We are over the moon to welcome a great friend of the Duncairn Maxine Peake to host a gorgeous night of music, poetry, writing, readings and craic to round off our 10th Birthday year.

Can you remember back to the dark days of the covid lockdowns when we launched ‘The Duncairn Virtual Cabaret’; a bit of everything streamed live to your front room every weekend? We’re going to re-create this in person and in great company with actress and writer Maxine Peake, writer Aoibh Clarke, storyteller Deirdre Kelly, musicians Joshua Burnside, Zarah Byrne McCullough & Dan Byrne McCullough ; Rua Rí, Pearse Donaghy & Cahir McLaughlin (Polar Bolero) and Paddy McKeown & Brendan Kerr..

It's the last gig of the year, and the last gig of our 10th birthday celebrations - we hope to see you here!

Written and performed by Wee Yarn Productions

Doors: 7pm / Performance 7.30pm
Duration: 1hr
Cost: Pay what you can afford per ticket

Locked in a room for nine months in a home she once called her own.

The Daughters of Róisín explores the harrowing history of church and state abuse against pregnant women out of wedlock in Ireland over the last 100 years.

Moving, angry and charged with fiery activism, this one-woman show is a rallying cry for women everywhere to rise up, stand tall and eradicate Ireland's ancient shame. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐review from British Theatre Guide 2024

2024 Edinburgh Fringe Festival “Pick of The Fringe” at Pleasance

STRICTLY 18+ - BYO

The Duncairn Writers’ Hub presents:

The Writers Block: Festive Fiction 

Join the Duncairn Writers’ Hub for an evening of storytelling, poetry and creative expression as they share their work as a collective for the first time. 

Having honed their craft over the last year and developed incredibly moving, funny and impactful work, we’re delighted to invite you to share in the magic of this creative hub and start your festive season off with a cosy, heartwarming and community-inspired event. 

This evening will also feature music from the hugely talented Brendan Kerr and Ciara Maguire.

Sunday 8th December

11am – 1pm

Cost: £35

Materials Included

We are delighted to welcome Juliana, of Juliana Made This, to the Duncairn as she brings us her wonderful seasonal workshop, focused on unwinding hand in hand with creativity.

A lovely, relaxing workshop where participants will have the opportunity to enjoy and express their imagination as they paint tapered candles with motifs: a really delicate, pretty addition to family decorations.

Sunday 8th December

11am – 2pm

Cost: £45

Materials Included

Join us for this festive 3-hour Christmas Wreath making workshop where participants will craft their own beautiful wreath using locally sourced, natural materials.

Clive Lyttle from Welig Heritage Crafts will be out facilitator for this workshop; all tools and materials are supplied, however if you do wish to bring your own cones and other natural materials to add to your piece, please feel free to do so. 

STRICTLY 18+ - BYO

John Spillane is a musician, songwriter, performer, recording artist, storyteller, poet and dreamer. Rooted in people, place and story, his music transports the listener and his live performances captivate audiences around the world.

John Spillane will share his most artistically ambitious work to date:Fíoruisce – The Legend of the Lough, on Friday 13th September 2024. The concept album, to be released on double CD and digital, features John alongside a stellar cast of collaborators: Ríoghnach Connolly, Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin, Niamh Farrell, Nell Ní Chróinín, and more.

Written and performed by Cathy Carson
This event is hosted and performed in aid of Clothes for All

Doors: 7pm / Performance 7.30pm
Duration: 1hr 30min with brief interval
Cost: Pay what you can afford per ticket

“The story begins in 1970’s Belfast, where life for young Danielle is as troubled at home as it is on the streets.  Mistreated at home, expelled from school at fifteen and homeless at twenty.  Danielle feels like she is drowning.

But there are lifeboats around her, people who will save her, if only she can trust them enough to take their hand.  Be prepared for a roller coaster of emotion, a stunningly crafted script and a powerhouse performance.”

