Kids explore the Faerie Trail

Inspired by stories by local writer Jane Talbot, designed by children from local schools and made by local Men’s Sheds working with local Visual Artist Elaine Taylor, the Faerie Houses reflect the personalities of magical characters from local myths and legends, as well as birdlife in the park.

Each of the designs focusses on a different colourful faerie character, such as, the Grogoch, a friendly but smelly faerie who ‘helps’ around the house, the Far Darrig, who often dresses in red, or the Merrow, known as the sea faerie.

Last week, the Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Alderman Maura Hickey, joined some of the participants in the park to see them for the first time.

Big Telly’s Faerie Trail is an intergenerational project with pupils from Millburn Primary and Sandelford School, Coleraine; Portstewart and St Colum’s Primary School, Portstewart and Mill Strand Intergrated Primary School, Portrush, along with Men’s Sheds and Men’s groups from Antrim, Armagh, Coleraine, Dungiven, Limavady and Portstewart.

Led by local Environmental educator, Annie Mullan, the pupils also learned about the wildlife that visit the Park.

In addition, six new bird boxes, made by RSPB conservation volunteers, were also put up for the wildlife in the Park.

To follow the trail through the Park, which is now open to the public to explore, a map is available at reception in Flowerfield Arts Centre.

This intergenerational project has been funded by The Halifax Foundation for N. Ireland, The Ernest Cook Foundation and The Big Lottery, in association with The Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, with hospitality at the launch day supported by Tesco Portstewart’s Community Champion, Emma McKean.

Big Telly Theatre Company is based in Flowerfield Arts Centre, Portstewart.