Mapping the Mountains

Programme of events

Mapping the Mountains

Programme of events

Celebrating language, peacebuilding, walking and creative mapping in landscapes of shared heritage

In summer 2026, Kitabna is directing a new programme called Mapping the Mournes: Exploring our shared heritage through place with Irish, Ulster Scots and the languages of the mountains across the Newry, Mourne and Down area. The project is part of Newry Mourne and Down Districts Council’s Local Action Plan’s Thriving Together initiative, which is supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). PEACEPLUS is a cross-border funding programme supported by the European Union, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Government of Ireland, and the Northern Ireland administration.

Mapping the Mournes is a series of indoor and outdoor workshops taking place from summer to winter celebrating the past and future of Irish, Ulster Scots and the languages of the mountains, in collaboration with Queens University Belfast and local artists. Participants will join us for a series of:

Walks in the Mournes
Creative mapping workshops
Exploring the Mournes by boat
Arts workshops celebrating Irish and Ulster Scots

2026 Workshop dates:

August 21st – 22nd
September 17th – 18th
October 23rd – 24th

To sign up, please register interest here: https://tinyurl.com/bdecr8us

Residency call for artists to support project

Three artists are invited to join us for a minimum of two workshops, and respond to our themes of language and mapping, with a total fee of £600 shared across August-November. They must be based in, or from, the Mournes region, and identify with any of the following language backgrounds:

Irish
Ulster Scots
newcomer/resettlement

Please apply here by sending your portfolio and CV to Helen Patuck:

helen@kitabna.org