Our Groups, Events and Activities

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Kirknarra School of Dance

The Schomberg Society’s Kirknarra School of Dance is one of the most active groups in Reivers House.

Highland Dance classes take place on Monday evenings in Reivers House, Kilkeel and also in Annalong Orange Hall on Tuesday evenings.

The Kirknarra School of Dance has a large membership of dancers from across the Mournes who regular take part in numerous events right across the province, promoting Ulster-Scots music and dance culture.

Recent highlights for the Kirknarra Dancers have included performances in Stormont Parliament Buildings, The Royal Landing Festival in Carrickfergus, The Royal 13th at Scarva and of course, the Schomberg’s own Reivers Festival in Kilkeel, as well as many others right across the province.

Tutored by former Ulster Champion, Kathryn Stewart, the dancers regularly compete in Highland Dance Competitions and the dance school hosts it own annual Highland Dance Competition in November in Kilkeel.

The Dance School has also facilitated numerous Highland Dance workshops and taster sessions with other youth groups, schools and for visiting groups to give others an opportunity to learn the skill of Highland Dancing and get a better understanding of our Ulster-Scots traditions.

If your child is interested in joining our Highland Dance classes in Kilkeel or Annalong, please get in contact with Reivers House or you can contact Kirknarra School of Dance via Facebook: Kirknarra School of Dance.

Ulster-Scots Educational Outreach

The Schomberg Society believes education is vital to give our young people a better understanding and awareness of our Ulster-Scots culture, language, traditions and identity.

Over the years, the Society has built up an excellent reputation working with numerous schools and youth groups right across South Down.  The Schomberg Society regularly delivers Ulster-Scots language and history workshops, music and dance showcases and educational projects, including exhibitions and dramas to local schools and youth groups.

If your school or youth group is interested in learning more about Ulster-Scots or interested in any of our Ulster-Scots workshops, showcases or educational projects, please get in contact with Reivers House for more information.

Schomberg Fife and Drum

The Schomberg Fife and Drum is a living history re-enactment band and group who aim to give the wider community a better understanding of our Ulster-Scots history and heritage.

The band is best known for dressing in its traditional 17th century and First World War uniforms and performing at The Royal Landing Festival in Carrickfergus and at The Reivers Festival’s 11th July Pageant in Kilkeel.

However, the group also facilitates numerous educational workshops and provides living history characters that perform at many different types of events, creating a better awareness of our history and traditions within the community.

The Schomberg Fife and Drum also provide tuition classes in Fife, Flute, Snare Drum and Lambeg Drum in Reivers House, Kilkeel. These classes are open to everyone of all ages and experience and many of our members also perform traditional Fife and Lambeg Drum at numerous events throughout the year.

If your interested in coming along to these tuition classes, please contact Reivers House for more information.

Schomberg Thistle Club

The Schomberg Thistle Club is a group for over 60s, which meets every other Thursday in Reivers House, Kilkeel from 11am-1pm.

The club provides a range of fun activities, events and support services for senior citizens in the Kilkeel area.

The group enjoy meeting twice a month in the centre, having a hot lunch and taking part in various programmes throughout the year.  

Recently, the ladies have enjoyed visiting the Ulster-Scots clachan, Hanna’s Close, producing an Ulster-Scots recipe book and enjoying Ulster-Scots cookery demonstrations, as well as many other fun activities!

If your over 60 and would like to come along to the Thistle Club, please get in contact with Reivers House for more information.

Drum Majoring

The Schomberg Society facilitates Drum Majoring tuition classes in Reivers House for young people of all ages and experiences to come along and learn the art of Drum Majoring.

This was a tradition which was once almost lost in the Kingdom of Mourne, and the Schomberg Society have helped revive this tradition by having a professional Drum Major tutor to teach local young folk this unique skill.

Throughout the year, our Drum Major group perform at various events to showcase their talents. Recently, they have performed at the Reivers Royal Tattoo, Ulster-Scots Gatherings and at the 11th July Celebrations in Kilkeel.

