Belfast will celebrate St Patrick’s Day on Tuesday 17 March with a carnival parade and free open-air concert headlined by global dance act Cascada.
The streets will be filled with revellers from 12.30pm as the parade snakes its way through the city centre. The carnival’s theme this year is ‘Protecting the Environment and Climate Change’, which will be reflected in the floats, performers and costumes.
The parade leaves from Belfast City Hall at 12.30pm and will travel along Chichester Street and Victoria Street, onto High Street and Donegall Street before finishing at Writers’ Square.
You can then make the short trip across to Custom House Square where visitors can enjoy a free concert from 1.30pm-4pm.
Dance act Cascada will perform some of her hits including ‘Everytime We Touch’ and ‘Evacuate the Dancefloor’. Entry to the concert is on a first-come, first-served basis and terms and conditions apply.
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Also in the city is the Imagine Belfast Festival and it’s all about building a better future.
From 23-29 March, the Imagine Belfast Festival of Ideas and Politics will showcase over 90 events to encourage people to discuss the big issues of our times.
The strictly non-partisan festival offers a week of talks, workshops, theatre, comedy, music, exhibitions, film and tours to help you navigate the future.
The themes covered by the festival include climate change, mental health, legacy issues, democratic innovation, and identity politics.
Most of the events are free, so get booking before they ‘sell out’ on imaginebelfast.com.
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To the QFT and The Elephant Man will be showing from March 20 to 23. John Hurt appears in David Lynch’s movie set in 19th century London. The film has been re-released in a new 4K restoration, overseen by Lynch, for its 40th anniversary.
‘I’m not an animal. I’m a human being. I am a man!’ John Hurt stars as John Merrick, a young man with severe deformities, exhibited in an East End freak show until his plight is discovered by a surgeon (Anthony Hopkins), who offers him sanctuary at the London Hospital.
In Eraserhead, David Lynch created a more straightforward vision of horror, this time based on a true story. The terror and grime of Victorian London is vividly captured by the black-and-white cinematography.
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If you enjoy art, then come along and see the work of Martin Parr who is one of the best-known documentary photographers of his generation. He has published over 100 books of photography, curated two photography festivals. His work has been collected by many of the world’s major museums, including the Tate, the Pompidou Centre and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. His most recent exhibition, Being Human, was on show in the National Portrait Gallery in London in 2019.
Martin will be at Seamus Heaney HomePlace on March 7 at 2pm to talk about his work and his career with RTÉ’s Rick O’Shea.
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In The Name Of The Son is a one man show chronicling the life of Gerry Conlon after his release from prison in 1989. This show will be staged at the Burnavon in Cookstown on March 14.
What kind of man emerged from 14 years of soul destroying imprisonment?
This show explores Conlon’s journey into ‘freedom’. But soon this lifestyle descended into a hell. Struggling to cope with self-loathing, he was soon hooked on crack-cocaine. What emerges from the darkness though, is Conlon’s resilience and his lifechanging recovery to beat his demons and become a campaigner against miscarriages of justice, similar to his own.
Written by Gerry’s lifelong friend Richard O’Rawe and Martin Lynch the play explores triumph of the human spirit over extreme adversity.
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A Puppy Paddle is a new event for Fermanagh and this is a fun, scenic tour of Upper Lough Erne with your furry friends.
This paddling event gives you the chance to get out on a canoe with your canine companions. Hop in a canoe at SHARE (canoes can be rafted for families and multiple dogs), paddle out to some of the islands nearby with your dog and give it an experience that it has never had before.
You will stop at Rabbit Island or Trannish Island to let the dogs enjoy some exercise. Please bring a leash.
SHARE will provide buoyancy aids and wet gear (if necessary) free of charge.
This dog-friendly event takes place on Saturday 25 April and Sunday 26 April and it’s £20 per canoe.
Limited spaces and canoes are available so please book in advance to avoid disappointment.
Bring your labradors, bulldogs, golden Retrievers or Jack Russells to this unique event in Fermanagh.
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To celebrate the arrival of spring on the North Coast, The National Trust is offering the people the opportunity to enjoy the full visitor experience free of charge at The Giant’s Causeway, on Saturday 7 March.
This includes full access to the state-of-the-art visitor centre, café, shop with local crafts bespoke to the Giant’s Causeway, the interactive interpretation area to discover the facts around the Causeway, use of the audio guides, which are translated into 11 different languages, parking, as well as a guided tour.
The Community Open day runs on Saturday 7 March only – the last free admission is at 5pm and the centre closes at 6pm. There will also be a free Park & Ride from Bushmills to the Giant’s Causeway. Usual admission charges will apply from Sunday 8 March, with National Trust members free of charge throughout the year.
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Also on St Patrick’s Day you can enjoy a walking trail of Binevenagh Mountain in Limavady. With the experienced and fully qualified guides, Carrowmena Walking Trails will take participants on an adventure to explore and experience Binevenagh Mountain.
The guides will cover the importance of respecting nature. Learn about the history and heritage of the area.
With views as far as Donegal and the North Coast, bring a snack or packed lunch to enjoy at one of the many viewpoints throughout the trail, this will allow you to fully immerse yourself in the beauty of the Causeway Coast and Glens Area.
These trips are suitable for 14+ years. Anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
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Ballycastle and District Horse Ploughing Society will hold its annual ploughing match and heavy horse show on St Patrick’s Day. This is one of the oldest surviving annual competitions in the whole of Ireland and was formed over 130 years ago.
Visitors who have never experienced horse ploughing, or those who may wish to recall their youthful days can also step into the handles to plough a furrow.
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Armagh is at the heart of celebrating the life of St Patrick and the ‘Home of Saint Patrick Festival’ will showcase the best culture, music and spirituality. The festival takes place from 6 to 17 March.
The festival will provide a mix of regional and international music, theatre, spoken word, art and comedy, highlighting the locations where he walked and worked.
With events taking place across the city, visitors can enjoy the work of artists and performers. Brian Kennedy will be in concert at Saint Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral.
All ages are catered for at the festival, with candle making for children, storytelling and puppetry and object theatre with the Hedgehog Prince at The Market Place Theatre.
On Saint Patrick’s Day itself, Armagh will host a colourful Saint Patrick’s Day procession, followed by a family fun day in the Shambles Yard.
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Also at The Market Place Theatre in Armagh is the film The Breadwinner. From executive producer Angelina Jolie and director Nora Twomey, ‘The Breadwinner’ tells the story of Parvana, an 11-year-old girl growing up under the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001.
When her father is wrongfully arrested, Parvana disguises herself as a boy to support her family. With perseverance, Parvana draws strength from the stories her father told her, and risks her life to discover if he is still alive. The Breadwinner is a timely and inspiring tale about the power of stories, and their potential to unite.
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Cinema
1917
Harley Quinn – Birds of Prey
The Call Of The Wild
Dark Waters
Dolittle
Downhill
Emma
Greed
The Invisible Man
Like A Boss
Parasite
