STRANGFORD LOUGH FESTIVAL - Portaferry Townscape Heritage

STRANGFORD
LOUGH
FESTIVAL
10 – 14 June 2015
• Portaferry and Strangford, County Down
• Mostly FREE • Something for everyone
Strangford Lough and Lecale Partnership –
working with people for our heritage
www.strangfordlough.org
STRANGFORD LOUGH FESTIVAL 2015
ON THE WATER
Programme details are subject to change, get the latest updates on:
Coastal Rowing Race –
The Narrows Challenges
Strangford Lough and Lecale Partnership,
No. 1 The Square, Portaferry, BT22 1LW
Tel: 028 4272 9005 / 8886 (Mon-Fri only).
E-mail: admin@strangfordlough.org
Sat 13th June, 11am.
www.strangfordlough.org
In the event of bad weather boat trips may be cancelled.
If we cancel the boats then a refund will be provided.
www.visitstrangfordlough.co.uk
Portaferry Visitor Information Centre (VIC):
Tel: 028 4272 9882
(Open Mon-Sat 10am to 5pm. Sun 1pm to 5pm)
Organised by the Strangford Lough and Lecale Partnership,
sponsored by EnAlgae and with support from the Heritage Lottery
Fund, Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Ards and
North Down District Council and Newry, Mourne & Down
Borough Council.
Watch local communities battle it out in
the Narrows, in their 5 person coastal
rowing boats. The current Narrows
Challenge trophy holders, Killyleagh,
will be fending off stiff competition.
Down Coastal Rowing was developed
by the Strangford Lough and Lecale
Partnership (SLLP) with the PSNI,
and funded by the Down Rural Area
Partnership (DRAP) as part of the
European Agricultural Fund for Rural
Development Investing in rural areas.
www.downcoastalrowing.org
Download our FREE App, search Strangford Lough and Lecale from
the Apple i-tune store and Google Play.
All children (under 12) must be accompanied by a responsible adult
at events.
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MEDIEVAL MAYHEM IN PORTAFERRY
Medieval times were turbulent and the
tower house castles of County Down
stretch like a necklace along the coast.
Many of these fortified houses were built
in the Narrows of Strangford Lough.
Visit them all, but this weekend immerse
yourself in those fascinating times at
Portaferry.
Man-at-Arms Armoury
and Fights
MEDIEVAL MAYHEM IN PORTAFERRY
Archery Displays
Have a Go Sessions
Northern Ireland School
of Falconry
Sat 13th June, noon to 6pm.
Sun 14th June, 1pm to 5pm.
Exploris Park - small charge may apply.
Sat 13th June, noon to 6pm.
Sun 14th June, 1pm to 5pm.
Exploris Park. Free.
Sat 13st June, 2pm to 5pm. Sun 14th June, 2pm to 5pm.
Templecranny Graveyard, Church Street.
Free.
Scriptor Monk
With a chance to fly one of these
magnificent birds.
With archaeologists Liam McQuillan
& Paul McCooey.
Sat 13st June, noon to 6pm. Sun 14th June, 1pm to 5pm.
Exploris Park. Free.
A Medieval Graveyard
Archaeology Dig-In
Sun 14th June, 1pm to 5pm.
Exploris Park. Free.
Sat 13th June, noon to 6pm.
Sun 14th June, 1pm to 5pm.
Exploris Park & Portaferry Tower House.
Free.
The monasteries were centres of learning
with international connections. This
monk will introduce you to that work.
Our Man-at-Arms is guarding the castle.
Try out his armour and his weapons and
find out how deadly this building could be.
So heft that sword and feel like a medieval
fighter! Later see the men-at-arms battle
it out.
Medieval Cooking
Slow Food Northern Ireland
Sat 13st June, noon to 6pm. Sun 14th June, 1pm to 5pm.
Exploris Park. Free.
Saturday 13th June.
The Narrows Social.
£25pp. BYO.
Get to grips with some medieval sauces.
Celebrating local produce.
Get digging and see what you might find
with the Archaeology NI Roadshow.
To book please contact - 028 4272 9746 or
0772 5646 333.
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MARINE WORLD, PORTAFERRY
Strangford Lough is Northern Ireland’s
first Marine Conservation Zone.
