Tuesday, 2 December 2014

Ulster-Scots Hub opens in Belfast

A new hub for all things Ulster-Scots has opened in Belfast's Cathedral Quarter. Housed in the Corn Exchange Building, it is home to several key Ulster-Scots organisations including a Discover Ulster-Scots Visitor Centre, the Ulster-Scots Library and Archive, and a newly-designed exhibition of the historical links between Scotland and Ulster.

Speaking at the launch, Culture Minister Carál Ní Chuilín said: 'The Discover Ulster-Scots Centre provides an imaginative and informative presentation of the historic link between Scotland and Ulster. It is a ‘one-stop’ shop for all those interested in these important connections at home and abroad, be it culture, heritage, tourism, language or genealogy.

'The exhibition highlights the many ways in which Ulster-Scots culture, history, heritage and language has shaped Ireland and the province of Ulster in particular. Ulster is a multicultural province where Irish, English and Scottish strands have been intertwined throughout history... I hope [the hub] will open up Ulster-Scots to everyone – people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities, here and beyond these shores'

One of the main aims of the development is to promote greater collaboration within the Ulster-Scots sector by bringing several groups together physically in one building. Its new tenants include the Ulster-Scots Agency; the Ulster-Scots Academy Ministerial Advisory Group; the Ulster-Scots Community Network, as well as the Library and Archive mentioned above.

Here's a video, courtesy of the Belfast Telegraph, from the opening night: