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Free event • All welcome • Drop in between 11:00-14:30 • No booking required***
Join us on Saturday 13 September from 11:00 to 14:30 as we open the doors to our beautiful Grade B+ listed building, formerly Townsend Street Presbyterian Church, where the orchestra has been based since 2022.
Built in 1878 and designed in Romanesque revival style by remarkable Belfast firm Young and MacKenzie, Townsend Street Presbyterian Church has stood at the heart of the community for almost 150 years, and was once the centre of a thriving network of national schools which served the local area. At 11.10, hear expert local guide Frank Higgins, who grew up and lives in the area, talk about the history of Townsend Street, and those who shaped it. At 12.45, you can find out more about the history of the church and its beautiful stained glass with a talk from our Heritage Officer. There’ll also be music of course, with two very special performances from harpist Maria McNamee at 12:15 and 13:15.
As part of this year’s EHOD theme: ‘Architectural Heritage: Past Structures, Future Connections’ we will celebrate our site’s architectural treasures, including beautiful stained glass windows by Wilhelmina Geddes and Ethel Rhind, members of the pioneering Dublin cooperative studio An Túr Gloine (The Tower of Glass). We will also look ahead to the building’s future, as through generous support from the Foyle Foundation and National Lottery Heritage Fund, the orchestra has embarked on a project to create a rehearsal space and music learning and community engagement hub to remove barriers to music for all.
Our European Heritage Open Day this year will offer a unique opportunity to explore the building as it stands today before restoration and renovation works begin in 2026.
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11:00 Welcome and refreshments
11:10 Talk by local tour guide Frank Higgins
12:15 Harp performance by Maria McNamee
12:45 Talk by Ulster Orchestra Heritage Officer Jennifer Geoffroy
13:15 Second harp performance by Maria McNamee
13:45 Close: chat and refreshments
14:30 Finish
* Timings are approximate and subject to change
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This is just one of over 300 free events and venues across NI open for European Heritage Open Days. Find out more about other European Heritage Open Days 2025 events on Discover Northern Ireland at the link below!
https://discovernorthernireland.com/things-to-do/arts-culture-and-heritage/european-heritage-open-days
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Ulster Orchestra at Townsend, 32 Townsend Street, BT132ES, 10 Townsend Street, Belfast, BT13 2, United Kingdom
