Diverse voices join together at Hill of O'Neill

Northern Lights was organised by Radius Housing and Apex Housing, and was opened by none other than Ian McElhinney, star of Derry Girls and Game of Thrones.

Ian introduced the audience to the raft of talented artists, which included Irish dancers, a Highland Piper, traditional Irish singers and musicians and a showband. Also among the performers were Lambeg Boogie, who fuse Irish, Ulster Scots and bluegrass music, with a Lambeg drum and an electric guitar.

School children from St Patrick’s College and Drumglass High School came together as a joint choir, with pupils representing 14 nationalities, which is a mark of the diversity of the Dungannon area.

Northern Lights was one of a number of events Radius and Apex Housing organised during Good Relations Week, all of which aimed to highlight the diversity in our local communities and celebrate the wide range of cultures we have among us.

Among the Shared Housing developments managed by Radius Housing is Earls Court in Dungannon, while Apex Housing manage the Sycamore Drive development in Dungannon, and this event was partof the community relations development plan for the area.

The project was supported by the Department for Communities and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive’s ‘Housing for All’ Shared Housing Programme. The Programme has its origins in the NI Executive Together: Building a United Community Strategy which reflects the Executive’s commitment to improving community relations and continuing the journey towards a more united and shared society. £7m has been invested in the Dungannon shared housing developments and associated five-year Good Relations Plans.

Speaking at the event, Geraldine Dougan from Radius Housing said “The Dungannon area is known to be one of the most multi-cultural in Northern Ireland, and this event was a chance to celebrate the diversity of the area. The rich history of music and dance from these islands and from much further afield makes for a great evening’s entertainment, and with stars like Ian McElhinney, it has proven to be a wonderful event.

“We were particularly pleased to see pupils from Drumglass High School and St Patrick’s College coming together to perform, and in that bringing 14 different nationalities, singing in one voice. The chance to see performers from other cultures and celebrate with them is an important way of strengthening local communities, and Northern Lights has been a great success in doing this.”

Teresa McCloskey from Apex Housing said: “Dungannon continues to lead the way in recognising the multi-cultural background of its residents, and the success of this event was a shining example of that. It was fantastic tosee music, dance and performances from different cultures and traditions all under the one roof. The audience was made up of Dungannon residents and people from other countries

who have made Dungannon their home, and it was great to see the evening being enjoyed by all. We look forward to continuing our good relations work in the Dungannon area.”

Both Radius and Apex have shared housing developments across Northern Ireland. Good Relations Plan includes ‘Bridging’ events which are delivered to the wider community to encourage a range of good relations outcomes which include Health and Wellbeing, Education and Training.