Event type: Comedy

In this limited-edition series of miniature works, Pamela takes the Festival’s Liver Harp to create a small gift for people to find.

Celebrating 21-years of the Liver Harp (because that’s how old we are), Pam’s Liver Harps will relate some of the anniversaries important to Liverpool and Ireland’s shared history. Each Liver Harp will boast a QR code (bringing them here), to register your Liver Harp find.

Anyone who finds a Liver Harp may keep it. We’ll record the QR code reports. Additionally, seekers/finders can take a photo, upload to social media and tag @LivIrishFest and hashtag #LIF2023.

The gifts offer a little knowledge and provide a lovely keepsake.
Register your Liver Harp find
Please, if you’ve found a Liver Harp, take a moment to register it here. This will help Pam understand just how far her work has travelled. It would be brilliant to know where all 40 of our Liver Harps are living!
What does your Liver Harp mean?
Pam has done a wild amount of research to get 40 stories together. Each Liver Harp is numbered and representes one of these stories.

Click here to download the information sheet, which tells you about all 40 Liver Harps.
The art of giving
Though diminutive in scale, the impact is monumental. These lost pieces imply abandonment and displacement, but when found are recognised for their purpose and highlight an important social memory. When you see one, think about it makes you feel; how it relates to the world and what you can do to protect it. You might consider the work’s isolation, vulnerability and endangered status. A Liver Harp represents our Liverpool-Irish connections, what does this mean to us today? How do these combined identities work together? What is your role in accepting people of mixed-heritage? Pamela’s work asks all these questions and many more besides, whilst also providing a fun and engaging activity.

Pamela has always preferred unusual venues. She has exhibited all over the northwest; in derelict buildings, empty spaces, empty shops, building sites. For #LIF2023 she’ll be hiding her Liver Harps in trees, under benches, on walls and across Liverpool’s town centre. Liver Harp seekers should think about points of relevance to the Festival and Liverpool Irish Famine Trail.

As we get closer to the Festival, we’ll reveal what the 40 Liver Harps commemorate and we’ll as people to register their finds.

To follow Pamela, visit Facebook @pamela.sullivan.547  or Instagram @pamelasullivanartist

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Imprinted in spirals; whorls, cup and ring markings; Bridie’s (St Brigid’s) connection with Liverpool is made clear.

Brigid’s imprint can also be found in footprints marked on the ancient Calderstones. These stones are believed to come from a passage grave, like New Grange in Ireland. See these images for more details: Calderstones image 1  | Calderstones image 2 | Calderstones image 3 | Calderstones image 4

Taking in Hope Street, join us as we walk with Judy Mazonowicz. Judy is a long-time St Brigid champion and author of The Transformations of Brigid. During the walk, we’ll discuss the different aspects of Bridie (also known as St Brigid and St Bridgitte) on a route bridging time and faith.

As has become tradition on Imbolc*, walkers are invited to join others at Bridie’s Well in St James’s Gardens at 1pm. Here, those congregated are invited to share poetry, songs and contributions that celebrate the first stirrings of spring.

* the cross-quarter Pagan festival

This is a significant year in the recognition of St Brigid, as Ireland celebrates its second public holiday in her name.  We are also quickly progressing to 1500 years since her death in 525.

People can come for either part of this event, or both. Those interested in going on the walk should meet outside the Liverpool Everyman at 11am. Ceremony visitors should meet at the well in St James’s Gardens (at the Anglican Cathedral, beneath Hope Street) at 1pm. We advise you to

wear weather appropriate clothing
bring sunscreen/umbrellas (as conditions dictate)
bring water to drink as needed on the walk
bring a canister to take water from the well.
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In 2021, Liverpool Irish Festival began our custodianship of the Liverpool Irish Famine Trail.

We formed a volunteer History Research Group (who’ve since undertaken c.1,500 hours of research) and released a book: Liverpool Irish Famine Trail: Revive (available in the Museum’s gift shop or online).

Having trained the group in tour creation and management – and thoroughly researching the objects on display – the History Research Group will lead a tour of the Museum of Liverpool’s Irish objects, revisitng the tours they led during #LIF2023.

Visitors will also take in the Pilotage Building, just outside the Museum.  Tours are anticipated to take approximately 45-60mins, depending on audience questions. These activities have been made possible with funds from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Visitors can undertake the Irish objects tour as a self-guided trail, which requires no booking (see guide map). Paper maps can be collected (for free) from leaflet holders at the Museum.

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The tour leaves the Museum of Liverpool’s atrium at 3.00pm on Thurs 1 Feb 2024, in honour of St Brigid. People who hope to join should meet under the Atrium’s big screen. The tour will operate on a first-come first-served basis, so please arrive promptly.

Made possible with funds from The National Lottery Heritage Fund logo.

