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RATHLIN SOUND MARITIME FESTIVAL 2015 - SUN 31 MAY

Living Seas Event
From 11am to 5pm at the seafront. Family friendly fun including seaweed hand spa, shell displays, lifesize models of seals and dolphins and children's marine life tank. Includes life size models of seals etc. Hosted by Ulster Wildlife.

Crazy golf
Seafront 11am – 5pm. Try your skill at crazy golf (free of charge).

Vikings, currachs and drontheims
Seafront 11am – 5pm. Witness the spectacle of pitched Viking battles on the beach while the currach and drontheim teams compete in the background for their own glory.

Shipwreck exhibition
11am to 3pm. Pop in to the Richard Branson Centre and enjoy a remarkable display of shipwreck artefacts salvaged from the waters around Rathlin Island. This popular exhibition is testimony to the rich maritime history of the area and a moving reminder of the ever present risk to a life on the sea.

The Rathlin Big Lunch
1.00. Come along to the seafront and join the biggest picnic on the Island, help us out by bringing something to share – pastas, breads, fruit etc. This will be our fourth consecutive Big Lunch, an event that now coincides with the closing day of the annual Rathlin Sound Maritime Festival. The Island, as a community, has always been close
but the Big Lunch not only brings communities together but can help cement those bonds year on year. Ours serves to remind us how dependent on our neighbours we really are throughout the year and gives everyone a chance to repay a kindness to those we know or make new friends for the future. Our event is growing more and
more as people become aware and spread the word. There is no pressure to come along or to bring anything except a smile but people have an inbuilt desire to meet new people and share what they can.

Have a go Kayaking
from 12.00 to 5pm. From boat slip at Rathlin Marina, FREE activity, 30 minutes sessions. Supported by Malin Waters. Meet Our Friendly Local Giants Finn McCool and his wife Oonagh coming over from the Giant’s Causeway from 2pm to 4pm to visit Rathlin. Say ‘Hello’ and get your photograph taken with our friendly giants. Benandonner, Finn’s rival may even join us. Hosted by the Giant’s Causeway Visitors Centre, National Trust.

Runabay in concert
2pm. Make your way once again to Bruce’s Kitchen / McCuaig’s Bar for the closing concert of the festival. Runabay is a six-piece indie folk band creating catchy, uplifting and joyous music. Although they have only been together since early 2014, they have an impressive list of gigs behind them. Members are John McManus (vocals/guitar), Gary Graham (guitar/vocals) Gerard McHugh (vocals/percussion) Dean Walker (bass/vocals), Declan McCartan (cello/vocals) and George Sloan (drums/vocals). They draw their musical influences from Irish traditional folk music and indie bands like Fleet Foxes, The Shins, Hozier plus all the greats from every genre. Their hometowns such as Cushendall, Peterborough, Belfast and Cushendun are equally as varied. Winter 2014 saw Runabay back in the studio recording their debut EP. Runabay’s profile is increasing rapidly; they have released their debut single, Sequences, it has immediately propelled them in the spotlight, securing the band being played on a number of BBC Radio Ulster shows and being sought after for far afield gigs, with their recent guest appearance on BBC2 NI’s I Lár an Aonaigh on November 24th 2014 and having just supported The Rapparees in sold out gigs in Limelight and Mandela Hall. They look forward to releasing their EP in the coming months and seeing what 2015 has to offer.

Rathlin Coastguard Rescue Team – line throwing competition and water safety information
4.00-6.00 - Seafront. Rathlin’s volunteer Coastguard Rescue Team will be out and about around the island’s
harbour and seafront with a fun line-throwing competition open to all, and providing important maritime safety
information.

Full 2015 programme available here.

With thanks to Tourism NI Tourism Events Sponsorship Programme for their support for 2015.

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