The Glas-na-Bradan Wood Soundwalk: Listening for the Future
by Robert Coleman and featuring a live performance by HIVE Choir
Sat, 13 May 2023 14:00
(For booking see the event page here)
In 2021 planting began at the Glas-na-Bradan Wood in the Belfast Hills. Since then composer and sound artist Robert Coleman has been following and documenting the growth of this new native forest. Through his research, field-recordings and interviews with the tree-planters, this soundwalk explores the site in its present day, its history and its potential in the future.
Participants in the soundwalk will be guided along a route through the Glas-na-Bradan Wood. They will be introduced to the biodiversity there through listening to field-recordings which Robert recorded on-site over the last year through a variety of methods. This collected data and knowledge of the habitat allows for participants to also listen to the projected future soundscapes of the forest in years to come. This will facilitate a new mode of understanding the scale of changes taking place in our local environment and habitats, and in doing so provide an insight into the biodiversity on the island of Ireland.
HIVE Choir will further explore these themes with a live on-site performance intertwined into the narrative of the walk.
All this will be brought into the context of the local community at Glas-na-Bradan through recorded interviews with the tree-planters. Over the past two planting seasons they have shared their stories, connections to Glas-na-Bradan and hopes for the future of the site, while contributing to the future of this forest.
Meeting Point: Glas-na-Bradan Wood entrance
Hightown Road, Newtownabbey BT36 7AU, Belfast, UK.
(If using Google Maps set St Enda's GAC, Hightown Road as your destination. As you approach St Enda’s carpark there is a small lane on the right hand side. You will see a gate and a sign marking the Glas-na-Bradan Wood. This entrance is the meeting point)
• Please bring headphones and a smartphone.
• Recorded audio for this walk is hosted on the Echoes app which you will need to download. Full information and links will be sent to you in advance of the event. Technical assistance will be available on-site before the beginning of the walk.
• The walk is completely outdoors and the route involves crossing uneven ground and so please wear appropriate footwear and clothing.
• The duration of the walk will be approximately 1 hour.
Booking is essential for all participants. As places are limited, please only reserve a ticket if you will be present for the event.
To get there by public transport: Coming from Belfast City the best option is to get the 1e bus to Edmund Rice College, Hightown Road and the wood entrance is a 10 minute walk from there)
Composer/sound artist and project director Robert Coleman
With live performance by HIVE Choir directed by John D’Arcy
With special thanks to the Woodland Trust NI