Sound Walk - Water Walk, Water Talk, Water Listen
Ormeau Road Library, Belfast, BT7 3GG
Saturday 18th April 2026
WATER WALK, WATER TALK, WATER LISTEN
By Blanc Sceol (Stephen Shiell & Hannah White), with Peter Doran, Kathy Dunphy and Jimbo Crossan.
This two-hour sound walk and sharing circle explores the sensory, mythic, ecological and political dimensions of the waters around Belfast, through the lens of the Rights of Nature movement and newly formed River Rights UK network.
Guided by listening and sound, the walk will create a space to accept and grieve the polluted realities of our waterways and share gestures to offer our intentions for change, sensing and expanding the connections between our own inner waters and the aquatic flows of the planet. Peter, Kathy and Jimbo will bring story, song and poetry to guide us into an awareness of Lough Neagh to the west and the Irish Sea to the east, situating us within the watery layers of the terrain and inviting us to contemplate our own attunements to water.
The walk is developed and facilitated by artists Blanc Sceol (Stephen Shiell & Hannah White) in collaboration with academic and activist Peter Doran (Queen’s University Belfast) and activist & musician Kathy Dunphy (Eco Unesco), and with participation from local story teller Jimbo Crossan.
We will follow the path of the River Lagan upstream from Ormeau Bridge to the Lock Keeper’s Inn in Belvoir Park Forest.
The walk will also be live streamed for remote listening: https://locus.creacast.com:9443/belfast_water_walk.mp3 Please note, this will only activate just before the walk.
Starting point: Ormeau Library https://maps.app.goo.gl/sBPaLJzuXBAwiuhf7
Ending point: The Lock Keepers Inn https://maps.app.goo.gl/PqeZ3YNmPVjz2tpZ7
Please wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather accordingly.
For those that require it, return transport can be provided from the end point back to Ormeau Library.
By Blanc Sceol (Stephen Shiell & Hannah White), with Peter Doran, Kathy Dunphy and Jimbo Crossan.
This two-hour sound walk and sharing circle explores the sensory, mythic, ecological and political dimensions of the waters around Belfast, through the lens of the Rights of Nature movement and newly formed River Rights UK network.
Guided by listening and sound, the walk will create a space to accept and grieve the polluted realities of our waterways and share gestures to offer our intentions for change, sensing and expanding the connections between our own inner waters and the aquatic flows of the planet. Peter, Kathy and Jimbo will bring story, song and poetry to guide us into an awareness of Lough Neagh to the west and the Irish Sea to the east, situating us within the watery layers of the terrain and inviting us to contemplate our own attunements to water.
The walk is developed and facilitated by artists Blanc Sceol (Stephen Shiell & Hannah White) in collaboration with academic and activist Peter Doran (Queen’s University Belfast) and activist & musician Kathy Dunphy (Eco Unesco), and with participation from local story teller Jimbo Crossan.
We will follow the path of the River Lagan upstream from Ormeau Bridge to the Lock Keeper’s Inn in Belvoir Park Forest.
The walk will also be live streamed for remote listening: https://locus.creacast.com:9443/belfast_water_walk.mp3 Please note, this will only activate just before the walk.
Starting point: Ormeau Library https://maps.app.goo.gl/sBPaLJzuXBAwiuhf7
Ending point: The Lock Keepers Inn https://maps.app.goo.gl/PqeZ3YNmPVjz2tpZ7
Please wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather accordingly.
For those that require it, return transport can be provided from the end point back to Ormeau Library.