Butterflies of the Sea
Friday 12 June, 6.30pm.
The Narrows Social. Free.
Marine scientist, Bernard Picton, reveals
the latest findings from Strangford Lough
on nudibranchs, colourful sea slugs,
sometimes called butterflies of the sea.
This public talk is a tribute to the life and
work of marine biologist and teacher
Dr Pat Boaden.
EnAlgae Seaweed
Garden & Tours
Saturday 13th June, 10:30 to 4pm.
Queen’s Marine Lab. Free.
5
Delve into EnAlgae’s seaweed garden,
help them construct long-lines for
growing seaweed, and join their lab tours.
You can also see just how fish, mussels
and seaweed work together to help each
other grow.
EnAlgae Boat Tours
Get out on the water to look at the UK’s
first pilot commercial scale seaweed
growing site, one of three renewable
energy sites on the Lough. Also take in
the fabulous scenery and wildlife with
your expert guide. See page 7 for boat
schedule.
Our Festival sponsor, EnAlgae, brings
together 19 partners and 14 observers
from seven European countries. Their
goal is to reduce CO2 emissions and
fossil fuels dependence in the region.
Academic, business and research centres
are working together in the growing,
harvesting and processing of algae, to turn
it into biomass and bio fuels. EnAlgae is
an INTERREG IVB funded North West
European network with a pilot site at
Queen’s University Marine Laboratory,
which is experimenting with growing
kelp seaweed as a source of bioenergy.
MARINE WORLD, PORTAFERRY
Seaweed has historically been harvested
in Strangford Lough, and combined with
the Lough’s prime location in Northern
Ireland for developing marine renewable
energy; it is the perfect place to test
seaweed cultivation for commercial
scale production – over 90% of people
in Northern Ireland support seaweed
biomass for bioenergy!
Family Fun Queen’s University
Marine Lab Sat 13th June, 10:30 to 4pm.
Queen’s Marine Lab. Free.
Sea creatures to touch and see, use
microscopes and watch big waves in the
enormous sea tanks. Meet Strangford
Lough’s mini beasts with help from QML
scientists and lots more.
Spyball Underwater Camera
& Information Trailer Sat 13th June, noon to 6pm.
Sun 14th June, 1pm to 5pm.
Shorefront. Free.
Find and film sea creatures in the Lough
with the Spyball underwater camera.
Find out about starfish, sea urchins, crabs
and more with the DOE and meet their
marine team.
Ulster Wildlife Living Seas
Sun 14th June, 1pm to 5pm.
Exploris Park. Free.
Come and meet the Living Seas team.
Royal Society for the
Protection of Birds (RSPB)
Sun 14th June, 1pm to 5pm.
Exploris Park. Free.
Meet the RSPB team and learn about
their work in and around the Lough.
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ON THE WATER, PORTAFERRY
ABOUT TOWN PORTAFERRY
Boat Tours on the St Brendan
“ASH ARTEFACTS”
Maritime Quiz Night
Weekdays and Sat 10am to 5pm.
Sun, 1pm to 5pm.
The Loft, Visitor Information Centre.
Free.
Thurs 11th June, 9pm.
Fiddlers Green.
Enjoy a guided boat trip on the beautiful, traditional wooden
St Brendan built by your captain, John Murray, and his sons.
Get up close to whirlpools and the world’s first commercially
operating marine current turbine. Meet seals, terns, cormorants,
guillemots and maybe even a porpoise along the way.
Enjoy scenic tower houses, great estate houses and parkland and
take in the sea air...
Departure from beside Portaferry Ferry Quay.
Boarding involves approx. 15 steps, please wear suitable
clothing and footwear. Each trip lasts approx. 1.5 hours.
Sat 13th June, Noon (National Trust)
Sat 13th June, 2pm (EnAlgae)
Sat 13th June, 4pm (National Trust)
Sun 14th June, 1pm (National Trust)
Sun 14th June, 3pm (EnAlgae)
Sun 14th June, 5pm (EnAlgae)
Tickets: Adult £8
Child £4
Family ticket (2 adults & 2 children) £20
Advance booking strongly recommended, contact Portaferry
Visitor Centre 028 4272 9882, or Strangford Lough & Lecale
Partnership 028 4272 9005 during office hours.