‘Becoming Marvellous’ has played to audiences in Armagh, Bangor, Belfast, Birmingham, Cork, Cushendun, Mountshannon and Stamford.  The show won The Saboteur Award for Best Spoken Word Show in 2022 and has been published by Flight of the Dragonfly Press in June 2024.

Cathy Carson is a writer and spoken word performer who combines poetry and storytelling to explore human connection and condition.  She has performed for radio, television, festivals, podcasts and theatre.  In 2022 Cathy was shortlisted for The Saboteur Award for Best Spoken Word Performer.

Coppersmithing with Lake and Oak

Saturday 30th November

11am – 2pm

Cost: £50

Materials Included

Caron and Matthew bring us a really different style and experience in creativity with this terrific workshop.  If you have enjoyed time with Lake and Oak with us before creating jewellery, in this 3-hour workshop you have a new opportunity to be creative making Christmas ornaments/decorations using traditional metalworking techniques.

The workshop starts with learning the piercing technique and how to texture your pieces. You can create any shape you want with our copper sheets and there are no limits on how many you can create.

Towards the end, you will use techniques to add some colour to your creations, and these beautiful pieces will be unique to you, giving your home that really creative, personal touch!

Written by Maggie Cronin and Carol Moore

Doors: 7pm / Performance 7.30pm
Duration: 1hr
Cost: Pay what you can afford per ticket

“There is only so long one may ask for a thing politely…”

Shrieking Sisters follows the story of Lilian Metge and her journey in Lisburn, from peaceful suffragist to militant suffragette. Along with other activists, she hatched a plan to bomb Lisburn Cathedral in 1914. The piece contextualizes her personal journey to militancy, within the wider suffrage campaign in Ireland and England. Shrieking Sisters examines the motivations of Lilian and other Northern women, as they fought for the right to vote; despite knowing they could potentially face imprisonment and force-feeding.

Written by Maggie Cronin and Carol Moore
Actors - Maggie Cronin, Laura Hughes and Carol Moore
Production Manager – Malcolm Smith

AGE GUIDANCE - 16+

Suaimhneas translates as peace/ calm/ tranquility and that is exactly the vibe we try to create at these events with low lighting , soft furnishings and a chilled out soundtrack to help you relax and forget about the stresses of everyday life. The two artists that share tonight’s bill are Sammy Copley and Caoilfhionn Rose

Caoilfhionn Rose

Manchester’s Caoilfhionn Rose has come of age as an artist, digging deep to find experimental new ways of expressing her wonder at nature’s beauty, her love of music in all its diversity, and her belief in the restorative powers that both afford in the troubled post-COVID world. Vigorous, searching and ever-curious, Caoilfhionn has found a voice at once ancient and modern, intrepidly exploring contemporary technology to transform traditional songcraft for the mid-2020’s.

Caoilfhionn’s music is rooted in a knowledge of folk, jazz and all the twentieth century’s classic tunesmiths, and seems to create a magical, otherworldly space of her own imagining, blending Caoilfhionn’s core piano with synths, and pitting a live rhythm section and saxophone embellishments against ambient samples and future-facing production techniques.

Sammy Copley 

Dublin-based singer/songwriter Sammy Copley has grown up in a self-made spotlight. Inadvertently documenting his growth as a storyteller and a performer through weekly uploads to YouTube, his channel has almost a quarter of a million subscribers, releasing his first full-length body of work, the majestic Growing Pains in 2021. Pouring emotion into his soothing folk-inflected ballads, Copley shared more of his stories with theLittle BoxEP culminating with sold-out shows in London and Dublin.

Saturday 23rd November

11am – 2pm

Cost: £25

Materials Included*

This creative workshop will demonstrate (and de-mystify) the popular crochet technique known as Corner to Corner or C2C.

C2C is a fast and effective, textured stitch which works especially well with variegated yarn to create any size of a blanket.

