Friends of Ardee Bog to celebrate our precious peatlands at Bog Cafe festival
Bog Cafe festival in the Old Church on John Street in Ardee from 23-25 September
Friends of Ardee Bog (FAB) is a community-led group based in Ardee, made up of local artists, filmmakers, designers, health care workers, gardeners and retired people.
The group's mission is to preserve, promote and share the beauty and peculiarity of Ardee Bog with the community in Ardee, County Louth and beyond. FAB say they are delighted to announce that they will host the Bog Cafe festival in the Old Church on John Street in Ardee from 23-25 September.
Above: Friends of Ardee Bog with Catherine O'Connell, ecologist, visiting Ardee Bog in June pic: Adrian crawley
Events will reimagine storytelling, nature, community and examine the opportunities to maintain biodiversity throughout Ireland, including recognising the Rights of Nature and the National Biodiversity Action Plan. FAB will also share what has been learned from their recent ecological survey of Corstown Bog.
The Bog Cafe will open on Friday 23 September with creative workshops with local primary school students, a conversation with Pádraic Fogarty from the Irish Wildlife Trust, followed by an evening of extraordinary events celebrating Culture Night, including a Bog Bingo extravaganza and Turfman from Ardee Battle of the Bands challenge.
FAB are thrilled to announce that the Bog Cafe will host two very exciting performances on Saturday September 24th. At 6PM, Folk legends The Armagh Rhymers will perform a special family show in the Old Church. At 9.30PM, Jinx Lennon, Sophie Coyle and Paul Callan are performing in what should be a magical evening.
Above: The Street Feast Barbeque with Friends of Ardee Bog at Stormanstown Bog in June pic: Adrian Crawley
The Bog Cafe is supported by An Táisce’s Climate Ambassadors, Community Wetlands Forum, Coole Farm, Drummin Bog, Irish Peatland Conservation Council, Tullyallen Men’s Shed and funded by Agility Award from the Arts Council of Ireland.
Memories of Ardee Bog
FAB invites members of the public to share stories and memories (past or present), photographs or items they have related to Ardee Bog for inclusion in a community led Ardee Bog Archive. Memories and stories do not have to be long or noteworthy—it can be as simple as “I remember my father cutting turf there” or “I used to see tadpoles in the streams.”
Stories or memories can be emailed to [email protected] or texted to 087-255- 3258. They ask that you include your name and contact details. They also welcome submissions from people on behalf of older relatives.
Battle of the Bands
FAB would like to invite entrants to take part in a unique Turfman from Ardee themed music competition as part of the Culture Night celebration on Friday 23, where they will invite challengers to perform their very own rendition of The Turfman from Ardee. They will have a very special prize in store for the winner who will be selected by the audience on the night.
Email [email protected] with TURFMAN CHALLENGE in the header to sign up!
Find out more about FAB and the festival at facebook.com/ardeebog or www.ardeebog.org/