Magnus Barelegs Viking Festival 2007 - Press Room

Taken from the Down Recorder - 11/04/2007

No clowning around in Circus skills classes

A unique event to provide local people with the opportunity to learn circus skills kicks off in Killyleagh next Tuesday. The six-week course is being organised in conjunction with the town’s hugely successful Magnus Barelegs Viking Festival. The Community Festival Fund has awarded the organisers a grant to train a small group of local people in circus skills to take part in the three-day Viking festival which starts on 18th May 2007.

Mr. Tony Davies, chairman of the Killyleagh Social Partnership which is organising the event, said every year they try to make the festival bigger and better and to introduce new elements to it. “The circus skills and costume and arts workshops will enable still more local people to take part and will make the event even more fun for everyone,” he explained. “Those who take part will receive professional training and, who knows, it may launch someone on a new career.”

The circus skills course starts next Tuesday at the Killyleagh Drop-In centre at the Cross.  A course aimed at 8 to 13 year-olds will run for six weeks, starting at 6.30pm.  The adults course, for those aged 13 and over, will be held on the same night, starting at 8pm.

The skills course is complemented by costume and arts workshops which will provide people with an opportunity to make their own costume for the parade and festival. “We want to give people the opportunity to join in the festival and making their own costumes or making costumes for others is a great way of doing that,” said Meabh Ivers, one of the workshop organisers. “While some will want to make circus costumes, others will want to make Viking clothing and shields.  We’ll cater for both.”

The costume workshops will commence on April 17 and also run for six weeks.  Once again, the 8-13 year old workshop will be at 6.30pm and the senior workshop at 8pm.