Fireland is a group of local artists, drawn
together in their fascination for the
ancient process of baking clay in a pit in
the ground. It dates back nearly 30,000
years and creates special natural colours
and patterns.
The Great War Exhibition
Put your skills to the test at this fun
maritime themed pub quiz.
Songs and Tales of the Sea
Fri 12th June, 7:30pm.
The Quarter Deck, Fiddlers Green.
£10 pp. Tickets available from Kevin Og
Newsagent Strangford, SLLP office or
Fiddlers Green, Portaferry.
Weekdays & Sat, 10am to 5pm.
Sun 1pm to 5pm.
Visitor Information Centre. Free.
HM Coastguard
Information Trailer
Exhibition of The Great War portrayed
through the words of the County Down
Spectator & Newtownards Chronicle.
Sat 13th June, noon to 6pm.
Sun 14th June, 1pm to 5pm.
Shorefront. Free.
Come and meet the local Coastguards at
their information point.
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ABOUT TOWN PORTAFERRY
Craft Fair
Sat 13th June, noon to 6pm.
Sun 14th June, 1pm to 5pm.
Castle Yard.
Local craft from County Down and
beyond.
ABOUT TOWN PORTAFERRY
Strangford Lough and Lecale
Exhibitions & Films
Portaferry RNLI Station
Sat 13th June, noon to 6pm.
Sun 14th June, 1pm to 5pm.
Upper Room, The Castle Yard. Free.
Visit the RNLI gift shop as they celebrate
their 35th year and meet some of the
volunteer crew and see the impressive
electronics and equipment on the station’s
Atlantic 85 Lifeboat.
Stunning photography and lots of
information in this display on the area’s
heritage.
Sun 14th June, 1pm to 4pm. Free.
Wood Carving
with Owen Crawford
Sun 14th June, 1pm to 5pm.
Exploris Park. Free.
Wood carving demonstrations.
Voices of Lecale Sun 14th June, 1:45pm to 2:30pm. Free.
Hard Hat Open Day at
PORTICO
Sat 13th June, 2 to 4pm.
Steel Dickson Avenue. Free.
Get a preview of PORTICO, the new
Arts and Heritage Centre opening in
the autumn. This ‘Grade A’ listed Greek
Revival Temple is currently undergoing a
£1.5m restoration, courtesy of the Heritage
Lottery Fund and others. Don a hard hat,
see the restoration at work and hear the
future plans.
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Catch the 2:45pm Ferry and
enjoy the Voices of Lecale as they sing
sea-shanties across the Narrows and
continue to The Cuan, Strangford.
Come and listen to the community
folk choir based in the historic town of
Downpatrick, singing folk music with
sea-shanties and songs from Co. Down.
Live Music, Street Entertainers
& Face Painters
Sat 13th June, noon to 6pm.
Sun 14th June, 1pm to 5pm.
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PORTAFERRY WALKS
Wild Food Forage
Sun 14th June, 1pm.
Meet at Visitor Information Centre. Free.
With an expert guide.
Booking recommended contact Heiko
Vermeulen 07549 994398 or 02842729176.
Stories Behind
Portaferry Buildings
Sun 14th June, 2pm and 4pm.
Meet at Visitor Information Centre.
Free.
Wear appropriate footwear and clothing.
Wellies recommended on the shore.
Nugent’s Wood, with the
National Trust Sat 13th June, 1.30pm to 3pm.
Meet at Visitor Information Centre. Free.
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Guided walk with Alison Murphy,
Portaferry Townscape Heritage Initiative
Education Officer & Historian.
Savour the breath-taking view from the
Windmill Hill and have a look at the
restored traditional gateway with its
crafted stone pillars and gate.
EXPLORE THE COAST FROM STRANGFORD
Shoreline Ramble with
Ulster Wildlife Living Seas
Shoreline Ramble with
Ulster Wildlife Living Seas
Killard Family Biodiversity
and Coastal Day
Sun 14th June, 4pm. Free.
Sat 13th June, 3pm. Free.
Find some of the critters living on our
local seashore. Register beforehand at the
Ulster Wildlife stand in Exploris park and
meet at Visitor Information Centre.
