Event type: Comedy

Honouring Indigenous Aid During Ireland’s Great Hunger
Professor Christine Kinealy of Quinnipiac University (Connecticut, USA) presents evidence on First Nations of North America contributions to the 1840s Great Hunger Relief fund, despite their own recent displacement following The Trail of Tears. ❤️??

One of the most remarkable aspects of the Great Hunger (1845-1852) was how news of the suffering in Ireland prompted an international relief effort, unprecedented in its geographic scope. People throughout the world, many without direct connections to Ireland, mobilised to provide money, food and clothing to the starving Irish. Aid came from all parts of the world and donors cut across traditional religious, social, economic and gender divides. Some of the most impressive donations were made by people who were themselves poor and marginalised.

This presentation will explore the origins and motivations behind a number of these philanthropic interventions. Additionally, it will share new examinations of recently discovered archival records, documenting the 1847 Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee First Nations’ contributions from Canada West (now Ontario), whilst offering a fresh perspective on the more widely commemorated Native American Choctaw and Cherokee donations.

This event is held in partnership with Irish Heritage Trust, National Famine Museum, Strokestown Park and Quinnipiac University. Dr Jason King (Irish Heritage Trust) and Professor Kinealy both completed Irish sections of the Walk of the Bronze Shoes, 2024.

I bhfoscadh a chéile maireann muid/In each other’s shelter we survive. ♀️❤️?

The Sunflower Project began with the aim of working with people impacted by Mother and Baby institutions.

This film follows participants in The Sunflower Project which began in January 2022. The aim was to provide a safe space to work with people impacted by mother and baby institutions using the arts to explore their experiences. The project was delivered by Sole Purpose Productions and managed by Artistic Director, Patricia Byrne. Sessions were facilitated by Shauna Kelpie, a theatre practitioner; Colette Ramsey, a researcher experienced in working in mental health with a trauma informed approach, and Brónagh Corr, an artist who creates participative and public artworks. This film shows their moving and poignant journey to letting go of shame.
“There was always a feeling of shame in having been associated with these institutions, through this project and support of everyone involved, I for one and I’m sure the others feel the same, now know that the shame has totally disappeared”, Participant.
The project is supported by The Ideas Fund which is delivered by the British Science Association and funded by Wellcome. Sole Purpose Productions is core funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
What can you expect?
Visitors to today’s event can expect a warm and gentle welcome. The film — In Each Other’s Shelter We Survive — will last 1hr4mins and will be introduced by members of the #LIF2024 team and members of Fréa’s Renewing Roots programme. Afterwards, people can stay in the space and speak to team. A list of survivor services can be found below and will be made available at the event.
Trailer

Gratitude
Fréa have supported the delivery of this event, but significant thanks go to Sole Purpose, who brought this project and work to our attention and secured the use of the film, when mainstream funding was not available. We are proud to be able to show it, in tandem with Stolen.
Support Services
If you — or someone you know — is affected by our event or literature, please consider consulting one of the following services:

Connect Counselling: An anonymous professional telephone counselling service for survivors of physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Freephone in the UK and Northern Ireland +44 (0) 800 477 477 77 connectcounselling.ie
ICAP: ICAP is the only specialist British-based counselling and psychotherapy service supporting people from the Irish community. They help people facing a range of emotional issues, including depression, anxiety and stress. Helpline: +44 (0) 207 272 7906 icap.org.uk
Irish Community Care and/or Fréa: Assisting with gaining access to the Irish Government’s payment scheme for mothers and children who were resident in specific institutions, they also offer some advice in accessing records and other aspects of the redress scheme. There is more information here: frea.org.uk/motherandbabyhomes
Justice for Magdalenes Research: A resource for people affected by and interested in Ireland’s Magdelene Institutions, is accessible here: jfmreasearch.com
Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation: To access the Irish Government’s report and additional information, visit gov.ie/en/collection/mbhcoi
My Data Rights: A resource for people affected by the ‘historical’ human rights violations in Ireland. They provide information for survivors of the Irish industrial and reformatory schools. This includes information about using GDPR protocols to gain access to personal information. The website contains downloadable guides and template letters for requesting personal data and for complaining to the Data Protection Commission if necessary. This is a project of the Human Rights Law Clinic at the Irish Centre for Human Rights, NUI Galway mydatarights.ie
Samaritans, The: The Samaritans offer a non-judgmental listening service, whatever you are going through. Call free, 24-7 in the UK, on 116 123 samaritans.org
Sexual Violence Support (Northwest): A service to help locate the relevant support services for those who have suffered sexual violence across the Northwest: sexualviolencesupport.co.uk
Survivors Trust, The: The Survivors Trust has 120 member organisations based in the UK and Ireland which provide specialist support for women, men & children who have survived rape, sexual violence or childhood sexual abuse
Tuam Home Survivors Network: Survivors helping survivors tuamhomesurvivors.com.

