New series of online films exploring the Ulster-Scots links of Ulster’s tourist attractions
Date Posted: January 9, 2023
DISCOVER ULSTER-SCOTS PLACES NORTHERN IRELAND
Discover Ulster-Scots Places Northern Ireland – a unique, series of online films exploring the Ulster-Scots links of Ulster’s extraordinary tourist attractions.
Discover Ulster-Scots Places Northern Ireland is a series of 7 x 10-minute films which is launching on the Discover Ulster-Scots website on Monday 9 January showcasing some of Northern Ireland’s finest tourist attractions and highlighting their Ulster-Scots connections.
Produced by Clean Slate with funding from Northern Ireland Screen’s Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund the series can be streamed on the Discover Ulster-Scots website and NVTV On Demand.
For centuries, the comings and goings of folk between Ulster and Scotland have left their mark on the landscape and people of this island. With this in mind, Discover Ulster-Scots Places puts the spotlight on Northern Ireland’s must-see attractions with special emphasis on their links to Ulster-Scots language, heritage and culture.
The seven locations featured in the series are:
Belfast’s Queen’s Island and Titanic Quarter; Slemish Mountain and Glenarm; Derry’s Walls; Fermanagh & Lough Erne; The Gobbins & Glenariff Forest; The Ulster American Folk Park and the Ards Peninsula.
Belfast’s Queen’s Island & Titanic Quarter, The Ulster American Folk Park, the Ards Peninsula and Slemish Mountain & Glenarm are presented by Lolly Spence who says:
“The impact of Scottish migration to Ulster, over many centuries, can be traced in our architecture, heritage, folklore, language and industry. It was a joy to work on this series which showcases our breathtaking geography and celebrates our cultural achievements. For anyone wanting to visit Northern Ireland today, I hope these mini-tours will give you a sense of our Ulster-Scots history and some ideas to help you connect with your own heritage. 2
Derry’s Walls, Fermanagh & Lough Erne, and The Gobbins & Glenariff Forest are presented by Jane Rea who says:
“It’s always a joy to get out and explore what this fabulous little country has to offer. From my home on the east coast of Co Antrim where I see Scotland every day, to the far-flung corners of Fermanagh, it’s been great to revisit connections both geographically and historically between the two shores.
The Fermanagh boat tour was a definite highlight of my adventures, getting out on Lough Erne and that different perspective from the water brought a little bit of history alive as we cruised past castles and islands – even while surrounded by paddle boarders you could imagine a little of what it might have been like back when the Scots were first settling in Ulster.
There’s so much to discover about the people, places and built heritage right here on our doorstep, and all wrapped up in the most glorious of landscapes, with the world’s best tea and buns to keep you fuelled up on your adventures. “
Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund Executive Heidi McAlpin added: “This new digital series beautifully encaptures the historical connections between Scotland and Northern Ireland that resonate to this day. And it has been great to see former Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund Trainee Jane Rea make her on-screen debut alongside regular Ulster-Scots presenter and expert Lolly Spence. The series is a ‘must-watch’ for anyone interested in exploring Northern Ireland’s distinctly Ulster-Scots destinations. “
