northern ireland 2012 your time our place

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1 northern ireland 2012 your time our place Jump into Northern Ireland

2 2 / Jump into Northern Ireland 2012

3 2012 With a series of spectacular events and celebrations to enjoy in 2012, there has never been a better time to visit Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland s remarkable and stunning scenery tranquil lakes, awesome coastlines and fairy tale mountains is truly diverse and couldn t be easier to explore. So why not make 2012 the year you Discover Northern Ireland? The centenary of the Titanic will be commemorated in Belfast with a festival, and the opening in March of Titanic Belfast; the largest Titanic visitor experience in the world. On June 21st the eyes of the world will be on the historic walled city of Derry~Londonderry as it hosts the Peace One Day Concert (the opening event of the London 2012 Festival) with world famous artists set to perform at the city s huge new outdoor events space at Ebrington Barracks. In Belfast on the slipways where Titanic was launched, hundreds of aerial performers, acrobats and musicians will take part in Land of the Giants on June 30th. Commissioned by Legacy Trust UK, it will be Northern Ireland s largest-ever outdoor arts event. Speaking of giants, the state-ofthe-art Giant s Causeway Visitor Centre opens in the summer of This stunning new building will complement the Giant s Causeway UNESCO World Heritage Site described by some as the eighth wonder of the world. In July, Derry~Londonderry welcomes home the Derry~Londonderry Clipper yacht on the final leg of the world s longest amateur yacht race, the Clipper Round the World. In October the 50th Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen s hosts its biggest ever programme of events as the world s finest performers in every area of the arts play venues throughout (what Lonely Planet calls) the hip, happening and historical City of Belfast. From celebrations to commemorations, arts to architecture, Northern Ireland is telling a new story in It s time to spread the word. Jump into Northern Ireland 2012 / 3

Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival 22-26 February 2012 1 2 3 Northern Ireland Music Whether it s rock or Rihanna, fiddle or folk,

Ruby Murray, Gary Moore, Van Morrison and Snow Patrol have all had huge global success and these stories and more can be relived on the

Belfast and Nashville have been Sister Cities since 1995, and the connection comes together with the Belfast Nashville Songwriters

4 Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival February Northern Ireland Music Whether it s rock or Rihanna, fiddle or folk, MTV or rockabilly, the sound track never stops. Music is in the Irish DNA and the music is heard around the world. Ruby Murray, Gary Moore, Van Morrison and Snow Patrol have all had huge global success and these stories and more can be relived on the Belfast Music Tour. Belfast and Nashville have been Sister Cities since 1995, and the connection comes together with the Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival. And that s just for starters: taste the rest for yourself at Open House Festival, MTV s Titanic gig, Glasgowbury, the Oh Yeah Centre, Belsonic (Belfast s biggest outdoor music event) It s a 365 day festival and you choose the line up. 4 / Jump into Northern Ireland 2012

4 5 6 7 St Patrick St Patrick certainly left his mark in Ireland. Follow his trail and you ll be struck how he was a well-travelled soul.

travels are a cherished chunk of Northern Ireland s history.

his time in Ireland. Come March 17th, you won t need to look far to find us celebrating that history with massive parties.

He s naturally celebrated with aplomb in Downpatrick grand parades, painted faces and richly told tales of the man himself. Derry~Londonderry goes gorgeously green too.