This information was tested and accessible on 4 Sept 2023. It is not an exhaustive list of services available. You are not alone. Make contact. You will be heard.

A Festival-staple and family must-see; we invite you to pop-by — or indeed, spend the day with us — at the Museum of Liverpool (Pier Head). ❤️??

There, we’ve a veritable array of activity to entertain kids (and adults) of all ages.

The Armagh Rhymers return with their (exclusive to the Festival) Liver Bird story. We’ll introduce visitors to Little Globy, a carbon boffin-extraordinaire and a global ambassador for green action. The Bolger-Cunningham Dance School will give it their all in the morning, before the George Ferguson School for Irish Dance will produce junior and senior dance sets, whilst Melody Makers and Comhaltas will bring their intergenerational group to play in the space.

There’ll be craft workshops in education spaces and Irish Trails through the Museum’s collections, led by volunteers from the Liverpool Irish Famine Trail.

The day puts the Irish of Liverpool at the heart of everything; the programme, the Museum and the city. 

Atrium schedule (subject to change):

11-11.30am Bolger Cunningham Dance School
11.35-12.20pm Armagh Rhymers
12.20-1.05pm Melody Makers
1.05-1.15pm Little Globy poetry
1.30pm-2.15pm Armagh Rhymers
2.15pm-3pm TBC
3.15-3.45pm George Ferguson Dance School
4pm Little Globy poetry.

The Family Day is sponsored by Tourism Ireland and held in partnership with National Museums Liverpool. As part of the Family programme, you might also like the Samhain Céilí (Sun 27 Oct).

On this 2-hour walk you’ll discover Irish connections to many of the historic Hope Street and Rodney Street buildings, hearing from some of the colourful characters who populated them. ❤️??

Led by historian Greg Quiery, early booking is recommended to avoid disappointment.

Anyone interested in this may also like the in-person Scotland Road walk (see event listing and book early to avoid disappointment) or the self-guided Liverpool Irish Famine Trail, accompanied by the Festival’s book Liverpool Irish Famine Trail: Revive, available online.

This in an outdoor walk in October; please be weather prepared, comfortable and hydrated. 

My Truth and Yours is the fifth in The Suicide Chronicle series, a project led by artist Mark Storor which aims to develop a collective, creative language to share the infinitely complex experience of suicide. ❤️?

 “Acknowledging the truth
I meet my core.
Whose truth?
Mine”.

This film was made with 23 residents of Tallaght, Dublin, many of whom connected through NINA For Life, a suicide awareness support group.

Mothers, sisters, friends, fathers, uncles, neighbours, daughters and sons, impacted by suicide offer us a vivid view into their truths and give space for the truths of others. These may not always sit comfortably alongside one another, but they are undeniable in their honesty. 

A poetic visual journey without a clear beginning, middle, or end, it captures the personal experiences of a community, departing from over-simplified explanations to instead show tender, intimate, and sometimes deeply private moments.

We are invited to keep vigil with those on the screen, and to share in the experience with one another as an audience. Together we witness a series of actions that give voice to feelings and experiences often unseen or unheard. The film offers us a portal into another place, giving us a different sense of time and space for contemplation and reflection.
Mark Storor
Mark Storor is an award-winning artist with an international reputation and extensive experience of working collaboratively with a wide range of organisations and communities, including work in hospitals, prisons, schools and housing estates. Working in the unique space between live art and theatre, he has been described in the British press as: ‘a genuinely visionary theatre maker’, ‘an alchemist’ and ‘one of the most distinctive voices in British theatre’.
Access

My Truth and Yours references suicide, experiences of bereavement by suicide, and miscarriage. Includes swearing and nudity
This sharing will begin with an in-person, spoken introduction and we will hold space for conversation after the screening with those who have been a part of making it
Ground floor, step free access
Accessible toilets and baby changing facilities available on the ground floor
Disabled parking spaces close by on Wood Street and Bold Street and to the rear of the building
Nearest railway stations are Liverpool Central (a three-minute walk away) and Liverpool Lime Street (a 12-minute walk away).

