Keeping you up to date with Liverpool Irish arts and culture.

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liverpoolirishfestival.com

Dear <<First Name>>,

We hope you're well and managing with the strange weather we seem to be experiencing. Whether you are in full sun or flash hailstorms, we hope you're finding some kind of sweet spot to relax in whilst you take in the following news.

Liverpool Year of Writing: competition

Partnered with the Liverpool Year of Writing (more here), we have set up a small competition for writers to feature in this year's Festival newspaper. We're looking for unique and incredible stories about and by Irish people and Ireland’s influence and impact on Liverpool. We want stories that connect with this year’s Festival theme, ‘exchange‘. There is a 250 word limit, but you can submit memoir, Flash Fiction, poetry, haiku, etc. All formats accepted. Winning entries will

be published in the Festival newspaper (distributed to 20,000 people!) and dispatched in October
published online, and
top entries will win a book voucher from Bold Street Liverpool’s News from Nowhere.

The deadline for entries is Sun 1 Aug 2021 at midnight. Please, click here to submit your work. For further information on ‘exchange’, use this link.

Notes for particpants

This comeptition is open to any writer of any age and from anywhere, so long as the work fits the brief. There is no cash prize. Representatives from Liverpool Year of Writing, Writing on the Wall and Liverpool Irish Festival will form the selection panel.

Image below: Community members join together to exchange stories at Tate Liverpool.

News from Festival friends

Irish in Britain EGM

11am, Wed 11 Aug 2021, online.
Irish In Britain are to host a single agenda EGM 'to consider and, if thought fit, to pass the following resolution, which will be proposed as a Special Resolution': The new Irish in Britain Articles of Association will replace (in their entirety) the existing Irish in Britain Articles of Association. A copy of the proposed new Articles of Association can be read HERE.

The Notice and a message from the Chair, Patrick Morrison can be read HERE.

Please do not hesitate to contact Ann Gould ( agould@irishinbritain.org) if you have any questions or would like any more information on the EGM.

ArtsGroupie and The Bookworm Players present

The Liver Bird

Tickets are £3.50, pay on the day. 12pm and 3pm Fri 6 Aug at Incredible Edible Knowsley, Court Hey Park; 1pm Sat 7 Aug at Norris Green Park and 3pm Mon 9 Aug Walton Hall Park.

A magical outdoor family theatrical experience combining classic storytelling and puppetry. Charlie J, a boy from Liverpool, is bright for his age. “Too clever for his own good,” his Dad would say. He is the type of child who would rather escape to his imagination, or read a book, than play or watch sports. Grandma Bailey encourages his cleverness, teaching him all about the history of his city. He is particularly fascinated by the local folklore about the Liver Birds. When things get difficult at school, and just when he needs it most, Charlie J is visited by a very special creature. What if the Liver Bird really did exist? The Liver Bird is a contemporary fairy tale by John Maguire that has been adapted for the stage by Jessica May Buxton and The Bookworm Players. Directed by Margaret Connell, starring Samantha Alton and Ellis Murphy.

We'll be working with Arts Groupie in Oct, partnering on a Liverpool Liver Bird walking tour. These tours are already running and highly recommended. If the tours are a testament of their talent, then we offer a ringing endorsement for their play of the book The Liver Bird.

Net Carbon Zero and young people

Deadline: Wed 15 Sept 2021
As you may know, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, led by the Metro Mayor, Steve Rotheram, declared a climate emergency in 2019 and set an ambitious target for the city region to be Net Zero Carbon by 2040. Liverpool City Council want to engage young people across the region in their Net Zero Carbon 2040 survey, encouraging them to take part.

Achieving this goal will require big changes to various aspects of life; from how we get around, to how we heat our homes. Lots of changes will happen between now and 2040; the Council are really keen to hear from young people about how they feel about these changes, as well as their thoughts on climate change in general. The insights and opinions that young people provide will be crucial in helping us to develop our Net Zero Carbon 2040 Action Plan, which is due to be published later this year.

Can you help to spread the survey to young people in your family and work circles? If so, please use the button below.

Complete the survey

Liverpool's response to UNESCO's removal of World Heritage status. More info here.

Shaping futures

We are recruiting! Join us!

Linked with our recent National Lottery Heritage Fund news, contributing to the revitalisation of the Liverpool Irish Famine Trail, we are recruiting for

a History Research Group lead (paid)
History Research Group volunteers
and, unconnected to the above bid, Festival volunteers.

You can find our more about the paid role of History Research Group lead (here) and more on volunteering, here.

Irish Film London: call for films

Deadline: Mon 23 Aug 2021, for Irish Film Festival London (Nov 2021).
Festival partners Irish Film London have a call out for film submissions running now, with the intention of making awards for

Best Feature
Best Documentary
Best Short
Súil Eile Award
Best Music Video Award.

What they have to say: "Irish Film London is delighted to be partnering with Liverpool Irish Festival this October. We are currently curating a selection of short films for, by or about the LGBTQIA+ community. We are calling in particular for films from Irish trans 🏳️‍⚧️ filmmakers that reflect trans experiences. For further details contact the IFL Shorts Programmer by email: madeleine@irishfilmlondon.com".

As Madeline suggests, we will run a shared film programme with Irish Film London in October and, together with them, we are interested in seeing films from, about and by trans people, who we recognise as wholly under-represented in the field. We'd like to encourage makers to make their submissions to help address this (lack of) representation, in the hope of shifting the balance and sharing stories.

These last 18months have been extremely hard, especially for those a long way from home or far from the people they love. We hope you have had the support you have needed, in the hardest of times. We're looking forward to seeing you all -we hope, in real life- in October.

Even alone you need not be lonely. For support, remember Irish in Britain have many online resources and host networks you may find useful (use this link). In Liverpool, Irish Community Care and CARA continue to develop their services. Slainte Le Cheile run warm, friendly sessions (in person and online) mostly at the Liverpool Irish Centre, which also has numerous activities you can get involved in. If you need an activity and want to pick up on your family history, we highly recommend Ireland XO. Why not have a look - you never know what you might learn about your family there.

Bring on the happy times!

Stay safe, take care, Team Liverpool Irish Festival

liverpoolirishfestival.com