William Wordsworth on show at the Causeway Coast this October

What is less well known is that Wordsworth has a number of connections to Northern Ireland.

In fact, long before he was established as a poet, he applied unsuccessfully to become tutor to the son of the Earl of Belmore in Enniskillen.

Had he been successful, perhaps Wordsworth would have been an ‘Irish’ poet, the Lakes of Northern England replaced in his poetry by the lakes of Northern Ireland.

Wordsworth eventually visited Coleraine in 1829 as part of a tour of the island of Ireland, and he wrote affectionately of the town in a letter to his family, and his time at the Giant’s Causeway inspired parts of two of his poems.

The Re-Imagining Ulster with Wordsworth project seeks to celebrate Wordsworth’s connections to the Ulster landscape, re-imagining Wordsworth as an Irish poet.

The project has launched a traveling exhibition that follows Wordsworth’s route through Ulster and that explores the Ulster landscape through Wordsworth’s eyes.

The exhibition, a joint venture between Queen’s University Belfast, The Wordsworth Trust, and the Department for Communities, is travelling around Northern Irish libraries, and will visit Coleraine Library between 3rd and 14th October.

They will also be welcoming Susan Allen of the Wordsworth Trust to Flowerfield Arts Centre in Portstewart on October 11th 2.30-4pm for a free, interactive, family workshop, Wordsworth for Wee Ones exploring Wordsworth’s poetry.

She will also give a free public talk, Wordsworth Goes West on the same day at 5pm.

For more information about these events or to book a place, please email [email protected].

For more information, see the project website reimaginingwordsworth.wordpress.com, follow Wordsworth in Ulster Exhibit on Facebook, or @NBWordsworth on Twitter.

Cancer Research meeting

Meanwhile Cancer Research UK is to showcase some of the life-saving research being carried out in Northern Ireland and beyond at a special event at Flowerfield Arts Centre.

Would you like to know more? Then why not come along to Flowerfield Arts Centre, Portstewart on Wednesday 26 October at 1.30pm and hear more about how the charity is working to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.

Spaces are limited, but can be reserved by contacting Kevin on 028 90601994 or 078 2459 9526 or [email protected].

Light refreshments will be provided and a pottery demonstration by an expert local potter will also be included.

More details to come!