Find some of the critters living on our
local seashore. Register beforehand at the
Ulster Wildlife stand on the Green.
Sun 14th June, 11am to 2pm.
Killard National Nature Reserve. Free.
Self Guided Heritage Trails
Pick up a heritage trail map on the day
download an interactive map at:
www.strangfordlough.org/projects/
portaferry-heritage-trail
or download our many guides on
www.strangfordlough.org/publications
Wear appropriate footwear and clothing.
Wellies recommended on the shore.
Seal Watch
Supported by the Department
of the Environment.
Sat 13th June, 2 to 6pm.
Sun 14th June, 2 to 6pm. Free.
Cloghy Rocks Nature Reserve, Shore Road
Strangford, Free.
Get great views of the seals hauled out
on the rocks and meet the people who
monitor and record them. Telescopes and
binoculars provided. Just turn up at the
car park.
Farmland Walk Sun 14th June at 9am, 11am and 1pm.
Free.
A very special chance to visit David
Sanford’s farm, with the RSPB and SLLP.
Learn how farming can help both people
and the environment and see that wildlife
and some of our most beautiful landscape.
Meet at Portloughan House
42 Audleystown Road Strangford
Downpatrick BT307LP
Booking essential: Contact Susan Kula,
RSPB on 028 9049 1547.
A glorious stretch of coast to track down
wildlife with your expert guide. Enjoy a
carpet of coastal grassland wildflowers,
including orchids, aflutter and abuzz with
butterflies, birds and bees. Bring a picnic
Supported by the Department of the
Environment.
Self Guided Heritage Trails
Pick up a heritage trail map on the day
download an interactive map at:
www.strangfordlough.org/trangordheritage-trail or download our many
guides at www.strangfordlough.org /
publications
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ON THE GREEN, STRANGFORD
Music Session in the Yurt
Archaelogy Dig-In
Thurs 11th June, 9pm till late. Free.
Sat 13th June, noon to 6pm. Free.
Wood Carving with Owen
Crawford
What a venue for a traditional music
session! Great atmosphere and craic.
Get digging and see what you might find
Sat 13th June, noon to 6pm. Free.
with the Archaelogy NI Roadshow.
Wood carving demonstrations.
Catch them on the 2:45pm Ferry as they
sing sea-shanties across the Narrows.
RSPB Community Team
Art Cart
Sat 13th June, noon to 6pm. Free.
Sun 14th June, 1pm to 5pm. Free.
Meet the RSPB Community Team
and learn about their work in around
the Lough.
Make recycled crafts or badges and find
out how to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
with Newry Mourne & Down District
Council.
Come and listen to the community
folk choir based in the historic town of
Downpatrick, singing folk music with
sea-shanties and songs from Co. Down.
Climbing Wall
Sat 13th June, noon to 6pm.
Small charge applies.
Test your climbing skills on this brilliant
climbing wall.
Ulster Wildlife Living Sea
Sat 13th June, noon to 6pm. Free.
Come and meet the team with their
Seaweed Hand Spa, Marine Life Tank,
life size models of seals, porpoise, dolphin
and juvenile basking shark, and kiddies
marine life arts and crafts.
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ON THE GREEN, STRANGFORD
Coastal Rowing Boat Display
and Have-a-Go Sessions
Voices of Lecale Sea Shanties
Sun 14th June, 3pm to 3:45pm.
The Cuan. Free.
Strangford Maritime
History Display
Wed 10th to Sun 14th June, 1pm to 5pm.
Edelweiss Dental Surgery. Free.
Sun 14th June, 1pm to 5pm.
Small charge for rowing sessions.
Colourful display of beautifully crafted,
wooden St Ayles’ skiffs, built by
communities along the Down coast. Meet
the boat builders and have a go at rowing
in the Lough with the community teams.
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ABOUT TOWN - STRANGFORD
Down Heritage Network
Conference
The Duchess of Richmond’s
Waterloo Ball
Live Music, Street Entertainers
& Face Painters Fri 12th June, 10am to 3pm.
The Cuan. Free.
Sat 13th June, 7pm to 1am.
Old Court.
Sat 13th June, noon to 6pm.