Within this technique you will learn how to increase the treble stitches to work a triangle then continue working the stitches while decreasing to create a square. 

You will have time to create a large sample square and learn how to change colours along the way. The aim is to go away feeling confident to develop a larger independent project with the take home instructions and skills learned. 

Some prior stitch knowledge will be needed for this workshop i.e. to be able to make chains, slip stitches and trebles. If you've already attended any of the evening crochet classes at The Duncairn in 2024, you will be ready for this workshop.

Saturday 23rd November

10am – 5pm

Cost:£55

Materials Included

With the festive season only around the corner, this is the perfect opportunity to get into the spirit of Christmas and create a beautiful hand carved decoration to brighten up your home.

During this class Stephen Ryan from Green Woodwork Ireland will teach you the skills needed to produce your Christmas themed woodcarving, each participant can choose from a number of different designs including Santa, Christmas Tree and Snowman.  You will also learn how to use a large variety of woodcarving chisels safely and effectively.

This class is suitable for complete beginners as well as those who want to take their new-found skills to the next level. No experience necessary.

Due to the use of sharp tools during the class, sturdy boots or shoes should be worn. Open-toed or low-cut footwear is not suitable and may mean you cannot participate in the workshop. The tutor will supply safety gloves but if you have your own tight fitting safety gloves feel free to bring them along.

A free, family friendly day in the Duncairn! Featuring live music from West Cork, Childrens Crafts and Art with visiting and local Artists. All Welcome. 

FREE

STRICTLY 18+ - BYO

A Sit Down Dinner with A Musical Twist. 

Levis’ invites one of Ireland’s very best chefs  and our good neighbour; Michelin-starred Chef Robbie Krawczyk from Restaurant Chestnut in Ballydehob to serve up a very special set menu at The Duncairn Arts Centre in Belfast. This will be a unique opportunity to enjoy Krawczyk’s dishes which reflects the rich, seasonal produce of West Cork.

Not only this and most importantly , diners are also offered the opportunity to stand up and sing a song of their choice, with the best performer winning their own ‘Supper For Free’!  
This part of the evening may appear as  always optional, but with cajoling from the MC  Joe McNamee ( Irish Examiner Food Writer) and musical accompaniment from award winning composer and pianist Maurice Seezer, it is hard to resist pulling out a song or poem!

This long running event showcases West Cork’s vibrant  culinary and music scene, and we cannot wait to take it to the fantastic setting that is The Duncairn.

STRICTLY 18+ - BYO

Beyond Skin in partnership with Belfast International Arts Festival presents

A cultural weave story with the sounds of Persian, Kurdish and Irish instruments and vocals.

A collective of musicians brought together just for this one-off event. Representing Iran santoor player Behnam Ghazanfaripour, setar player Omid Asghari, singer Nasim Heidari and special guest Sara Fotros (daf drum).

Joining the ensemble is Syrian Saz/Oud player, singer Swar Ahmed, and representing Ireland singer/songwriter Conor Pelan and Cormac Ó Briain on uilleann pipes.

The event will also feature a special art presentation by Seba Brhom from Syria.

Born in France, Sara Fotros embraced Iran's rich musical heritage learning Persian percussion at a young age under the guidance of Mohsen Taherzadeh and later with Nabil Yousef Sharidavi. Sara has collaborated with traditional and contemporary Persian music in different ensembles in Iran, the UK, Sweden, Germany, the United States, Austria, Slovakia, India, and Canada.

Age guidance: 18+

A Beyond Skin event is supported by the Bernard Neville Estate Fund.

FREE EVENT - EVERYONE WELCOME!

It’s everyone’s favourite free fun family community arts event!

With world-class live music, arts and crafts workshops, DJ Paddy’s classic record club plus piping hot coffee & breakfast options, there’s just one thing missing to pull it all together…YOU!!

