“Peace Comes Dropping Slow” WB Yeats
The Ullans Academy celebrated its 20th birthday this year, something which gives our Annual Saint Patrick’s Breakfast additional resonance. The breakfast was held in the Park Avenue Hotel on Friday 16th March 2012 at 7.45am.
The Breakfast brought together Peacemakers and Bridgebuilders from across society and afforded them a space to continue their work of peace-making and reconciliation. We welcome all views.
The name ‘Ullans’ is an combination of two words, ‘Ul’ from Ulster or Uladh and ‘lans’ from Lallans, a name used by Robert Burns to describe the language of the people from the Lowland areas of Scotland.
The Academy retains its commitment to the development and promotion of Ulster Scots and Ulster Gaelic culture in a manner which encourages cross community and cross border contact, dialogue, reconciliation, mutual understanding, respect and parity of esteem. This is, of necessity, a slow process, gradual and accretive. Results tend to be achieved far from the glare of publicity but are no less effective for that.
Although some people believe the Ulster Scots movement originated around the Plantation period in the history of Ireland, there has always been a corridor of migration between Ireland and Scotland.
The original passageway between Scotland and Ulster was via Rathlin Island, seen as the ‘stepping stone’ to Ireland, then to Ballycastle and north Antrim via Bushmills there were three kingdoms/regions in Ulster, Dalriada, Dalaradia and Dal Fiatach..all centred on the east coast of Ulster, Dalriada was at the north east coast, Dalariada was in and around the south Antrim/Belfast area and Dal Fiatach was in County Down.
We support the promotion of Ulster-Scots/Gaelic Culture, Heritage, History and Literature and Language and Music.
| We’ve been holding our St Patrick’s Breakfasts since 2006, a part of our Myths and Legends Project, so called as we sought to find out what divides us as a community and what unites us. St Patrick was seen at that time as an obvious starting point. There have been a number of other themes, such as Saint Columbanus, but all sharing the same underpinning philosophy. | ||
| The Academy also provides effective, inspirational, leadership and advice to people involved in a variety of enterprises. This aspect of our work involves acting as catalyst, coordinator, consultant and supporter in a range of projects to which we contribute using our extensive network. |