Irish nationalism in Liverpool, 1912-1922.
The actions of Irish nationalists in Britain are often characterised as a ‘sideshow’ to the revolutionary events in Ireland, between 1912 and 1922. This original study argues, conversely, that Irish nationalism in Britain was integral to contemporary Irish and British assessments of the Irish Revolution, between the Third Home Rule Bill and The Anglo-Irish Treaty.

In this centenary lecture, Dr. Darragh Gannon charts the development of Irish nationalism across the Irish Sea -over the course of a historic decade in United Kingdom history– from constitutional crisis, to war and revolution.

Taking Liverpool as its focus, this lecture documents successive Home Rule and IRA campaigns, coordinated by John Redmond and Michael Collins respectively, and examines the mobilisation of Irish migrant communities in Britain in response to major political crises, from the Ulster crisis to the First World War. The Irish Revolution, this study concludes, was defined by political conflicts, and cultures, across the Irish Sea.

Dr Darragh Gannon is Head of Irish Studies at University College Dublin.

Event meeting information will be sent to bookers ahead of the event. Please note: This event was programmed after our leaflets went to print, hence the omission there. This is a legitimate Festival event and will take place as posted here.

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This event was streamed to YouTube and can be seen below. Additionally, Darragh shared his PowerPoint presentation, which can be downloaded here.

 

Black History Month 2023 is here to inspire, reflect, and celebrate!

Throughout October, Liverpool will explore the contributions made to society by people of Black heritage and their communities.This work is led, primarily, by Writing on the Wall. Over recet years, Liverpool Irish Festival has worked with Writing on the Wall -and many other Merseyside organisations- to develop an arts and culture sector Race Equality Manifesto. Our celebration of Black History Month is part of this ongoing work.

25% of people born on the island of Ireland are mixed-race. Race is as important to Ireland and Irish people as it is to America or Britain, Africa or the Caribbean.

Writing on the Wall’s (WoW) Black history programme will bring to the fore discussions that enhance awareness, through research and education, and continue the fight for true equality.

Explore the current events listed and keep an eye on our website and socials for more inspiring events!

Letters to Gil with Malik Al Nasir 
Discover the incredible journey of author, poet, and academic Malik Al Nasir as he unveils his powerful memoir, Letters to Gil. 

When: 4 October, 12.30pm  
Where: The Bluecoat, The Sandon Room, 8 School Ln, Liverpool L1 3BX 
Ticket price: £3 
Get tickets.

In conversation with Arun Kundnani
Join WoW online, for an in-conversation, with Arun Kundnani on his new book What is Antiracism and why it means Anticapitalism? 

When: 10 October, 7pm
Where: Online
Ticket price: £3 concession
Get tickets.

Great War to Race Riots walking tour
The highly popular 1919 Race Riots walking tour returns for Black History Month, exploring the murder of Charles Wotton and the social and political backdrop of these tragic events.

When: 14 October, 12pm
Where: Tour starts from the Chinese Arch on the Corner of Nelson Street and Berry Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, L1 5DN
Ticket price:  £10
Get tickets.

In Conversation With Professor Gus John
Writing on the Wall and Kuumba Imana Millenium Centre are proud to welcome Professor Gus John back to Liverpool, for a free event, to discuss his latest publications Blazing Trails and Don’t Salvage the Empire Windrush. He’ll speak with Dr Ama Biney, who’s taught Black British history and African and Caribbean history for over 25 years in the community, Further Education and Higher Education Sectors.

When: 17 October, 7pm
Where: The Kuumba Imani Millennium Centre
Ticket Price: FREE
Get tickets.

Deported in a Windrush, by Leonisha Barley
Join us for this FREE event as Leonisha Barley brings you a rehearsed reading and feedback session of her debut play Deported in a Windrush.

Deported in a Windrush is a play, based on the book The Windrush Betrayal, exposing the ‘hostile environment’ by Amelia Gentleman. The book reveals how the government’s immigration policy created a hostile environment for thousands of law-abiding people, when they were wrongly classified as illegal immigrants.

When: 19 October, 7pm
Where: Toxteth Library 
Ticket price: FREE
Get tickets.

Remembering Pastor Daniels Ekarte
Join friends of WoW, Stephen Small, Tayo Aluko and author Marika Sherwood as we explore Pastor Daniels’s life in Liverpool and the history of the city’s Black community.

When: 26 October, 7pm
Where: Toxteth Library 
Ticket price: £4
Get tickets.

Dorothy Kuya walking tour
Come along for this rare opportunity to learn more about Black British history and lifelong activist Dorothy Kuya (1933-2013).

When: 28 October, 12pm
Where: The Blackburne Arms Pub, 24 Catharine St, Liverpool L8 7NL
Ticket price:  £10
Get tickets.

Over the years, Liverpool Irish Festival has amassed something of an archive of books and papers, journals and materials.