Sun 14th June, 1pm to 5pm.
Down County Museum and Newry
and Mourne Museum have established
a network of community, heritage
and cultural groups and organisations
across the County. It’s a chance to share
expertise and experiences and improve
heritage resources and skills in local
areas.
Tickets £85
(Alzheimer’s Society &
Marie Curie Cancer Care)
Strangford Ferry
Come along to the conference and why
not stay over for the rest of the Festival!
Find out more about the area and
discover how local groups are preserving,
interpreting and bringing to life maritime
heritage for all.
Waterloo Ball to savour and a night to
remember. Period costume required.
t: 075 4207 0182 or 028 4488 1318
or www.oldcourtwaterlooball.com
A trip on the Strangford Ferry is one of
the easiest ways to have a good look at
this amazing stretch of water in just 8
minutes. This is the oldest recorded ferry
service in Ireland and it has crossed the
Narrows in continuous service for 400
years!
It departs Strangford on the hour and half
hour and from Portaferry at a quarter past
the hour and a quarter to.
COMING UP
NI Old Gaffers Association
at Portaferry:
Black Neb Rowing Club
Coastal Rowing Races:
Donaghadee Lifeboat Day
Coastal Rowing Regatta:
26th June to 28th June 2015.
5th July 2015.
portaferry@oldgaffers.com or
07808902606
Skiff racing in Kircubbin.
Saturday August 1st.
Donaghadee Rowing Club.
Game of Thrones Banquet:
27th June, 25th July & 29th August 2015.
Portaferry Gala:
19th to 25th July 2015.
Contact The Cuan on 028 4488 1222 or
info@thecuan.com
www.donaghadeelifeboat.co.uk
‘Come Row With Us’:
8th August 2015, 6 to 8pm.
Donaghadee Rowing Club.
Strangford Village Festival:
28th to 31st August 2015.
Booking essential tel. 028 4461 5218.
Acknowledgements
This Festival is remarkable for the many historians, archaeologists, scientists and other specialists who are delighted to share the wonders of this area.
We thank them all.
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Many thanks also to our team of volunteers without whom this Festival could not happen.
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PORTAFERRY EVENTS GUIDE
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Wed 10th
Thurs 11th
Fri 12th
Sat 13th
Event
Location
Time
Ash Artifacts & The Great War
Visitor Information Centre
10am-5pm
Ash Artifacts & The Great War
Visitor Information Centre
10am-5pm
Maritime Quiz Night
Fiddlers Green
9pm
Ash Artifacts & The Great War
Visitor Information Centre
10am-5pm
Songs and Tales of the Sea
The Quarter Deck Fiddlers Green
7.30pm
Butterflies of the Sea
The Narrows Social
6.30pm
Family Fun
Queens University Marine Lab
10am-4pm
EnAlgae Seaweed Garden
Queens University Marine Lab
10am-4pm
Medieval Family Fun
Exploris Park
12pm-6pm
Northern Ireland School of Falconry
Exploris Park
12pm-6pm
HM Coastguard Information Trailer
Shorefront
12pm-6pm
Spy Ball Underwater Camera
Shorefront
12pm-6pm
Strangford Lough & Lecale Exhibitions & Films
Castle Yard (Upper Room)
12pm-6pm
Medieval Castle Action
Tower House
12pm-6pm
Craft Fair
Castle Yard
12pm-6pm
National Trust / SLLP Book Shop
SLLP Offices
12pm-5pm
Ash Artifacts & The Great War
Visitor Information Centre
10am-5pm
Nugents Wood Walk National Trust
Visitor Information Centre (Meeting Point)
1.30pm
Boat Tours on the St Brendan
Ferry Quay
12pm, 2pm, 4pm
The Narrows Challenges
Shorefront
11am
Medieval Grave Yard
Templecranny Grave Yard, Church Street
