surgeon - Probationer in the Royal Navy. David died on HMS Broke and was buried at sea 1st June 1916.
John Knox a member of Union Lodge 23 was born in 1886 at Tierkelly, Rathfriland and was employed as a pharmacutical chemist at Messrs S Connor and Son's of Newry. He joined the army in December 1915 and did terms at North Irish Horse at Antrim and Royal Irish Rifles. John was awarded the Military Cross in 1918 and during a short period of leave in September received his award from the King at Buckingham Palace.
Returning to his batillion shortly afterwards he was wounded in Belgium in October 1918 and died of his injuries later in the month.
Francis (Frank) Lee Cleland, William Boyd, Thomas Alexander Walsh Crozier and George Bostall Jenkinson Smyth were other lodge members based in Newry who died in the war and their stories are also illustrated in the exhibition.
The exhibition contains many pieces from the everyday lives of the soldiers including bizarre items such as a folding saw and spikes used to injure horses. Bullets made into lighters, Certificates of Service, medals, postcards and much more are on display.
The exhibition is supported by the Heritage Fund from the National Lottery.
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