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An afternoon of two fascinating Brontë talks. Local  historian Uel Wright will take us through the story of the Brontës in Ireland . This will be followed by novelist and author Martina Devlin’s talk on The Bronte Family with particular reference to Charlotte.

Uel Wright

Born in the townland of Finnard, Uel attended Newry Grammar School before studying Amenity Horticulture for three years at Askham Bryan College in York, graduating in 1974. He joined the N.I. Housing Executive where he had a forty-two-year career in Landscape and Open Space Management, retiring in 2016.

Uel rekindled a love for Literature in 1990 studying two evenings per week at Queens University Belfast, taking all modules in Literature and Philosophy graduating with a Hons. Degree in Humanities in1998. A keen genealogist, Uel in conjunction with an American cousin has published four family histories and a history of Ryans Presbyterian Church. Articles on the life of his ancestor Dr William Wright have been published in the Journal of the Bronte Society and The Presbyterian Historical Society. Uel lives with his wife June in Banbridge, Co. Down.

Martina Devlin

Martina Devlin is an author and newspaper columnist. She has written nine novels, two non-fiction books, plays and a collection of short stories. Her latest novel, Charlotte, explores Charlotte Brontë’s Irish connections. Other novels include The House Where It Happened about the 1711 Islandmagee witchcraft trial. Prizes include the Royal Society of Literature’s V.S. Pritchett Prize and a Hennessy Literary Award, and she has been shortlisted three times for the Irish Book Awards. Martina writes a weekly current affairs column for the Irish Independent for which she has been named National Newspapers of Ireland commentator of the year, among other journalism prizes. She holds a PhD in literary practice from Trinity College Dublin.

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The show is an imagining of the Bronte Sisters coping with the chaos of the Edinburgh Fringe. It covers 3 visits – one with the three sisters when they are unknown, the second with Charlotte on her own after her devastating losses, but dealing with celebrity and the third, travelling with her new husband. It features original songs and follows the actual arc of their lives, though in a modern setting.

‘Here and There’  is a Scottish/Irish folk duo, Pauline Vallance & Jacynth Hamill Pauline who hails from Ayrshire in Scotland with family links to Rathfriland, is a multi-talented musician – singer, harpist, flautist and songwriter.  She has several CDs to her credit including “Golden Slumbers” a beautiful selection of soothing lullabies and her most recent, “The World’s a Gift”, a collection of her own songs – about life and those important to us. It was nominated for Scottish Album of the Year and was deemed a ‘Must Listen’ by Folk London.

Jacynth, originally from Coleraine, lives in Belfast and loves to tour around sharing her clear, calming voice with audiences small and large.  She often adds a little dancing to proceedings!

Together they can be heard on “Red Winged Blackbird” – the final CD of “Caim”, the group they previously were in.  On it there’s a flavour of what they do – traditional Irish and Scottish songs, covers and their own compositions.
Their gigs reflect this mix,  whether concerts, folk clubs, care homes or conferences.  Solo and harmony singing, lively or soothing instrumentals, story and dance –  for some great craic come and enjoy “Here and There”.

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