Cultural Events

[Jim]

I think they did in America.

[ptarmigan]

organised an event for the Irish Language ... in Howth, Dublin .... that's open to everyone with an interest in the language.

Not meaning to be cheeky, but so what!

Surely it wasn't too difficult to organise the event there!

I think we'll only see a real breakthrough when people start putting on events like this in Loyalist areas & also when the merry band of Ulster Scots start putting on some of their "so called" open events .... in Republican areas.

Only then might I start believing their banners of "Open to All".
Until then, I'm afraid I'm going to remain very cynical & sceptical & suspect that all they are really doing is probably claiming funding by sticking an Open to All label on the event, but all the time knowing full well that, because of it's location, they are only going to be attended by the already converted ........ & let's be honest here, how much of a waste of time is that!

Ptarmigan

[Wasp]

I do see ptar's point and I agree with him. Doesn't really matter about funding, it is just another thing for some to say 'hey look at us we are not like that, we organized an open for all event' blah blah.

[ptarmigan]

Hmmmmmm ..... so Sinn Féin really took the bull by the horns by organising that Irish Language event in Dublin.
So what did they think ..... there'd be bus loads coming down from Loyalist Belfast to their "Open Event".

Here's another daredevil location Setanta!
I've no doubt this one will also be billed as an "Open to All" event, but how many bus loads do you think will come in from Dunloy, to attend?

Ulster Scots comes home

A SPECIAL six week course on the history and heritage of the Ulster Scots movement is taking place in its spiritual home, Ballymoney.
Beginning on Monday 22 October, the course is open to anyone with an interest in Ulster Scots culture.
Over the duration of the six lectures, students will be introduced to the long history of the association between Ulster and Scotland.
History, language, literature, music, song and the legacy of Ulster Scots will come under the microscope.

Ulster Scots comes home

You see what I mean .... preaching to the converted again!

Why don't they show some imagination & try to move things on a little by putting these events on, where they might do a bit of good?

Surely, by staging this one - "in its spiritual home, Ballymoney" as far as I can see, they're only perpetuating the great divide & doing absolutely nothing to show us all how much we have in common.

I would far rather have seen them put this event on somewhere like Dunloy!
Well, maybe it's too early for Dunloy, but at least a middle ground location would have been a step in the right direction.

Is it just me, or is anyone else getting a little fed up with the way the Ulster Scots movement seems to be Hell bent on alienating the Nationalist members of this community?

Reading their periodical you would think that only Americans with an Ulster Scots background had anything to do with building America.
Let's face it, it reads more like one of those "Marvel Comics"!
I keep picturing someone jumping out of a phone box .... with an "Ulster Scots" T Shirt on!

Maybe it's time to fund a new "Ulster Movement", whose mission is to bring us all together by showing us all how much we have in common!

Now that really would be money well spent!

[Jim]

Why not organise one in Dublin? Remember that in Dublin the Irish language is very appreciated because a lot of people have been brought up with a distaste for the language from the days of Devvo and the way it was taught, just another subject to them. Whereas in Belfast it was a very different story on the nationalist side.

Its not preaching to the converted.

I think we'll only see a real breakthrough when people start putting on events like this in Loyalist areas & also when the merry band of Ulster Scots start putting on some of their "so called" open events .... in Republican areas.

I'd welcome that and attend it if I was in Belfast at the time.