Brontë Iveagh Collective

Via The Belfast Telegraph, we have become aware of this new initiative to revitalize the Brontë heritage in County Down, Northern Ireland:

The famous Brontë sisters’ links to Co Down are to be brought to life in the former church near Rathfriland where their clergyman father preached as a young man.Although the local council took over the Drumballyroney Church building in the 90s and turned it into the Brontë Interpretive Centre, financial constraints meant it opened infrequently, leaving fans of the literary family, who travelled to the church, often disappointed to find the doors locked.However, that is about to change thanks to a local heritage group. (Anne Harper)

The local heritage group is the Brontë Iveagh Collective:

We are a group of volunteers working to restore the Brontë Interpretative Centre as a vibrant community hub. We are planning a year- round programme of events and activities that celebrate the unique heritage of Rathfriland and the Iveagh Region.

The next event they're organizing is

Halloween @ Drumballyroney Old Church
​31st October, 8pm

Drumballyroney Old Church and graveyard dates back to at least the C12th. It sits atop the Hill of the O'Rooneys (bards and poets to the the Magennis Lords of Iveagh) But the bards were much more than storytellers! They were 'seers' who brought the Otherworld to life through their art, oration, and ceremony. This is a legacy which continued at Drumballyroney following the arrival of Christianity.
So what stories still linger here in this quiet, threshold place?
Join us at Drumballyroney Old Church for an evening of seasonal stories and tales of the Otherworld. You will:
Learn about the ancient origins of our Halloween traditions, and ways to protect yourself when the veil is thin!
Try your hand at some long-forgotten seasonal pass-times.
Hear tales old (& new!) of fairies, Banshees, and other supernatural beings.
Learn about of Rathfriland's famous 'Hell Fire' Club, and the story of the real 'Squire Hawkins' (was there just one?).
Sample the 'Devil's Buttermilk' - made to a recipe preserved by the very same storytellers who preserved the tales of the Hell Fire Club and it's patrons.
Learn about the role of the bard/druid/storyteller in ancient times and how they engaged with the Otherworld.
Explore the atmospheric Old Church, and hear about the ancestors buried here including the Brontë family and the Magennis Lords of Iveagh.
It will be a real night to remember!