If your interested in coming along to our Drum Major tuition classes, please get in contact with Reivers House for more information.

The Highland Heathers

The Highland Heathers are a young ladies group, which meets monthly in Reivers House.  The ladies enjoy taking part in a huge variety of activities and events throughout the year and of course, enjoy plenty of crack!

Recently, the ladies have visited Gelato Lick in Newcastle to learn how to make ice-cream, Hanna’s Close Ulster-Scots clachan to enjoy an Ulster-Scots cookery demonstration, a guided tour of Kilkeel, as well as many other fun activities, including crocheting classes and makeup evenings!

The ladies meet on the last Wednesday of every month from 7.30pm in Reivers House, Kilkeel and if your interested in coming along, please contact Reivers House for further information or via Facebook: The Highland Heathers.

Training and Workshops

The Schomberg Society provides much help and support to Ulster-Scots Groups, Marching Bands and Loyal Orders to build their capacity building and ensure they are fit for purpose.

Throughout the year, the Society organises a huge variety of training courses, workshops and capacity building projects for the members of these groups to develop their skills and ensure they are best places to organise events, projects and apply for funding.

Please see below a list of the various training courses, workshops and support which the Schomberg Society provides. If your group is interested in availing of any of this support, please get in contact with Reivers House for further information.

• Youth Development
• IT Training
• Leadership
• Community Development
• Good Relations
• Networking
• Funding
• Fire Safety

The Reivers Youth Choir

The Reivers Youth Choir is for boys and girls in the Mourne area who would like to join a Choir and be professionally tutored.

The Choir meets every Wednesday evening in Reivers House, Kilkeel from 6pm and is tutored by Aimee Glenny.

The boys and girls learn a huge variety of songs throughout the year, including of course, many Ulster-Scots and Scots songs.

The Reivers Youth Choir is a recent new addition to Reivers House and has proved very popular for local children to improve their vocals, meet new friends and of course, learn about their Ulster-Scots language and history.

The Choir has performed at numerous events, with recently singing at different events during The Reivers Festival and also live on Fusefm Mourne Radio.  The Choir is looking forward to producing their first Ulster-Scots song book now in the coming months!

The Reivers Festival

The Schomberg Society is probably best known across Northern Ireland for organising its annual Reivers Festival, which is centred around the 11th July Celebrations in Kilkeel.

In recent years, the Reivers Festival has now grown to be one of the largest and most successful Ulster-Scots Festivals in Northern Ireland, now attracting upwards of 10,000 visitors and spectators from across the province and overseas.

The Reivers Festival traditionally lasts over a period of two weeks commencing at the end of June and finishing with the largest of events, on the 11th July in Kilkeel.

The Festival creates a fantastic opportunity to showcase the best of Ulster-Scots talent here in Mourne and organises upwards of 20 events during the two week period.

Highlights during the annual Festival include the Ulster-Scots Gathering at Hanna’s Close, the Reivers Royal Street Tattoo, the 11th July Afternoon Concert and of course, the 11th July Night Traditional Pageant and Open Air Concert Celebrations!

The Schomberg Society would welcome everyone to come along and enjoy our Reivers Festival events, particularly our 11th Night Celebrations!

For further information on our upcoming Reivers Festival, please get in contact with Reivers House, Kilkeel.

Youth Development

The Schomberg Society provides a huge variety of opportunities for young people to get involved in, to both learn about their Ulster-Scots identity and traditions, and also to develop their skills and give them life-time experience and accredited qualifications.

The Society regularly facilitates projects to develop and enhance our young people, these have included training, workshops and involvement in unique projects, such as our Fusefm Mourne Radio Station, producing short films and also creating and designing educational murals.

The Schomberg Society also facilitate many Ulster-Scots workshops and projects, specifically for young people, including Summer Schemes to give our young people a better understanding of our Ulster-Scots identity and traditions.

