A CI TY
Grand City of Londonderry Grand Orange Lodge’s UK City of Culture 2013 cultural programme
April – July 2013
welcome message
programme of events
Londonderry – a grand city and a city fit to be the first host of the United Kingdom City of Culture award. During this year the City of Londonderry Grand Orange Lodge will fulfil its responsibility in placing itself at the centre of civic life and contributing to the wide and extensive cultural conversation for which A City Grand has been produced.
The Billie Girl by Jonathan Burgess Theatre-in-Education Tour
It is anticipated that through the wide spectrum of cultural and artistic events planned for 2013 that the Orange Order in the city will engage with all sections of the community. The Billie Girl is a specially commissioned theatre-in-education production which seeks to entertain and educate audiences on the history and culture of the Orange Order since its inception. For those more historically minded, a lecture series across different venues in the city will look at various aspects of the Orange culture and tradition, examining historical moments and contemporary issues. A fun day for all the community in the Orange Field in Wilton Park is followed the week after by an evening event where members of the public who are interested in theatre will have the opportunity to see The Billie Girl followed by a performance from the contemporary stylings of traditional musicians Sontas. For those with an interest in visual arts, an exhibition and demonstration of the traditional orange crafts of regalia-making and banner-painting is planned. With special guests and a few familiar and not so familiar faces from the past, A City Grand will touch and entertain across the communities, across the artistic spectrum and across the geography of the entire city. I’m sure you will find plenty to enjoy in our programme! James Hetherington Grand Master, City of Londonderry Grand Orange Lodge
29 April – 24 May The Billie Girl tells the story of a young girl, Billie, who one day asks her Granda: “What’s the Orange Order and why are you in it?” As the story unfolds, we take a trip through time to meet some of the most influential individuals in Orange culture and visit some of the most significant moments in the culture’s history.
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Lecture Series Monday 3 June, 7.30pm Thiepval Museum, George Street Tuesday 4 June, 7.30pm The Chapter House, St. Columb’s Cathedral Wednesday 5 June, 7.30pm The Verbal Arts Centre, Bishop Street Thursday 6 June, 7.30pm The Gasyard Centre —
Exhibition of Orange Traditional Arts 4 – 7 June, 10am – 4.30pm The Playhouse, Artillery Street William Magowan, one of Northern Ireland’s foremost banner painters, has hand painted hundreds of banners and travelled the world demonstrating his skill. He has won many awards and his work is highly acclaimed. Wilson Sherrard is a maker of Loyal Order regalias and has many years experience in this artform. William and Wilson have been commissioned by the City of Londonderry Grand Orange Lodge, in conjunction with the UK City of Culture, to create a new banner and regalia celebrating the Orange Order in Londonderry. Visit them at The Playhouse where they will be applying the finishing touches to
their artworks as part of the exhibition. Both the banner and the regalia will be dedicated at the annual City of Londonderry Grand Orange Lodge Annual Parade and Church Service to St. Columb’s Cathedral on 7th July.
City of Londonderry Festival Day Saturday 8 June, 12 – 6pm Willton Park A cultural day for the City of Londonderry at the traditional Orange Field in the Waterside. Chat with living history characters as they perform en promenade, enjoy local bands as they take their turn on the specially erected bandstand or simply relax and let the kids loose on the fairground attractions on offer. A parade around the Waterside will depart the field at 2pm.
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Sontas & The Billie Girl Thursday 13 June, 7.30pm The Waterside Theatre An opportunity for The Billie Girl to be seen by a public audience followed by Northern Ireland’s hottest new traditonal music sensation – Sontas. All tickets £5.
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12th July The City of Londonderry plays host to the annual Battle of the Boyne commemoration demonstration. Awarded ‘Flagship Status’ by The Grand Lodge of Ireland, the day will be one to remember as bands and lodges from across the city and from Limavady, Coleraine and Macosquin Districts travel to Londonderry. To mark this occassion and the UK City of Culture year, this year the parade will be led by the Grand Masters of Ireland, England and Scotland.
Church services Sunday 19 May 2013 Culmore Trues Blues LOL1866 Church Service
Monday 1 July 2013 Thiepval Memorial Convoy LOL1005 Church Service (Battle of the Somme)
Sunday 2 June 2013 Bro Scott Goligher Memorial LOL461 Joint Church Service (LOL461, 764, 1060 and 2048)
Monday 1 July 2013 City of Londonderry No 5 District Lodge (Battle of the Somme)
Sunday 9 June 2013 Newbuildings Victoria LOL1087 Church Service
Sunday 7 July 2013 City of Londonderry Grand Orange Lodge Church Service
Sunday 30 June 2013 St Johnston True Blues LOL992 Church Service
Sunday 7 July 2013 Raphoe Crimson Defenders LOL1921
Sunday 30 June 2013 Cumber Claudy No 2 District Church Service Sunday 30 June 2013 Manorcunningham LOL1117 Church Service
www.citygrandlodge.com/culture2013
Sunday 3 November 2013 City of Londonderry Grand Orange Lodge Church Service Wednesday 11 December 2013 Annual Carol Service