Tell everyone you know, from 0-100 years, from all walks of life, that they’re welcome to come along spend their Sunday morning at the Duncairn.

STRICTLY 18+ - BYO

Ríoghnach Connolly and Stuart McCallum are the creative heart of The Breath.  And for them, it’s all about the song. 

Connolly writes the only way she knows how; a stream of poetic consciousness giving rise to honest, personal, heartfelt songs as likely to touch on childhood summers and first love as  cultural dislocation, post-colonial injustices and grief. But it’s her deeply soulful, utterly engaging, stop-you-in-your-tracks voice – whether delicate and hushed or powerful and gutsy – coupled with Stuart’s understated brilliance and their exquisitely crafted songs, that give The Breath such emotional depth.

STRICTLY 18+

Our Club FIFTY events combine Arts & Activism in a social setting.  At long tables with communal food, audience members sit together to enjoy world class music, poetry and socially engaged discussion.

This FIFTY examines the recent increase in racial and hate crimes locally, genocide globally & the rise of the far fight in Ireland.  How did we get here and how do we fix things?

Our guests for the evening include;

Clare Sands - sixth generation fiddler and bilingual singer from Cork.
Nandi Jola - South African born poet, storyteller and playwright.
Rioghnach Connolly - Manchester-based vocalist, flautist, lyricist, workshop facilitator and musical activist.
Ruá - a multi-instrumentalist and experimental folk songwriter hailing from Derry.
Stuart McCallum - Manchester-based guitarist, composer, producer and educator.

plus more TBA.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, this gig has now been CANCELLED. Ticket holders have been contacted and refunds will be issued. Sincere apologies.

In 1972, Barry Moore wrote a song called ‘Wave Up To The Shore’. Not his first song, but it had something. A dynamic Irish singer/songwriter whose music is defined by passion, lyricism, and a respect for tradition coupled with a willingness to defy expectations, was already a seasoned veteran of the folk scenes in Europe and the British Isles when he reinvented himself as Luka Bloom in 1987.

As a solo acoustic act with a big voice and intense guitar style he managed to channel the energy and power of rock into albums like The Acoustic Motorbike (1992), Turf (1994) and Between the Mountain and the Moon (2002), rising to international acclaim and becoming one of Ireland's best-respected contemporary folk artists.

Prolific in the studio and even more so on the stage, Bloom's career became that of the seemingly tireless D.I.Y. troubadour whose unpredictable varied musical repertoire has included eclectic cover albums, socio-political anthems, world music fusions, and heartfelt organic folk. After starting his own label, he maintained a steady stream of studio and live albums like The Man Is Alive (2008) and 2014's jazz-folk standout Head & Heart, and also published the memoir Homeplace. Amid his varied catalogue are also a number of interesting diversions including a 2018 guided meditation album.

Wednesday 30th October

6 weeks

6pm – 8pm

Cost: £55 Materials Included

Playwright, poet and copywriter Aoibh Clarke will facilitate this fantastic six-week programme, which is an introduction to Writing Creatively. 

If you're a budding writer, eager to receive some guidance from a creative professional, this six-week programme will be invaluable. Aoibh's workshops are consistently person-led, meaning that the classes will be shaped according to the needs and interests of the people in the room.  

Eager to learn how to write your first play? No problem. Are short stories your thing? We'll make it happen. Ready to unleash the poet within? Aoibh has you covered for multiple genres of writing. 

Passionate about words, their power, and the potential for great writing to change the world, Aoibh creates a safe, shared space for creative expression. 

“When learning about creative writing, there are strategies, tricks and tips to get things moving. However, the real magic happens when we’re given structure, space to explore and the chance to try things out without fear. I absolutely love facilitating creative writing workshops, because there’s something truly special about shared art and creative expression.” - Aoibh Johnson.  

No previous experience is necessary, all you need is some curiosity, a budding idea, and the drive to connect with fellow creatives. 

