Preview // 10 Awesome Things To Do In Northern Ireland This Week / 28 January – 3 February

The awesome guys at the tourist board know there are stacks of fun things to do across NI, from family days out to gigs and cultural events every week. So here are their top 10 exciting things taking place this week (28 January – 3 February) 

1. Roy Orbison Reborn, Belfast, 31 January. Superstar Roy Orbison was one of the world’s greatest and most successful rock’n’roll music legends of all time. The present day sees Dean Bourne and his musicians perform the ultimate tribute to ‘The Big O’, showcasing all his massive hits together at the Ulster Hall.  
2. Birdwatch Morning , Newtownards, 30 January. One of the experts at Castle Espie will lead you around the stunning Reserve and Woodland. You are recommended to bring along a pair of binoculars and sensible footwear.  
3. Tommy Fleming, Belfast, 1 February. Tommy is one of Ireland’s top entertainers with over 6.5 million YouTube hits and over 3.5 million album sales worldwide. The ‘Voice of Hope II’ tour coming to the Ulster Hall, brings you a special collection of spiritual inspirational music together with a selection of his most popular songs. 
4. The Bog Couple, Derry~Londonderry, 30 January – 2 February. Starring local actors Pat Lynch and Gerry Doherty, The Playhouse production performed at the Millennium Forum introduces us to Oscar Meenan and Felix Young – both “Bogside men” – one a Catholic and one a Protestant; one is an easy-going, slob and one an obsessive perfectionist preoccupied with neatness.
5. IMBOLC International Music Festival, Derry~Londonderry, 27 January – 10 February. Taking place in Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin, this is one of Ireland’s leading folk and world music festivals. Whilst still firmly rooted in the musical cultures of this island, the festival has grown in depth and breadth and now encompasses music genres ranging from folk, traditional and roots to jazz, contemporary and world music. 
6. Mairead Duffy Art Exhibition, Armagh, 2 January – 28 February. Craftswirl at Armagh Visitor Information Centre are delighted to welcome this exhibition of work by local artist Máiréad Duffy from Middletown in County Armagh.
7. The Old Firm Casuals, Belfast, 31 January. US street punk band,’The Old Firm Casuals’ fronted by Lars Frederiksen from ska-punk stalwarts Rancid perform at The Empire. Joining the band on the night for a stellar line-up are The Defects and United Bottles.
8. Coming Home: Art and the Great Hunger, Derry~Londonderry, 19 January – 16 March. Coming Home: Art and the Great Hunger, the acclaimed Famine art collection, currently on loan from Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum at Quinnipiac University will be on display at Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin.  
9. MAC International, Belfast, until 31 March. MAC International presents a snapshot of the most exciting and ambitious art practices from across the world. It is the largest arts prize in Ireland and one of the few major art prizes in the UK, offering artists from around the world an opportunity to exhibit at the MAC in Belfast. 
10. A Costume Cavalcade, Armagh, until 2 March 2019.  This exhibition at the Armagh County Museum tells the story of dress over the last three hundred years showcasing some of the most important examples in the collection.