5 St Patrick St Patrick certainly left his mark in Ireland. Follow his trail and you ll be struck how he was a well-travelled soul. From time as a teenage slave on Antrim s Slemish Mountain to the grassy hill of Armagh where he founded his first stone church, and even his final resting place in Downpatrick his teachings and travels are a cherished chunk of Northern Ireland s history. His legacy is etched into stone at serene sites such as the crumbling Movilla Abbey and the green grove of Struell Wells in County Down, while his story is told in technicolour at the fabulous St Patrick Centre in Downpatrick. Armagh s glorious cathedrals are testament to his effect on this island and an insight into his mind can be had at St Patrick s Trian, where his writings in the book of Armagh are a keyhole view of his time in Ireland. Come March 17th, you won t need to look far to find us celebrating that history with massive parties. Armagh buzzes with festivities from heavenly music at Patrick s eponymous cathedrals to all sorts of traditional treats on the tree-lined streets. He s naturally celebrated with aplomb in Downpatrick grand parades, painted faces and richly told tales of the man himself. Derry~Londonderry goes gorgeously green too. The ever handsome Guildhall comes alive with traditional tunes, the historic streets are pounded with the pitter-patter of parading feet and big bands from all over the world toot their horns. Saint Patrick s Trail Follow the Saint Patrick s Trail through a host of Christian sites at Bangor, Newtownards, Downpatrick, Newry and Armagh to uncover just how strong Northern Ireland s links are with this patron saint. This 92 mile linear driving route links 15 key sites such as Down Cathedral, Inch Abbey and Bagenal s Castle in Newry all identified as having some connection to his life, legacy or landscape, all just waiting to be explored. Patrick came a long way in his time in Ireland and his trail, his history and his legacy are just waiting to be followed. St Patrick s Day 17 March 2012 Downpatrick Armagh and all over Ireland 1 Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival 2 Snow Patrol concert 3 Inch Abbey, Downpatrick 4 Slemish Mountain 5 Belfast s traditional music scene 6 Bangor Abbey 7 Armagh Cathedral Jump into Northern Ireland 2012 / 5

Titanic 100 Festival April 2012 Belfast 1 1 Titanic Belfast Visitor Experience 2 Maritime Festival 3 Harland & Wolff Drawing offices 4 Kit Sculpture 5 Titanic in Belfast s shipyard Titanic Belfast

6 Titanic 100 Festival April 2012 Belfast 1 1 Titanic Belfast Visitor Experience 2 Maritime Festival 3 Harland & Wolff Drawing offices 4 Kit Sculpture 5 Titanic in Belfast s shipyard Titanic Belfast The world s largest Titanic visitor attraction launches on 31 March The 97m iconic building contains 6 floors and 9 galleries providing a state-ofthe-art visitor experience. titanicbelfast.com Titanic 100 Festival A series of gala events across Belfast and Northern Ireland are set to celebrate the centenary of all things Titanic. The Titanic 100 Festival, which will run from March 30 to April , is set to include open air concerts, tours, talks and exhibitions that the whole family can enjoy. The series of world-class public events will culminate in the opening of the iconic Titanic Belfast visitor attraction and the commemoration services for the 100th anniversary of the ship s sinking. In addition there will be a range of plays, tours, talks, films and major musical events showcasing creative and cultural vibrancy of Belfast and Northern Ireland. Some highlights include the show stopping Titanic Proms Choral Event, featuring Choirs and Songs of Belfast a unique, cross community, collaborative choral project which celebrates the rich heritage of song and music in the city and from across Northern Ireland. Keeping in tune with this, MTV is ensuring this newest quarter of Belfast stays young and dynamic with a live music event jam packed with up and coming artists right on the Titanic Slipways. Meanwhile, those with a taste for spectacle will certainly enjoy the multisensory experience of the Titanic Light Show on 7th April, while anyone hoping for some dramatic stylings won t be disappointed by Titanic on Trial. A specially commissioned commemorative piece of theatre by Owen McCafferty, based on the emotive testimonies heard at the Titanic Inquiry in London following the disaster during 1912, this is the biggest drama project undertaken in Northern Ireland for decades and will launch the new MAC, a spectacular new arts space in the city. Then on 15th April, the new Titanic Memorial Garden will be unveiled with a commemoration service in conjunction with Belfast Titanic Society. 6 / Jump into Northern Ireland 2012

7 2 4 3 HOYFM.HW.H.1561 National Museums Northern Ireland Collection Harland & Wolff, Ulster Folk & Transport Museum 5 Jump into Northern Ireland 2012 / 7

Peace One Day Concert Derry~Londonderry 21 June 2012 1 2 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race & Maritime Festival Derry~Londonderry 3 30 June - 8 July 2012 1

Festival The world s longest yacht race is coming to Derry~Londonderry and the city is throwing a party!