If you have any access requirements, questions about My Truth and Yours or the screenings please do be in touch: emily@heartofglass.org.uk
Full credits
The Suicide Chronicles: Chronicle Five, My Truth and Yours (2023): Amanda Ellis, Annie, Carol, Daniel, Danny Haas, Fergal Feeney, Glynis, Jean Haas, Jenna, Jenny, Joan, Kelly, Linda Bridgeman, Lorraine Morris, Martin, Michele Donohoe, Noeleen Fulham, Pat, Patricia Cooke, Sami Corcoran, Sharon Doyle and Tracey with Mark Storor.

Cinematography by Chris Keenan
Music composed and performed by Jules Maxwell
Mise en scène by Tadashi Kato
Lighting by Ian Brown
Photography by Stephen King
Narration by Veronica Dyas
Poem written and voiced by Daniel
Foreground and background shadow by Christian.

Gratitude
Co-commissioned by Tallaght Community Arts and Heart of Glass. Supported by Creative Ireland and Arts Council England. Produced by Heart of Glass. With special thanks to NINA For Life, Kingswood Community Centre and Kingswood Community College. Filmed at Mill Studios.

Liverpool Irish Festival is proud to partner with Heart of Glass to present The Suicide Chronicles, Chronicle Five: My Truth and Yours.

The event will also to be run at 6pm, Wed 23 Oct at Lucem House Community Cinema (St Helens), Free (spaces limited), book online.

The Legacy of the Piper is a unique and in-depth feature-length documentary film. ❤️??

The focus and ethos of the film captures the growth of Irish traditional music from the mid-sixties to the present day.

The Legacy of the Piper explores the legacy of Willy Clancy via the growth of Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy/Willie Clancy Music Week in Miltown Malbay (Co.Clare, Ireland). Willie Clancy (1918-1973) Within the documentary we consider the festival’s impact on Irish traditional music, language and culture. The film is a valuable contribution in capturing the ethos of Irish Traditional Music in Ireland and internationally. Interwoven with a wide range  interviews, including family and friends of Willie Clancy, it involves some of the island’s most legendary traditional musicians, music and more!
 “This documentary is a fantastic initiative, [reflecting] more than 50 years of heritage and tradition. It’s a chance to tell the story of traditional music to other generations and to the world”, Pàraic Mac Donnchadha-Trad musician.
Yuvi Basanth — director, cinematographer and editor — of The Legacy of the Piper has been living in Ireland for the past twenty years. Originally born in South Africa, Yuvi has produced several documentaries on social and cultural issues with the vision of raising awareness using this visual medium. He’s active in community development in Ireland, especially in establishing and supporting diverse organisations.

The film is available for purchase on DVD (€20) or USB (€25). Please email: rrf67@proton.me to order or for more information.

Yuvi will be on hand for a post-screening interview. After, people are welcome to stay for a seisiún in the Centre. We encourage people to bring an instrument, ready for a tune.

This 2-hour walk through the former heartland of Liverpool’s Irish community considers schools, statues and graveyards. ❤️??

It explores what remains of the area’s rich heritage, rousing some old ghosts along the way.

Led by historian Greg Quiery, this walk explores the dense history of a world-famous district. Featuring stories of heroic men and women; footballers and rock stars; two hidden statues; a graveyard and the legends of ‘Dandy Pat’ and James Carling. The walk ends at St Anthony’s Church, a short bus ride from town.

Those interested in this walk, may also be interested in the in-person South Liverpool walk (see event listing and book early to avoid disappointment) or the self-guided Liverpool Irish Famine Trail, accompanied by the Festival’s book Liverpool Irish Famine Trail: Revive, available online.

This in an outdoor walk in October; please be weather prepared, comfortable and hydrated.

Ticket holders should join Greg outside Liverpool Central Library ready for the walk start time.

Cancellation announcement
We are sorry to announce this event will not be taking place in 2024. We hope to bring it back for #LIF2025. The Liverpool Irish Festival team are very sorry for any disappointment caused. The Armagh Rhymers will be involved in our Family Day and Samhain Céilí.

Original event text
The Armagh Rhymers will take you on ‘The Wren’s Journey’ to seek wisdom and aid from the Choctaw Eagle through poetry, theatre, music and song.

“Bear in mind these dead, I can find no plainer words I dare not risk using that loaded word remember”, John Hewitt. ️❤️??

A commemoration of those lost and those who gave themselves in friendship.

The Rhyming tradition is a celebration of the ‘theatre of the people’ and has inspired many poets such as Seamus Heaney, Brendan Kennelly, John Montague and John Hewitt. The Armagh Rhymers are one of the most celebrated theatre ensembles on the island of Ireland. Through storytelling, music, and incredible costume, they evoke a sense of tradition and history. They encapsulate the spirit of ‘The Wren Boys’ and the ancient house visiting traditions of Ireland, where the kitchen floor became the stage.