Wednesday 30th October

6 weeks

6pm – 8pm

Cost: £55

Materials Included

 Over the course of 6 weeks, you will learn the basics of making your very own quilt. A wonderfully therapeutic past time, quilting encourages playfulness with colour, shape, and stitch. It is fantastically sustainable as you can learn to make use of all those unused scraps of fabric and transform old clothes into creative and meaningful items.

Participants will be led through the basic steps to making a small quilt, wall hanging or cushion cover, and this course is suitable for beginners and those with a basic knowledge of how to use a sewing machine; no quilting or patchwork skills are necessary.

Things to learn will be the safe use of a rotary cutter and quilting ruler, fabric selection and cutting, machine piecing your project, techniques to put your quilt together and baste it ready for quilting, machine quilting techniques and how to bind and finish your project.

We have a limited number of sewing machines so please do bring your own if you have one. Please ensure you indicate at booking if you require a Duncairn machine.

Wednesday 30th October
6 weeks
6pm – 8pm
Cost: £55
Materials Included

Join artist Leah Davis on this 6-week course in developing your drawing and painting skills through the study of still life.

Diving into an array of different mediums, this course will include working with ink, pencil, pen, charcoal, pastels as well as paint; with this diverse range of materials and new skills, you will enhance your creative range of techniques enabling you to approach drawing and painting with more confidence and understanding.

Suitable for all levels.

Wednesday 30th October

6 weeks

6pm – 8pm

Cost: £55

Materials Included

 Get wired, get excited and energized with these 6 weeks of experimenting and creating jewellery and decorations using a wide and wonderful range of beautiful wires and beads.  

Each week you will accomplish a new project, so it is just perfect for this time of year if you want to do a handmade Christmas!  Alternatively, you may want to make something sparkly for yourself, but whatever your reason, come and join in the craic whilst learning new skills under the expert eye of our terrific tutor Nikki Terlik.

Saturday 26th October

10am – 5pm

Cost – £55

Materials Included

Have you ever appreciated the beauty and flowing lines of a woodcarving and thought this is something you would like to try?

This Introduction to Woodcarving class with Stephen Ryan from Green Woodwork Ireland will teach you the skills needed to produce a relief woodcarving of your own to take home and enjoy.

You will also learn about wood's unique properties, along with the many shapes and sizes of woodcarving chisels and how to use them safely and effectively. This class is ideal for people that just want to try something new along with those that want to take their newfound skills to the next level.

The tutor will provide a number of different woodcarvings to choose from. No experience necessary.

Due to the use of sharp tools during the class, sturdy boots or shoes should be worn. Open-toed or low-cut footwear is not suitable and may mean you cannot participate in the workshop. Steve will supply safety gloves but if you have your own tight-fitting safety gloves please feel free to bring them along.

All ages event. Please note no BYO.

Part of Belfast Music Society Northern Lights Mini-Fest in association with Belfast international Arts Festival

Charismatic Belfast-born soprano and jazz singer Suzanne Savage collaborates with string ensemble the Savage Five to create genre-defying songscapes that weave Irish music traditions with a range of dynamic musical styles.

The Savage Five comprise Hugo Smit (Cello), Alwyn Thomas Westbrooke (Violin), Rachel Yates (Viola) and Sven Otte (Double bass). Citing influences as broad as Cole Porter, Björk and Bartók, the ensemble shift from delicately arranged stillness to full-blooded whirling dervish.

Add to this the unmistakable influence of Irish music and Suzanne Savage’s distinctive, crystalline voice that speaks of a deep connection to the landscape.

