Arts Delight For Conway Mill
The food of love
Opening the door to a host of treasures
Peace process is serious business for cartoonists
Christmas presents galore at the Conway Mill

Andersonstown News 17/1/02
Arts Delight For Conway Mill

Staff at Conway Mill were cracking open the champagne yesterday after it was announced that the West Belfast Landmark has received a £250,000 funding boost from the Arts Council.

Conway Mill spokeswoman Moya Hinds said, “we are absolutely delighted as this is a great boost to our long-term plans for the mill. This funding will be used to transform one of the floors of the mill into a dedicated centre for arts and crafts. Thanks to this funding we will be able to create a state-of-the-art environment for craftspeople to work in. We want to bring Conway Mill into the twenty-first century without losing the ambience of the original mill.”

Moya says,” the overall estimated cost of the redevelopment is £3.5 million and we are negotiating with different funders to try and raise the necessary cash. Our hopes are to have an office floor, conference facilities and an education floor with exhibition space.

The Conway Mill is one of West Belfast’s biggest assets and we are determined to preserve it for further generations.”

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Irish News 16/2/02
The food of love

Conway Mill is bringing the prodigious talents of Niall Toibin to the city. The master comedian, actor, raconteur and Brendan Behan lookalike, will be in town as part of a series of events being organised. As February is the month of ‘love’ the theme is based on love and longing. Through storytelling, poetry, music and song the theme will be teased out in a light hearted way, whether it’s the love of a pint, longing for sunshine on a rainy day or romantic love!

At The Mill:

Exhibition of Local Linen Industry

Ex-Prisoners Museum

Exhibition Gallery (available for hire)

Visit to Craft Studios (commission work undertaken)

Tours of the Mill

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Andersonstown News 15/6/02
Opening the door to a host of treasures

Conway Mill Craft Shop has opened its doors to the public just in time for the summer tourist season.

The shop, a popular stop-off with tourists interested in the locally crafted artists were on sale, has so far been inundated with visitors of every nationality.

Terese Bateson, who runs the craft shop, says interest is growing as the shops fame spreads.

A recent exhibition about the linen industry attracted people from all over Belfast and was so popular that a follow-up event has been planned for September.

A mural was painted in Conway Street to promote the craft shop. And there is always the opportunity to catch one of the artists at work. The craft shop is open from 10am-4pm Monday to Friday.

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Andersonstown News 16/9/02
Peace process is serious business for cartoonists

Cartoonist John Kennedy says the peace process has been fertile ground for his particular brand of political satire.

The Strabane man is a regular contributor to the West Belfast Festival and his cartoons have graced the front cover of many a book about the north of Ireland.

John says he draws on his own personal political beliefs and background in his work. “Just like a writer who writes about their own experiences, I draw from a nationalist point of view because that’s what I am.

“A lot of my work is inspired by serious subjects, for example, last year it was Holy Cross. But a lot of it is just a sideways glance at our political figures”.

“The West Belfast Festival has been a real godsend for me and I look forward to it every year. This exhibition is my first in Conway Mill and I’m very excited about exhibiting here, in these surroundings”

With his new book out in a matter of months, John has been busy preparing for publication. “The book will cover the period from the signing of the Good Friday Agreement to the present day, including major political developments like Sien Fien’s first Lord Mayor, Alex Maskey.

The exhibition is running until the 28th September from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

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Andersonstown News 7/12/02
Christmas presents galore at the Conway Mill

The Conway Mill will add to the seasonal flavour with a Christmas craft and book fair, which boasts of having that proverbial ‘something for everyone’.

With arts and crafts, books, paintings, prints, jewellery and greeting cards on offer the Sean O’Neill Craft Shop will be buzzing with bargain hunters looking for the perfect present.
With book signings and reflexology, it should be a great opportunity to pamper yourself. Why not delve into your future with a Tarot card reading or release your negative energies with an expert Kinesiologist.

One of the main attractions will be a number of Beyond the Pale titles up for grabs. These include The Cause of Ireland from United Irishmen to Partition by Liz Curtis, Murals of War and Pease by Bill Rolston. Belfast’s Dome of Delight by Martin O Muilleoir and Who Fears to Speak, the story of Belfast and the 1916 Rising by Gerry Adams.

Perfect gifts available include work from artists Mary Gribbin, Debbie Malcomson, Hugh Clawson, Lorraine Pollock and Sean Gibson, to name a few.

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