Though we weren’t been able to share it during the Covid years, we’re back to showcasing the archive in the fully accessible and friendly drop-in space at Everyman Street Café. There’ll be colouring sheets for the kids; fiction for light reads and some historic tomes for a deeper interrogation of identity. By no means a full library, this is a resource for anyone to dip in and out of, to while away a half-term afternoon or a bit of time over lunch.

It’s also a great space to pick up a Festival newspaper, a copy of Brave Maeve or The Liver Birds for a loved one and enjoy a brew.

This is a low-carbon and efficient way for people to road test, borrow, learn and share resources. All our paper products are responsibly sourced and even our in-house printing now uses recycled stock, in line with our Shift Liverpool membership and carbon literacy promises.

For those people who are interested in environmentalism and Liverpool’s green energy commitments, you may be interested in Shift Liverpool’s Arts Green Book Day, also being held at Everyman. To register for that event, click here.

We’d like to acknowledge that Still Out Of Print (282 Smithdown Rd, Liverpool L15 5AJ [map]; next to Purple Carrott) has a display of antiquarian and second-hand Irish books on, for the duration of the Festival. Get over there and have a look if you can.

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Meet the Festival team and our #LIF2023 artists.

Hear about the programme and meet with friends. The Centre, the heart of the Irish community in Liverpool, provides a convivial space in which to toast ‘sláinte’ (health) to all those who join us, have helped us, and will be with us for Festivals ahead. Book ahead to ensure you have the best seats and to claim your arrival refreshment!

Speeches will take place at around 6.45pm.

We’re thrilled to announce that The Irish World are our media partners for this event and that we will be welcoming a musical group from Melody Makers to play.

This event is free and takes place in the Heritage Room and bar. The London Lasses event, which follows, is ticketed. It is not part of the launch. People who wish to attend this, should book for both.

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The Cultural Connectedness Exchange Network links Irish creatives with people who commission Irish work.

This practice day brings independent creatives and programmers together.

Day long agenda:
09:30 Registration opens
10:00 Networking and intros
11:00 Pam Sullivan – making resonant work in communities
12:00 Stu Harrison – Joy in development
12:45 Lunch
13:30 Curating programmes – themes, morals and missions – Mick Hannigan, IndieCork
14:30 Where are we with representation? #IAmIrish?
15:30 Put it all together
16:00 End.
Artist led activities and talks will be held in The Bluecoat’s Garden Room and participants will be provided with lunch.

?️ If you have any dietary requirements please email emma@liverpoolirishfestival.com ?️

Read more about the background and purpose of the Network.

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This event has received support from the Irish Government’s Department for Foreign Affairs Emigrant Support Programme.

Further reading:

Learn more about the #CCEN, here.

In 2020 Gael Linn and An tUltach partnered with the Liverpool Irish Festival to create a one-off creative commission to celebrate Irish language and folklore.

Selected for this commission, was storyteller and artist Nuala Monaghan.

The resulting work tells five key stories from Irish myth and legend, each with an artwork to help communicate the power of the story. Shown first at The Reader in Calderstones Park, we used the exhibition to connect Liverpool with Ireland through thousands of years of use and symbolism, this exhibit helps to reveal the connections folklore continues to have on our modern world. Now on display with St Helens Libraries, we hope to spread the connection in to the region.

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Available during Library opening hours across the Festival and throughout Nov, St Helen’s Library at Heart of Glass. Free, just turn up.

This exhibition was co-commissioned with Gael Linn and An tUltach. Gael Linn is a non-profit and non-governmental organisation focused on the promotion of the Irish language and the arts. An tUltach is Ireland’s oldest Irish language literary magazine, established in 1924.

This event is held in partnership with St Helens Libraries, who have received funded support from Arts Council England.

Further reading

Read Nuala’s article on being a story teller.

Follow Brave Maeve as she adventures through enchanted places, encountering characters from Irish myth and legend.

The book was written and illustrated by Stuart Harrison, in Liverpool, featuring his friend’s daughter. Celebrating characters from thousands of years of Irish and Liverpudlian folklore, Brave Maeve is an energetic romp through time and tale.

Stu will be on hand to chat about his book and give kids a chance to pose with an illustrated Brave Maeve, sword, Tir Na nÓg book and/or púca at

the Liverpool Irish Festival launch (Liverpool Irish Centre, 19 Oct)
the Family Day at Museum of Liverpool (21 Oct)
a writer’s reading of Brave Maeve at The Williamson Art Gallery and Museum
and our Samhain Céilí at the Liverpool Irish Centre (29 Oct).

We’ll be giving away copies of the book at the Family Day and Samhain Céilí with a few available at the Irish Centre across the Festival (19-29 Oct 2023). Afterwards, any remaining copies will be available to buy for £4.99 + P&P from our online shop liverpoolirishfestival.com/shop or on Kindle.

This children’s story was commissioned by Liverpool Irish Festival, in partnership with Gael Linn and An tUltach.

Collect your copy -during opening hours- across the Festival from Liverpool Irish Centre.

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