Young people play a key role in the Schomberg Society and the promotion of Ulster-Scots here in Mourne and this is something that the Society aims to build upon, creating new and unique opportunities for local youth.

If you are a young person and interested in getting involved with the Schomberg Society or with any of our youth projects, please get in contact with Reivers House.

Fiddle Playing

The Schomberg Society provides tuition classes in traditional fiddle / violin playing, which take place weekly in Reivers House, Kilkeel.

Fiddle playing is a skill which was once almost lost in the Kingdom of Mourne and the Schomberg Society has helped revive this tradition by providing the services of a professional fiddle tutor and classes in its Ulster-Scots hub.

The classes welcome everyone of all ages and experience, and also create an opportunity to gain accredited qualifications in fiddle/violin.

Our fiddlers regularly perform at events throughout the year, including Burns Night Celebrations and events during The Reivers Festival.

If your interested in coming along to our fiddle tuition classes, please contact Reivers House for more information.

Ulster-Scots Guided Tours

Click to download tour guide

The promotion of places of Ulster-Scots significance is another important aspect of the Schomberg Society’s outreach of Ulster-Scots in the Kingdom of Mourne. 

The Schomberg Society regularly facilitate Guided Tours of places of Ulster-Scots interest in the Kingdom of Mourne, including both walking tours of Kilkeel town and also bus tours throughout the Mourne area.

Many groups are interested in visiting the Ulster-Scots hub, Reivers House, where they can get an opportunity to visit the exhibitions, artefacts and murals on display in Reivers House, enjoy a workshop or talk on Ulster-Scots and also a showcase of Ulster-Scots music and dance.

Visits to Reivers House can be facilitated as part of the guided tours, and the tours can be tailored to suit the needs of each individual group.

As part of the tours, the Schomberg Society can also arrange visits to Greencastle Castle, the Ulster-Scots clachan Hanna’s Close, Annalong Cornmill, the Silent Valley Reservoir, Kilkeel and Annalong Harbour, the newly refurbished Kilkeel Orange Hall, Mourne Presbyterian Church Cenotaph and other areas of Ulster-Scots significance in the Mourne area.

If your group is interested in availing of an Ulster-Scots Guided Tour or visit to Reivers House, please get in contact with the Schomberg Society for more information.  

Fusefm Mourne

Fusefm Mourne is a part-time Ulster-Scots Community Radio Station, which broadcasts for two weeks during the summer and two weeks during Christmas.

Fusefm Mourne (For Ulster-Scots Enthusiasts) is a new initiative to the Schomberg Society and since its formation is 2014, it has proven most popular and a fantastic way to promote our Ulster-Scots culture, history, language and traditions.

The radio station creates an opportunity for local folk of all ages to gain training in media and communications and get involved with the radio, hosting their own shows as Presenters or DJS or indeed helping as technicians.

The Radio Station broadcasts live on 106.2fm or can be listened online at www.fusefmmourne.co.uk

Fusefm Mourne is also producing a new Fusefm Mourne App, which will be available to download on both Apple and Android phones, where listeners can also listen via the App.

For further information on our upcoming Fusefm Mourne Radio broadcast, please get in contact with Reivers House or via the Fusefm Mourne Facebook page.

Ulster-Scots Cultural Events

Throughout the year, the Schomberg Society organises numerous Ulster-Scots cultural events to promote and celebrate our Ulster-Scots culture, language, music and traditions.

This includes the Schomberg’s annual Burns Night Celebration, which is now one of the largest Burns Night Dinners in Northern Ireland. The Burns Night takes place on the first Saturday in February in the Kilmorey Arms Hotel and is a fantastic event to showcase the best of Ulster-Scots music, dance, poetry and song.

Other events which take place to celebrate our Ulster-Scots culture include both indoor and outdoor Ulster-Scots showcases and concerts, Ulster-Scots exhibitions and Ulster-Scots workshops.