STRICTLY 18+ - BYO

“An outstanding achievement of musicality, ingenuity and passion ” Duncan Chisholm

“Gorgeous melodies and rich harmony, stunningly played with huge heart, sense of space and a huge helping of understated playfulness ” Lauren MacColl

Rebecca Hill and Charlie Stewart are a harpist and fiddle player based in the thriving traditional music scene in Glasgow. Their debut album 'Thawcrook' recorded in 2022 seen them reach the finals of the MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards ‘Composer of the Year’ category in 2023. The pair experiment with contemporary compositional techniques, creating hypnotic themes and integrating large sections of improvisation within arrangements, bringing an off- the-cuff, conversational feel to tracks such as ‘On the Mountain’.

Having recorded with over 30 artists to date, Charlie enjoys performing internationally with a variety of artists including Siobhan Miller, Matt Carmichael, Juliette Lemoine, Ross Miller and Mischa MacPherson. Highlights as a solo artist include a New Voices commission for Glasgow’s Celtic Connections 2021, performing at Proms in the Park and gaining the title of ‘BBC Radio Scotland Young

Traditional Musician of the Year 2017’ .

Rebecca gained the title of ‘Up and Coming Artist of the Year’ at the MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards in 2020 following the release of her solo EP 'the Airing' at Celtic Connections earlier that year. Rebecca has toured in Germany both as a solo artist as well as with folk band The Outside Track, and performed and presented at Granville Harp Festival in Ohio, America. Performance highlights for the duo include a recent short tour in Galicia, Spain, supporting singer Siobhan Miller as part of her Scottish tour and launching their debut album, Thawcrook in 2023. Having just finished their Spring Scottish Tour, Rebecca and Charlie look forward to popping up at performances across the UK in 2024, including an upcoming Autumn tour.

“Decade-long acquaintances and award-winning musicians on harp and fiddle respectively, Thawcrook sees them splice traditional and modern tunes together to create a captivating and joyful nine tracks ” At The Barrier

FREE EVENT - EVERYONE WELCOME!

It’s everyone’s favourite free fun family community arts event!

With world-class live music, arts and crafts workshops, DJ Paddy’s classic record club plus piping hot coffee & breakfast options, there’s just one thing missing to pull it all together…YOU!!

Tell everyone you know, from 0-100 years, from all walks of life, that they’re welcome to come along spend their Sunday at the Duncairn.

Families have long played a key role in passing down Irish and other traditional music, both in Ireland and the diaspora. The McGoldrick family from Manchester exemplifies this tradition, with their album One For The Road showcasing the musical talents of four family members: Michael on uilleann pipes/flute, alongside his nieces Catherine on wooden flute, Ciara on concertina/vocals, and Mairead on whistle/bodhrán, accompanied by guitarist Jimmy Patrick. Michael, influenced by musicians like Matt Molloy and Seamus Tansey, has become one of the most prominent traditional musicians of his generation, while his nieces, each accomplished in their own right, have furthered the family’s musical legacy, blending traditional roots with contemporary flair.

Siblings Séamus and Caoimhe Uí Fhlatharta hail from the Gaeltacht region of Connemara. They are noted for their sean nós singing and unique arrangements of both Irish and English language songs. Their performances benefit from the vocal tones that only families share. Their Late Late Show performance in 2022 of the soulful lament Anach Cuain went viral around the world. They are also accomplished multi instrumentalists who keep the Irish language and their heritage at the heart of all their musical endeavors. In 2023 they released their debut EP Séamus & Caoimhe which was produced by Brian Whelan and Riverdance composer Bill Whelan. Séamus and Caoimhe are the recipients of the RTÉ Folk Award for ‘Best Emerging Artists’ 2024.

Presented by Rogue Encounters and University of Atypical

This masterclass is delivered by David Calvert, Paula Clarke, and SoSo Ní Cheallaigh. It is open to d/Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent participants who are interested in pursuing a career in professional theatre.

The masterclass will involve 5 hours of dynamic physicality. It will involve Qi Gong muscle and tendon stretching, which is a system of coordinated body-posture and movement, breathing, and meditation; ‘Yoga Nidra’ exercises that challenge mind and body awareness; contact improvisation, and the creation of physical imagery.