An evening of storytelling, verse and mumming at the Balor Arts Centre, bringing together two of the north’s most distinctive traditions.

The Armagh Rhymers 

The Armagh Rhymers are a world-renowned Irish folk theatre group, dedicated to preserving and performing the rich traditions of Irish mumming, storytelling, and traditional Irish music. Based in historic County Armagh, we bring Ireland’s cultural heritage to life through dynamic performances that blend myth, music, masks, and drama. Our iconic straw costumes and handcrafted masks are rooted in centuries-old customs, making every show a powerful celebration of Irish folklore and community spirit.

Known as ‘Theatre of the People’ the ancient mumming and rhyming traditions have inspired poets including Seamus Heaney, John Kavanagh, Brendan Kennelly, John Montague and John Hewitt.

Sheddas on Tha Page

Created by The Ulster-Scots Community Network in 2023 and funded by The Ulster-Scots Agency and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Sheddas on Tha Page set out to encourage contemporary writing in Ulster-Scots. The Sheddas are drawn from Ulster, Scotland and the USA. A deep creative connection keeps these writers supportively close, building strong friendships and producing a broad range of exciting new work.

With three anthologies of new writing behind them, a series of public readings, increasing competition placements and a growing number of drama, media and film projects, Sheddas writers celebrate the strength, power and expressive beauty of this remarkable leid, and have great crack together in the process. Join us for this showcase as Sheddas perform excerpts from their anthologies and a selection of new work.

The Sheddas writers are well known for their innovative, thought-provoking and comic observations.

Sponsors

Sheddas on Tha Page is funded by The Ulster-Scots Agency and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

Festival sponsors: Donegal County Council and the Finn Valley Voice.

About the Frances Browne Literary Festival

The Frances Browne Literary Festival celebrates the life and legacy of Frances Browne (1816 to 1879), the "Blind Poetess of Ulster". Rooted in her hometown of Ballybofey-Stranorlar, Co. Donegal, the festival brings together poets, writers, musicians and communities from Ireland and beyond to share in her spirit of creativity, inclusion and multilingual expression.

Frances Browne is the most important writer to emerge from Donegal’s Finn Valley. Her masterpiece, the children’s storybook Granny’s Wonderful Chair, was a bestseller all over the world, but she also deserves to be remembered for her unswerving opposition to slavery and all sorts of injustice. The festival works to bring Frances’s writing and astonishing life story to new generations, and to celebrate contemporary writers who continue in her tradition.

Full programme and festival information: www.francesbrowneliteraryfestival.com