8 Peace One Day Concert Derry~Londonderry 21 June Clipper Round the World Yacht Race & Maritime Festival Derry~Londonderry 3 30 June - 8 July Derry~Londonderry concert 2 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race 3 Gulliver s Travels 4 Land of Giants concerts Clipper Round the World Yacht Race & Maritime Festival The world s longest yacht race is coming to Derry~Londonderry and the city is throwing a party! To celebrate the Clipper Round the World Race stopping in the port (which also happens to be the UK City of Culture 2013), the city will host a fabulous fourday Maritime Festival. Playing host to the 10-strong international fleet when it arrives from the final transatlantic leg of the 40,000-mile race, the spectacle will be watched by 460 million people around the world. The city s own representative yacht (aptly named The Derry~Londonderry) has been promoting the city s title as UK City of Culture 2013 to a worldwide 8 / Jump into Northern Ireland 2012

Land of Giants Belfast 30 June 2012 4 audience during its travels.

9 Land of Giants Belfast 30 June audience during its travels. Every year, thousands of onlookers gather to watch the arrival or departure of the yachts from the ports, and Derry~Londonderry s welcome is definitely going to be one to enjoy. Land of Giants Northern Ireland s biggest outdoor carnival arrives on the Titanic Slipways in June This joyous gala is an all-ages celebration of the many iconic giants of Northern Ireland mythical, industrial and historical. Combining acrobatics, aerial dance, carnival, circus, physical performance, music, multimedia and pyrotechnics, the event will present a spectacular production to an audience of over 20,000 people at the city s newest open air events space. Featuring aerialists, circus and physical performers, drummers, musicians and singers, Land of Giants will be a world-class event to put Belfast firmly on the map for quality outdoor arts and community engagement. Peace One Day Concert Both ambitious and inspiring: the campaign calling for one day of global peace is coming to the city of Derry~Londonderry in New York, Paris and London have hosted this concert in the past an electrifying concert in London marked Peace Day in 2011, and featured Cat Stevens, Razorlight and Eliza Doolittle and now it s Derry~Londonderry s turn to host this inspiring initiative. The concert will take place in Ebrington Barracks, and the excitement is already mounting. Massive Attack is the first act to be confirmed for the event, which sets the bar high for what other acts will be added over the coming months. Jump into Northern Ireland 2012 / 9

1 Happy Days Enniskillen International Beckett Festival 23-27 August 2012 2 Happy Days Enniskillen International Beckett Festival The world s first annual festival to celebrate the work and influence

10 1 Happy Days Enniskillen International Beckett Festival August Happy Days Enniskillen International Beckett Festival The world s first annual festival to celebrate the work and influence of Nobel Prize writer Samuel Beckett takes place 23rd - 27th August 2012, is part of the London 2012 Festival (Cultural Olympiad) and coincides with the 400th anniversary of the founding of Enniskillen. The Festival will present events of wide, popular appeal including: the work of Beckett, with world and UK premieres of his major and lesser-known works; the influences on Beckett, including music and comedy; those Beckett has influenced, including Irish, UK and international writers, directors, actors, visual artists, musicians, comedians, circus artists and individuals prominent in their fields. 10 / Jump into Northern Ireland 2012

Peace Camp by Deborah Warner County Londonderry July 2012 FLAGS by Hans Peter Kuhn Giant s Causeway August / September 2012 3 Peace Camp by Deborah Warner In summer 2012, renowned theatre director

Incredible, vibrant installations of all sorts will be appear simultaneously from dawn til dusk around Northern Ireland s rugged coastal cliffs.

Flags by Hans Peter Kuhn This is the year the Giant s Causeway unveils the visitor centre worthy of its giant reputation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

11 Peace Camp by Deborah Warner County Londonderry July 2012 FLAGS by Hans Peter Kuhn Giant s Causeway August / September Peace Camp by Deborah Warner In summer 2012, renowned theatre director Deborah Warner will be dotting the Northern Ireland coastline with incredible living artwork. That s right: living artwork. Incredible, vibrant installations of all sorts will be appear simultaneously from dawn til dusk around Northern Ireland s rugged coastal cliffs. Co-commissioned by the Derry~Londonderry Culture Company 2013 for the Cultural Olympiad, the radiant pieces of art will celebrate the magnificent scenery as well as representing love poetry. Flags by Hans Peter Kuhn This is the year the Giant s Causeway unveils the visitor centre worthy of its giant reputation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. FLAGS by Hans Peter Kuhn, a London 2012 Festival event, is an installation embedded in the dramatic landscape of the Causeway, creating a new visitor experience, drawing on the natural power of the elements. A series of flags randomly positioned along the banks of the cliff face will rotate freely in the wind, creating a flickering pattern of yellow and red set against the backdrop of this spectacular landscape. 1 Mussenden Temple 2 Fermanagh Lakelands 3 The world famous Giant s Causeway Jump into Northern Ireland 2012 / 11

Giant s Causeway Visitor Centre County Antrim Opening on 2 July 2012 1 Giant s Causeway Visitor Centre It was molten lava, cooled into 40,000 flawless hexagonals of dark stone steps 60 million years

The curious assembly of basalt columns seems so perfect it s no wonder the Causeway spanned such an enduring myth.

