Cultural Connections group unveils latest project in Castlederg

A special project offering a unique glimpse of the past has just been completed by young people in the Castlederg area.

The Castlederg Cultural Connections project, led by Hummingbird (NI) CIC in partnership with Border Arts, brought together a group of local traditional Irish musicians and Castlederg Young Loyalists Marching Band who have been working, learning and performing together since early 2019. The latest project undertaken by the group offered the chance to explore the history of the local area, shared connections and cultural links.

As part of the project the group created a model of the town centre which was launched this week at the local Parochial Hall, with guest facilitators Martin Snoddon, a Belfast based peacebuilder and Sean O’Roideain, an expert Irish traditional musician and cultural archivist. 

The scheme is just one of a wide range of projects being delivered by Derry City and Strabane District Council in conjunction with local community groups as part of the Peace IV Shared Spaces programme.

The project is supported by the European Union’s PEACE IV Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). The programme has provided an exciting platform for a broad spectrum of local people to explore cultural, arts and musical traditions. 

Mary Claire Kerlin from Council’s Good Relations team said the project had been a a positive experience for the young people. “I am delighted to see the level of engagement of young people in the Castlederg area. The project provided an opportunity for them to come together and discuss how the past has impacted on their community and how they can work together to ensure a positive shared future.

“Members were also able to reflect on how Castlederg Cultural Connections has been leading the way with peace-building and reconciliation across the district.

The group have really gelled and staged their first performance at the Christmas Lights Switch On in Castlederg before embarking on this latest project which has been warmly welcomed. I hope to see the group continue to grow and develop and continue their work to bring young people in the area together.”