“Symbol of the mystic people is the wren, and this is the truth of the Wren Boys and we must pass it on in the carnival of darkness, singers of the Sun”, Gabriel Fitzmaurice.

You can also see The Armagh Rhymers at our Family Day at Museum of Liverpool,  26 Oct 2024. Those interested in the First nations story, might also be interested in our event on Mon 28 Oct: The Poor Helping the Poor.

My Truth and Yours is the fifth in The Suicide Chronicle series, a project led by artist Mark Storor which aims to develop a collective, creative language to share the infinitely complex experience of suicide. ❤️?

 “Acknowledging the truth
I meet my core.
Whose truth?
Mine”.

This film was made with 23 residents of Tallaght, Dublin, many of whom connected through NINA For Life, a suicide awareness support group.

Mothers, sisters, friends, fathers, uncles, neighbours, daughters and sons, impacted by suicide offer us a vivid view into their truths and give space for the truths of others. These may not always sit comfortably alongside one another, but they are undeniable in their honesty. 

A poetic visual journey without a clear beginning, middle, or end, it captures the personal experiences of a community, departing from over-simplified explanations to instead show tender, intimate, and sometimes deeply private moments.

We are invited to keep vigil with those on the screen, and to share in the experience with one another as an audience. Together we witness a series of actions that give voice to feelings and experiences often unseen or unheard. The film offers us a portal into another place, giving us a different sense of time and space for contemplation and reflection.
Mark Storor
Mark Storor is an award-winning artist with an international reputation and extensive experience of working collaboratively with a wide range of organisations and communities, including work in hospitals, prisons, schools and housing estates. Working in the unique space between live art and theatre, he has been described in the British press as: ‘a genuinely visionary theatre maker’, ‘an alchemist’ and ‘one of the most distinctive voices in British theatre’.
Access

My Truth and Yours references suicide, experiences of bereavement by suicide, and miscarriage. Includes swearing and nudity
This sharing will begin with an in-person, spoken introduction and we will hold space for conversation after the screening with those who have been a part of making it
Ground floor, step free access
Accessible toilets and baby changing facilities available on the ground floor
Disabled parking spaces close by on Wood Street and Bold Street and to the rear of the building
Nearest railway stations are Liverpool Central (a three-minute walk away) and Liverpool Lime Street (a 12-minute walk away).

If you have any access requirements, questions about My Truth and Yours or the screenings please do be in touch: emily@heartofglass.org.uk
Full credits
The Suicide Chronicles: Chronicle Five, My Truth and Yours (2023): Amanda Ellis, Annie, Carol, Daniel, Danny Haas, Fergal Feeney, Glynis, Jean Haas, Jenna, Jenny, Joan, Kelly, Linda Bridgeman, Lorraine Morris, Martin, Michele Donohoe, Noeleen Fulham, Pat, Patricia Cooke, Sami Corcoran, Sharon Doyle and Tracey with Mark Storor.

Cinematography by Chris Keenan
Music composed and performed by Jules Maxwell
Mise en scène by Tadashi Kato
Lighting by Ian Brown
Photography by Stephen King
Narration by Veronica Dyas
Poem written and voiced by Daniel
Foreground and background shadow by Christian.

Gratitude
Co-commissioned by Tallaght Community Arts and Heart of Glass. Supported by Creative Ireland and Arts Council England. Produced by Heart of Glass. With special thanks to NINA For Life, Kingswood Community Centre and Kingswood Community College. Filmed at Mill Studios.

Liverpool Irish Festival is proud to partner with Heart of Glass to present The Suicide Chronicles, Chronicle Five: My Truth and Yours.

The event will also to be run at 6pm, Mon 21 Oct at FACT, Free (spaces limited), book online.

On your way to and from #LIF2024 events, why not stop and behold the beauty and wonder of the River of Light and the following installations:

Rangoli Mirrored Cosmos – Mann Island 
Illusion Hole – Royal Albert 
Positive Spin – Royal Albert Dock 
Lightbattle III – Royal Albert Dock 
Firefly Field – Liverpool Parish Church 
Bunch of Tulips – Liverpool ONE 
Bubblesque – Mann Island 
No Place Like Gnome – Derby Square 
Checkmate – Exchange Flags.

These pieces join Piano Walk (Pier Head South), Impulse (Pier Head North) and LAPS at The Strand. Remember: Fri 1 Nov marks the final night of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. There’s a full write up here.