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A festival of workshops, walks and talks Commemorating the Life and Legacy of Columbanus and Gal
21 and 22 November 2026
This year's festival theme is...
This Place, Our Place
In partnership with Carlow County Council, Friends of Columbanus Bangor are proud to present a programme of events which celebrates the rich, shared, monastic heritage on the island of Ireland, commemorating the life and legacy of of Columbanus and Gall.
The influence of the monastic heritage in Bangor and on the island of Ireland still pertains today in the Irish place names that are embedded in our local maps, songs, history, art, streets, roads, townlands, mountains, rivers and lakes. This sense of place was carried by Columbanus and his followers in the 6th and 7th centuries to continental Europe where his name and legacy lives on in cities, towns and villages not only on the island of Ireland but also in France, Germany, Switzerland, Lichenstein, Luxembourg, Austria, and Italy.
A Summary of the Event Programme:
21 November | Columbanus Lecture: 'A Sense of Place'
11:00 – 13:00 | £10pp
SPACE Theatre, Castle Road, Bangor
This talk deals with places connected with St Columbanus and early Christianity in Ireland and Continental Europe. It will be delivered by Dr Paul Tempan, a linguist and expert on Irish place-names who was a researcher on the Northern Ireland Place-Name Project (2006 – 2013)
More information on the programme to come
Ticketing Information
With the exception of the Columbanus United Church Service, all events can be booked online at visitardsandnorthdown.com, or in person at Bangor or Ards Visitor Centres:
Bangor Visitor Information Centre - Tower House, 34 Quay Street | T: 028 9127 0069
Ards Visitor Information Centre - 31 Regent Street, Newtownards | T: 028 9182 6846
All ticketed events must be booked in advance | Tickets on sale soon | Ticketing will close at 12noon on Friday 20 November.
Please note, online booking fees apply. Avoid the booking fee and buy direct through our Visitor Information Centres. T&C's apply.
For further information, visit friendsofcolumbanusbangor.co.uk
The Columbanus Festival is brought to you by Friends of Columbanus Bangor working in partnership with Carlow County Council. The festival has received funding from the Shared Island Initiative.
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More Info on Ticketed events...
This talk deals with places connected with St Columbanus and early Christianity in Ireland and Continental Europe. It will be delivered by Dr Paul Tempan, a linguist and expert on Irish place-names who was a researcher on the Northern Ireland Place-Name Project (2006 – 2013)- 21 Nov 2026
More that might be of interest...
- Experience the area's rich and diverse history as you journey on the Columban Way Heritage Trail, a heritage trail between Comber and Bangor covering 20 miles (32 km).
- The Ards and North Down Christian Heritage Trail incorporates a number of key sites across the Borough that played an important role in the spread of Christianity not only locally and in Ireland but throughout Europe too.
Northern Ireland is home to many stories, myths, and legends, with Ards and North Down laying claim to a fair few of its own. Ruined castles, holy wells, abbeys and military forts where tales of Bronze Age communities, Vikings, early Christian and Ulster-Scots heritage, and the role of this area in the Great Wars, are here to be discovered.
Founded in 558AD the main body of the building dates from 1830's, the tower from 15th century and steeple dates around 1693. Interesting gravestones include a memorial to the assistant surgeon of the Titanic, local man John Edward Simpson.- Visit North Down Museum to explore the fascinating saga of the North Down area from the Bronze Age to the present day. The Museum takes you on a journey through Early Christian heritage and the Vikings to Scottish Settlers and the Victorians.
- 1 Jan 202631 Dec 2026
- It is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet. Varieties of flowers, plants, fruit and vegetables mix with sculptures and a unique fountain with a tongue twister! We are thrilled that the Walled Garden is now open all year round (except on particular holidays). Please see opening hours.
- Stroll through this beautiful wooded wonderland which is an exhilarating experience throughout the seasons.
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