2pm-5pm
Hard Hat Open Day at Portico
Portico
2pm-4pm
Slow Food Northern Ireland
The Narrows Social
7.30pm
Exploris Park Entrance
Templecranny Grave Yard
49
Cl
ou
gh
ey
Ro
ad
Visitor Information Centre
Queens Marine Lab
Tower House
SLLP Office
Castle Yard
Ferry Quay
Portico
The Narrows Social
Shorefront
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PORTAFERRY EVENTS GUIDE
19
Event
Sun 14th
Location
Time
Medieval Family Fun
Exploris Park
1pm-5pm
Archaeology Dig-In
Exploris Park
1pm-5pm
Northern Ireland School of Falconry
Exploris Park
1pm-5pm
WoodCarving Exploris Park
1pm-5pm
RSPB Community Team
Exploris Park
1pm-5pm
Ulster Wildlife
Exploris Park
1pm-5pm
Medieval Castle Action
Tower House
1pm-5pm
Wild Food Forage
Visitor Information Centre (Meeting Point)
1pm
Visitor Information Centre
Ash Artifacts & The Great War
Visitor Information Centre
1pm-5pm
Queens Marine Lab
Lifboat Station
Shorefront
1pm-4pm
Tower House
HM Coastguard Information Trailer
Shorefront
1pm-5pm
Spy Ball Underwater Camera
Shorefront
1pm-5pm
Strangford Lough & Lecale Exhibitions & Films
Castle Yard (Upper Room)
1pm-5pm
Craft Fair
Castle Yard
1pm-5pm
Voices of Lecale
Castle Yard or Narrows Social TBC
1.45-2.30pm
National Trust / SLLP Book Shop
SLLP Offices
1pm-5pm
Stories Behind Portaferry Buildings
Visitor Information Centre (Meeting Point)
2pm & 4pm
Boat Tours on the St Brendan
Ferry Quay
1pm, 3pm, 5pm
Medieval Grave Yard
Templecranny Grave Yard, Church Street
2pm-5pm
Ulster Wildlife Shoreline Ramble
Visitor Information Centre (Meeting Point)
4pm
There are live music sessions in the evenings and street entertainment throughout
Saturday and Sunday.
Exploris Park Entrance
Templecranny Grave Yard
49
Cl
ou
gh
ey
Ro
ad
SLLP Office
Castle Yard
Ferry Quay
Portico
The Narrows Social
Shorefront
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1pm-5pm
Strangford Maritime History Display
Edelweiss Dental Surgery
1pm-5pm
Music session in the Yurt
Lower Green
9pm till late
Down Heritage Network Conference
The Cuan
10am-3pm
Strangford Maritime History Display
Edelweiss Dental Surgery
1pm-5pm
The Yurt
Lower Green
12pm-6pm
Climbing Wall
Lower Green
12pm-6pm
Archaelology Dig-In
Lower Green
12pm-6pm
Tower House
RSPB Community Team
Lower Green
12pm-6pm
Ulster Wildlife
Lower Green
12pm-6pm
Wood Carving
Lower Green
12pm-6pm
Medieval Castle Action
Tower House
12pm-6pm
The Cuan
Strangford Maritime History Display
Edelweiss Dental Surgery
1pm-5pm
Edelweiss Dental Surgery
Seal Watch
Cloghy Rocks Nature Reserve
2pm-6pm
Ulster Wildlife Shoreline Ramble
Ulster Wildlife Stand
3pm
Coastal Rowing Boat Display & Have a go
Lower Green
1pm-5pm
Medieval Castle Action
Tower House
1pm-5pm
Strangford Maritime History Display
Edelweiss Dental Surgery
1pm-5pm
Seal Watch
Cloghy Rocks Nature Reserve
2pm-6pm
Killard Family Coastal & Biodiversity Day
Killard National Nature Reserve
11pm -2pm
Voices of Lecale
Strangford Village
3pm-3.45pm
ad
Ro
n
1pm-5pm
ow
Lower Green
yst
Art Cart
dle
9am, 11am & 1pm
1pm-5pm
Au
Portloughan House Audleystown Road
Lower Green
Ferry Terminal
D&
Guided Farmland Walk
The Yurt
Lower Green
AR
Sun 14th
Edelweiss Dental Surgery
EW
Sat 13th
Strangford Maritime History Display
STL
Fri 12th
Time
CA
STRANGFORD EVENTS GUIDE
Thurs 11th
Location
s&L
CK NA
RO IO E
y AT RV
gh N SE
ou RD RE
CL ILLA URE
K AT
N
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Wed 1oth
Event
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