The prosperity of Northern Ireland is dependent on the skills of its workforce and its ability to meet the needs of the local economy, to support a strong export-oriented marked, and to secure the wealth creating opportunities of the future. … Continue reading Moving Northern Ireland plc forward: developing leaders for tomorrow
Most of my friends know that I volunteer with Scouting: taking the news of the everyday adventure that the young people and adults of Bedford Scouts have to the wider public. I do so, because I love Scouting. I love … Continue reading Think Green and Purple: think Scouting?
We all know how much we in Ireland like to celebrate St Patrick’s Day, coming up soon is the Breton equivalent: Gouel Erwan, St Yves. Well this year, the Breton Association in Ireland has chosen to celebrate it in Belfast. Breizh Eire, association des Bretons d’Irlande a choisi de faire cette année la Gouel Erwan à Belfast. Ca va donner ! Slante ! The event came to my attention this afternoon when there were two buskers in Castle Lane in Belfast city centre who were sounding distinctly rustic. Having passed them walking towards Waterstone’s I asked them on the way … Continue reading Celebrating our Saints: it’s one way of celebrating our European identity
Two hundred years ago, the foundation stone of the new Parish Church of St George on the site of the old Corporation Church beside the River Farset in Belfast was laid. Three years later, it was duly dedicated and opened. Two hundred years of witness to the city have passed with an emphasis through most of that on quality Church Music, so it was unsurprising that the opening concert of the Bicentenary Celebrations would be a fantastic display of church music.
The choir of St George’s was joined by the Schola Cantorum of St Peter’s Cathedral Belfast and from Worcester Massachusetts the choirs of All Saints’, Worcester and Notre Dame Academy, Worcester.
The four choirs combined to open the concert with the Magnificat in C by C.V. Stanford followed by Mozart’s Ave verum corpus. Hearing these pieces took me back to singing as a boy Continue reading “Bicentenary Celebrations begin with fantastic concert at St George’s Belfast”
We all know the traditional red brick terraced houses found in Belfast. Many have been demolished in recent years, but there are ways to retain them and make the fit for twenty-first century living. The Ulster Architectural Heritage Society has created a short film which demonstrates how our undervalued stock of traditional terraced houses can be retrofitted using energy–efficient measures. Using the retrofit scheme carried out by Hearth on the 19th century terraces on McMaster Street as an example, the film highlights the importance of harnessing the embodied energy in existing buildings and aims to unmask the concept of retrofitting. PLACE are holding … Continue reading McMaster Street terraces transformed: ‘Quality Streets: Retrofitting Traditional Terraces’
On Wednesday, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland will see the funeral of one of the greatest Prime Ministers of our history unfold from the first movements at the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft in the Palace of Westminster along the streets of Whitehall in the city of Westminster into the City of London, pausing at St Clement Danes, the Central Church of the Royal Air Force where her coffin will be transferred to the gun carriage for the final procession to the Cathedral Church of St Paul, where the Funeral Service will take place. Birth date: … Continue reading A lion’s heart of gold: Baroness Thatcher LG OM FRS 1925 – 2013
As of today, anyone using a single-use carrier bag from a retailer must pay five new pence for the privilege. The main aim is to help protect the environment by cutting the number of carrier bags we all use. Anyone who … Continue reading It’s not just plastic bags: carrier bag levy hits N.I. streets
The Government Art Collection (GAC) exhibition has been in the Ulster Museum for a few weeks now, and I still haven’t been. So, who is up for a trip to see it? Sunday 7 April 2013 It is a bit … Continue reading Ulster Museum? visit to Government Art Collection Exhibition who is up for it?
With the number of local government district set to be cut from the current twenty-six to just eleven in the next couple of years there will be a drop in the number of councillors of about 120. The environment minister … Continue reading up to £35k as severance for NI councillors – DoE consults
Ed Vaizey MP, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, has placed a temporary export bar on the seven hangings which lasts until 20 May 2013 but may be extended to 20 August 2013 if … Continue reading £120k needed to stop Jewish religious silk hangings from leaving the UK
Gyronny Herald 