World Police and Fire Games

One of the largest multi sports events in the world is coming to Northern Ireland this August.  The World Police and Fire Games is a biennial event commonly referred to as the ‘Olympics’ for serving and retired police, fire, prison and border security officers.  Belfast won the right to host the Games following a competitive pitch led by Dame Mary Peters in 2007.

From 1st – 10th August thousands of athletes along with their friends and families from up to 70 countries across the world will compete in over 57 sports in 42 selected venues across Northern Ireland.  As well as the traditional sports you would expect in an event of this size there are also a few more unusual sports such as Ultimate Fire Fighter, Stair Race and Toughest Competitive Alive which are unique to the Games.

Whilst the majority of the sports are being held in Belfast there are also another 13 official venues outside the City.  For example canoeing will be in Castlewellan Lake; Beach Volleyball will be at East Strand, Portrush; Tollymore National Outdoor Centre will host orienteering and Bangor Aurora Aquatics and Leisure Centre will be home to swimming, netball, bench press and water polo.

All the events which are open to the public are free of charge for spectators. 

Our latest new asset.

Bangor Aurora Aquatic and Leisure Complex has a wide range of facilities offering an excellent choice of sporting and leisure activities and is only 5-10 minutes from Whitethorn Cottages

  

Facilities include:

* Leisure waters with flumes and sidewinder slide
* 3 Swimming pools
* Health Suite
* Fitness Suite
* Eight court sports hall
* Two squash courts
* Outdoor floodlit synthetic grass pitch for matches and training
* Children’s soft adventure play area and themed soft play facility suitable for parties
* Children's creche
* Two function rooms
* Cafeteria

Happy Easter

Easter crafts.face painting,traditional music & Ark Farm small animal road show are all on today. Visit Cockle Row Cottages in Groomsport for a step back in time between 2pm & 4pm today the 31st March.

Whitethorn today

We are four days into spring and this is the weather!! Let us hope for better over Easter!

Festival marks 400yrs of Bangor Co Down

Festival marks 400 years of Bangor

A SPECIAL festival - Bangor 400 - has been launched to mark the 400th anniversary of the formal creation of Bangor. 

The festivities were announced at the North Down Museum where a new exhibition, on display until April 28, has been created to celebrate the origins and growth of Bangor.

Taking centre place at the exhibition is the Bangor Royal Charter, signed by King James I on March 18, 1613, which declared: “and forever hereafter shall be one entire and free Borough of itself, by the name of the Borough, and be nominated and called from henceforth the Borough of Bangor.”

Other festivities that Bangor resident can expect include a 400 themed carnival parade on April 1, when over 300 local children and young people will take to the streets followed by King James who will be carrying the Town Charter.

Theatre lovers are in for a treat as there will be a production of Shakespeare’s tragic love story Romeo & Juliet held in the surroundings of Bangor Castle’s Walled Garden on July 25.

Happy Saint Patrick's day

Happy St Patrick's day!!

Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin said St Patrick's Day was a time for Irish men and women around the world to "celebrate Irishness" and "celebrate our identity".

In Belfast, Sophie Habibis from the X Factor and the Red Hot Chilli Pipers took to the stage at Custom House Square.

Latest forecast

We have had a good fall of snow in the last couple of hours and it looks like there is more on it's way.

 Be prepared bring your wellie boots. Signs are covered with snow and you may not beable to read them but this is what you are looking for.

Welcome to Whitethorn Cottages with snow.

We now have no green grass left we are just white with snow.
Happy Saint Patricks day.

Celebrate St Patrick's Day

Be part of Belfast’s St Patrick’s Festival and enjoy exhibitions, music, talks, arts and crafts workshops, children’s colouring competition, tea dances and films all celebrating St Patrick. The festival highlight will be the annual parade and concert on Sunday 17 March 2013. Belfast City Centre will come alive with the annual carnival parade involving community groups from throughout Belfast, professional and amateur performers, musicians and acrobats. The parade leaves Belfast City Hall at 12noon and travels to Custom House Square where there will be a free outdoor concert from 1pm-3pm with an eclectic range of entertainment, including traditional Irish, Ulster Scots, pop and multicultural music and dance. 



St Patrick’s celebrations will also be taking place in St George’s Market with a weekend of family activities including dance displays and more. The Ulster Hall will be holding musical workshops, talks and literary sessions and a photographic exhibition, as well as St Patrick’s dances on Sunday 17 March.  Belfast’s Waterfront Hall will host the annual St Patrick’s Day concert in partnership with BBC Northern Ireland on the evening of Sunday 17 March. Free tickets to this event will be allocated by random draw. You can apply for tickets from 4-18 February 2013, through the BBC Shows, Tours and Events website www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours

There will also be a number of events happening within local communities to mark St.Patrick’s Day. These events are funded by the Council’s Good Relations Unit to assist local organisations to celebrate the day. 

The latest news

Mervyn Jess went along to meet Northern Ireland's latest celebrity

An abandoned dog, found in a sack on a Northern Ireland riverbank, has claimed a top award at Crufts.

Becky was a six-week-old pup when she was saved by passers-by, seven years ago.

She was adopted by retired teacher Margaret McKnight and at the weekend was picked by former Eastenders actress Pam St Clement as the champion mongrel.

The Scruffts awards have been going for 12 years but this is the first time they have been part of Crufts.

Margaret, from Bangor, County Down, told how the dog had been saved from extinction.

"A litter sack was dumped in the towpath near Lisburn and a couple of ladies saw the gentleman leaving the sack and they went over and lifted it," she said. "The rest is history.

"Assisi animal sanctuary got them all homed and I got the only blonde in the litter, which turned out to be Becky.

"I had her DNA taken a few years ago and she really is a mongrel of mongrels.

"She has a lovely personality and she is a really friendly dog.

"She is a 'pets-as-therapy' dog so she is used to meeting and greeting people.

"We have dogs in the charity who would go into nursing homes, units for people with Alzheimer's or special schools, all sorts of places where you don't normally have a dog."

Margaret also paid tribute to the Kennel Club for introducing the new category for mongrels to the competition.

"This is new, but it is wonderful that they have acknowledged this wonderful variety of dogs that are out there and that make super pets," she added.

"They might not have the breeding but they certainly have the temperament and the good looks."

Backing Belfast

Now the snow has disappeared, everyone is concentrating on encouraging people to visit Belfast and support the bars and restaurants and enjoy the shopping in the city. We have felt and upsurge in inquiries and hope that 2013 will be a year for lots of visitors and a good time for all.

The campaign aims to encourage people to vote with their feet, to come out and get behind 

retailers, restaurants and bars.

Already struggling with the recession and winter weather, many in the hospitality sector have been 

brought to their knees by weeks of flag protests.

For seven weeks, normal daily life has been disrupted by ongoing protests and rioting that have 

turned away vital custom and forced traders to watch profits plummet.

But we believe our city can bounce back. Today’s paper includes a series of deals and special 

offers to encourage people to come into the city this weekend.

Our campaign has received wide-ranging support from across Northern Ireland and beyond — from 

Prime Minister David Cameron and First Minister Peter Robinson, other senior politicians 

politicians, business groups and those in the entertainment industry.

And their message is unequivocally the same — please make a point of doing something to support 

the local economy, especially this weekend.

Snow arrives in Belfast

The snow arrives at Whitethorn 2013

We expect my tomorrow morning it will be a good bit deeper as there seems to be plently of snow falling now.

Latest pictures of the snow here at Whitethorn Cottages today. Both Belfast  airports are open.