12 Giant s Causeway Visitor Centre County Antrim Opening on 2 July Giant s Causeway Visitor Centre It was molten lava, cooled into 40,000 flawless hexagonals of dark stone steps 60 million years ago, which resulted in the famous UNESCO World Heritage Site on the North Antrim coast. The curious assembly of basalt columns seems so perfect it s no wonder the Causeway spanned such an enduring myth. This year, the Causeway is set to finally get a visitor experience equal in scale and majesty to its natural wonders. The 18.5 million project includes enhanced walking trails around the surrounding coastline, on site orientation and information points, world-class interpretation, a gift shop and new tearooms. The structure will be set into the ground to reduce the risk imposing on the natural area and aims to be hidden from view by using a roof of grass as camouflage. Operated by the National Trust, the Giant s Causeway is open all year round. The cliff path makes for dramatic windswept views of the Causeway along the rest of the serrated coastline. Formations from the same peculiar-shaped rock family can be seen along the way, including the 12 metre Organ Pipes and Chimney Pipes. The coastal path extends for 11 miles and eventually leads to another famous attraction: the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. 50th Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen s Possibly Northern Ireland s most renowned and best-loved festival, the dazzling Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen s will celebrate its momentous 50th year in Started by a student at Queen s University in 1962, this festival is the ultimate platform for all things dance, theatrical, classical, as well as world music and visual arts. The wide variety 1 The world famous Giant s Causeway 2 50th Ulster Bank Festival at Queen s 3 Lyric Theatre 4 Ulster Orchestra at Belfast Waterfront 12 / Jump into Northern Ireland 2012

50th Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen s 19 October - 2 3 November 2012 3 4 of events covers all aspects of the arts.

The Festival also attracts some of the most distinctive music acts in the world. At the 2011 festival, all female choir Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares stunned Belfast audiences.

com Theatrical Tradition In Belfast, when it comes to theatre there is no barrier between the play and its audience: Belfast s Lyric Theatre began in the Belfast suburban home of Mary O Malley and

13 50th Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen s 19 October November of events covers all aspects of the arts. Through the years guests have always included the biggest names, such Jimi Hendrix, Laurence Olivier and Ennio Morricone. The Festival also attracts some of the most distinctive music acts in the world. At the 2011 festival, all female choir Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares stunned Belfast audiences. The Festival culminates with a bang at the annual closing party and is sure to be a night you won t forget, as the 50th anniversary promises to be the biggest one yet! Theatrical Tradition In Belfast, when it comes to theatre there is no barrier between the play and its audience: Belfast s Lyric Theatre began in the Belfast suburban home of Mary O Malley and still strives to keep that intimacy. In 2011, the Lyric re-opened in its new state-of-the-art Theatre of Dreams, with a fabulous new auditorium and a studio dedicated to developing young talent. The fundraising was helped by its patron Liam Neeson who learned his craft at the Lyric during the 1970s. The Lyric will be a house of play, says Ireland s greatest living dramatist, Brian Friel:...Laughter and merry-making and wit and comedy and raucous fun and ordinary giddiness and silly giggling may be accommodated here and indeed encouraged because a solemn theatre is a dead theatre. Solemn? Not Belfast, a city alive with live entertainment, whether it s traditional music somewhere like Maddens or a play in a small theatre or a wonderful venue like the Grand Opera House. There s so much going on in Belfast. Opening in April 2012, the Metropolitan Arts Centre will be a world class home for the arts in the heart of Belfast s Cathedral Quarter with two performance spaces, a dance studio, visual art galleries, workshop areas and The Den, a chill out area for young people. Jump into Northern Ireland 2012 / 13

2012 Irish Open Royal Portrush, County Antrim 28 June - 1 July 2012 2 1 1 Royal Portrush 2 National Trust s Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge The National Trust Guardians of The Giant s Causeway, castle

and quivering rope bridges. And because it s the National Trust you do, too.

