Awakening the Walls returns to Derry tonight

The Walls of Derry are set to quake, rattle and roll this evening as Awakening the Walls returns for a three-night run on the city monument with aerial displays over the Diamond area and events in areas around the Walls.
By Brendan McDaid
Published 28th Oct 2019, 11:22 BST
Some of the thousands of people who enjoyed the installations and performers during the first night of the Awakening of the cit's 400 years old Walls last year. Picture Martin McKeown. Inpresspics.com. 28.10.18Some of the thousands of people who enjoyed the installations and performers during the first night of the Awakening of the cit's 400 years old Walls last year. Picture Martin McKeown. Inpresspics.com. 28.10.18
Some of the thousands of people who enjoyed the installations and performers during the first night of the Awakening of the cit's 400 years old Walls last year. Picture Martin McKeown. Inpresspics.com. 28.10.18

The hugely successful free Awakening trail is back with a bang for the three evenings before Samhain, from today Monday 28 to Wednesday 30 October from 6pm to 8.30pm.

Illuminated installations, music, dance and theatre will all feature, along with local lore, Celtic myths and a few exotic twists.

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This year’s Derry Hallowe’en theme is The Other World Awakens, and Awakening the Walls will reflect this drawing back of the veil between this world and the other.

In a change from previous years, the four main streets within the walls will be closed to traffic during the performance to alleviate congestion and enable the large crowds more space to plot their trail and take in the sights and sounds.

Highlights include a Wicked Wonderland filled with flashmobs, fire eaters and more, and Eyes to the Skies, an aerial dance spectacle with bespoke musical compositions and a human Catherine wheel.

On Bishop Street, All Hail Saurus will depict, with a deafening roar, the return of the biggest – and hungriest – beasts that ever roamed the earth, while Celestial Sound Cloud will see a digital sound light sculpture inspired by cosmic clouds and nebulas on St. Columb’s Cathedral.

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In keeping with the Irish legend of the Morrigan (where a shape-shifting harbinger of death and war took the form of a crow or raven), and reflecting Halloween’s Celtic roots in Samhain, A Murder of Crows has hellish creatures of the dark soaring high into the night sky before dropping down to earth to devour their prey.

Bringing some Latin flavour will be the Day of the Dead living disco, in homage to the Mexican festival of Dia De Los Muertos. In the city’s Garden of Reflection, In Your Space Circus will create a stunning altar to worship past souls and beckon them through the veil into this world.

As before, local people in the Fountain and Bogside will also be involved in delivering a slice of the Awakening the Walls action, alongside other communities including the Greater Shantallow Community Arts project.

With bawling banshees and blasts from the past, never-seen-before marvels and cutting-edge arts, watch light and dark battle on our ancient City walls and surrounding areas from 28 to 30 October, 6pm to 8.30pm.

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Trail maps will be available from the information point at Guildhall Square.

Other highlight’s of this year’s Derry Halloween – voted Best International Experience at the NI Tourism Awards – include a CarnivalParade and fireworks finale, Little Horrors family fun, and the first ever LegenDerry Halloween food event.

For more information on Awakening the Walls and Derry Halloween, visit www.derryhalloween.com or follow @DerryHalloween on social media #DerryHalloween.

Related topics:DerryCeltic