Ulster Scots Leid Week community event at Carrickfergus venue

The Ulster-Scots Agency has invited the council to engage with it and participate in the week which runs November 21 - 26.

Ulster-Scotch Leid Week is held annually to raise awareness of the Ulster-Scots language.

The local government authority will host a community event at the Andrew Jackson Cottage outside Carrickfergus on November 24. A griddle baking demonstration, a Lambeg drumming “experience” and an exploration of the Ulster-Scots language session have been planned.

A report presented to councillors at a recent meeting says: “As part of the Good Relations Programme, there is provision for projects that explore places and culture within the borough.”

The Good Relations Programme is 75% funded through the Executive Office with the remaining 25 per cent from the council. The report notes: “An event such as this aligns with the Executive Office’s ‘Together: Building a United Community Strategy’ theme of our cultural expression”.

However, Sinn Fein Cllr James McKeown raised a query in relation to the funding process. He said: “Each year, this comes before us. It is usually sent back to tell them to apply for funding through our funding scheme, the same as the Irish Language Week. It is done the same. I think it is the way we should continue.”

Cllr McKeown was informed by director of communities Katrina Morgan that this report “comes the same as Irish Language Week and is also treated exactly the same”.

“Council will host an event as part of Good Relations Strategy and our work to do that and any other groups who want to hold anything in the borough can go through the grant funding scheme just the same as in any other years and is treated in exactly the same way as Irish Language Week,” the director said.

UU Cllr Robin Stewart said he was happy to propose the officer’s recommendation for council approval to host a community event as part of Ulster-Scotch Leid Week 2022 seconded by Cllr Keith Turner.