14 2012 Irish Open Royal Portrush, County Antrim 28 June - 1 July Royal Portrush 2 National Trust s Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge The National Trust Guardians of The Giant s Causeway, castle ruins, gas-lit bars and Italian gardens, the National Trust looks after 23 properties including the finest estates and mansions in Northern Ireland as well as runs of golden strands, parkland lakes and quivering rope bridges. And because it s the National Trust you do, too. National Museums Northern Ireland National Museums Northern Ireland includes: the Ulster Museum, Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, Ulster American Folk Park and the Armagh County Museum. These four unique sites present inspirational collections that reflect the creativity, innovation, history, culture and people of Northern Ireland Irish Open After an absence of almost 60 years, the Irish Open will return to Northern Ireland this summer when the classic links at Royal Portrush hosts the 2012 event from Thursday 28th June to Sunday July 1st. The championship has been staged at Portrush on 3 previous occasions - in 1930, 1937 and 1947 when it was won by the legendary Harry Bradshaw. The highly celebrated Dunluce Links also staged The Open Championship in 1951 when Max Faulkner won the Claret Jug. More recently the 2004 Senior Open Championship was won by American Pete Oakley. The traditional seaside town of Portrush lies on the Causeway Coastal Route home to some of Ireland s most spectacular scenery including the Giant s Causeway, The Glens of Antrim, White Park Bay and Carrick-a-Rede. The Causeway Coastal Route runs for just over 100 miles from Belfast to Derry~Londonderry. Portrush can be accessed by train from both cities and is less that 90 minutes drive by car. As Northern Irish golfers Rory McIlory, Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell have raised trophies around the globe, they have also raised the profile of their native courses. Extraordinary links, stunning views, and superb value make Northern Ireland home to some of the most incredible plays in the world. Take Royal Portrush; links masterpiece of architect Harry Colt and Mother Nature, with members including Clarke and McDowell, and ranked 12 in the world by Golf Magazine. Royal County Down, set in a nature reserve, is known as one of the most beautiful and challenging links in the world. Castlerock, Portstewart and Ardglass also offer incredible value and a traditional Irish welcome. On the home turf of champions, every golfer feels like a winner. 14 / Jump into Northern Ireland 2012

15 Getting Here IRELAND Dun Laoghaire Rosslare Larne Belfast Pembroke Swansea SCOTLAND Troon Cairnryan Stranraer Holyhead WALES Fishguard Portrush Belfast Magherafelt Cookstown Dungannon Belfast Birmingham ENGLAND BY AIR George Best Belfast City Airport The airport is situated just three miles from Belfast City Centre. The Airport Express 600 bus service runs from the airport terminal to the city centre every 20 minutes ( ) Monday to Friday. (Please check the timetable for services on Saturdays and Sundays). T: Belfast International Airport Belfast International Airport at Aldergrove is 30 minutes drive via the M2 Motorway. The Airbus service operates between the airport and Belfast City Centre every 30 minutes, Monday to Saturday, and at 30 or 60 minute intervals on a Sunday. This service operates between 05.45hrs and 23.20hrs. Please check the timetable for services during off peak times and weekends. T: City of Derry Airport City of Derry Airport is conveniently located seven miles North East of Derry City on the A2 Londonderry to Coleraine Road. Ulsterbus operates various scheduled services to and from the airport to the main Bus Depot on Foyle Street in the City centre. Please check the timetable for services during off peak times and weekends. T: Airport Transfers T: BY SEA Belfast is easily accessed by sea with crossings from both Scotland and England. Travel by state of the art superfast ferries with journey times from just 2 hours 15 minutes. Stena Line T: P&O T: BY RAIL Enterprise service An Enterprise service runs 8 times daily (5 times on Sundays) from Dublin to Belfast. The journey time is approximately 2 hours. T: Enterprise tickets and seat reservations T: BY BUS Dublin Airport Express Coach Service operates to Dublin Airport, with a journey time of approximately 2 hours. T: Armagh Portaferry Jump into Northern Ireland 2012 / 15

16 RG12ENG102TIL Jump into Northern Ireland discoverireland.com/ni2012 Photography on this page: Michael Cooper

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