## **Cleamairí Feirste - Belfast Wren Boys** ## **Annual Report April 2025** Charity no. 108217 Date registered. 17/09/2021 Public benefits The direct benefits flowing from purpose A include; higher standards of the arts and increased awareness and understanding of Irish culture, language and indigenous arts. The direct benefits flowing from purpose B include; enhanced appreciation and understanding of indigenous arts for people of all ages and backgrounds and a feeling of happiness. What our organisation does Provide workshops and performances in indigenous arts especially music, poetry, dance, song, drama, mumming and the Wren Boy tradition. The charity’s classifications The advancement of the arts, culture, heritage or science Who the charity helps Addictions (drug/solvent/alcohol abuse) Asylum seekers/refugees Children (5-13 year olds) Ethnic minorities Ex-offenders and prisoners General public Hiv/aids Interface communities Language community Learning disabilities Men Mental health Older people Overseas/developing countries Parents Physical disabilities Preschool (0-5 year olds) Sensory disabilities Specific areas of deprivation Travellers Unemployed/low income Victim support Voluntary and community sector Volunteers Women Youth (14-25 year olds) How the charity works Arts events Community development Community enterprise Cross-border/crosscommunity Cultural events Working with people with Disabilities Education/training General charitable purposes Heritage/historical Playgroup/after schools Cleamairí Feirste- The Belfast Wren Boys Charitable purposes 2.1 The charitable purposes of Cleamairí Feirste – The Belfast Wren Boys are: (a) to enhance the traditional arts with emphasis on the promotion of the Irish language through indigenous arts especially music, poetry, dance, song, drama, mumming and the Wren Boy tradition; (b) to enhance the educational and social experiences of people of all ages with an emphasis on social inclusion, community development and peace and reconciliation through the provision of indigenous arts; (c) to develop and provide a programme of events in the area of benefit; (d) to develop and provide arts, cultural, educational and community development events throughout the year in the area of benefit; (e) to provide skills training and personal development capacity and opportunities for all citizens in the area of benefit; (f) to offer people in the area of benefit the opportunity to participate in activities based on arts and crafts, music, song, drama, storytelling, poetry and dance; (g) To enhance community links between the area of benefit i.e. the Irish language speaking community, traditional and indigenous arts communities, schools, care homes, etc. Cleamairí Feirste- The Belfast Wren Boys People 4 Trustees N/A Employees N/A Volunteers Contact details Email: cleamairifeirste@gmail.com Tel: 07803501916 Trustees Daithí Mac Uait Jo Fitzsimmons Gerry Crossan John (Jackie) Mc Mullan Public address Mr Cormac Ó Briain, 283-289 Antrim Road, Belfast, County Antrim, BT15 2GZ ## **Trustees Report** ## **Financial Year ended 05/04/2025** Cleamairí Feirste has gone from strength to strength this year. We succeeded in further promoting our organisation to new audiences throughout Ireland. We managed to break into new festivals and develop relationships with artistic organisations and community groups which will continue into the future. Our organisation developed new plays and material. We feel that the organisation is really moving in the right direction and that we are in a good place looking to the future. The Organisations main goal this year was to build on the work done last year to develop the organisation so we could expand our exposure to new audiences and avenues of publicity. The organisation has both developed current material and produced new shows and plays. Most notably a collaboration of Maori mythology and Irish culture and storytelling in a play about Maui capturing the sun, and a story of how Cú Chullainn got his name. Activities we have undertaken this financial year are as follows: ## **Cumann Cultúrtha Mhic Reachtain** CCMR Summer School Lúnasa community festival ## **Radio Fáilte 03/05/2024 & 04/02/2025** Bealtaine Celebration Inbolc Celebration ## **Cultúrlann Mac Adaim Ó Fiaich 11/05/2024** Performances for gaelscoil children ## **Belfast Tradfest July 24** Performance at Titanic Ceilidh ## **Foras na Gaeilge Project Mar-Oct 2024** 10 Performances in Gaelscoileanna and Gaelionaid in Gaeltacht areas. ## **Ultach Trust Project Spring 2024** 10 shows in places in which the Irish language is not commonly used ## **Artsekta 18/05/2024** Community parade in Belfast ## **Upper Andersonstown Community Forum 21/06/2024** Summer solstice celebration ## **If You Know You Know Festival 24/08/2024** Traditional Performance ## **Ulster Folk and Transport Museum 29 & 30/10/2024** Halloween Performances ## **Skainos East Belfast 31/10/2024** Cross community project ## **RSPB 21/12/2024** Winter Solstice Festival ## **Shaw’s Road Gaeltacht Belfast 25/12/2024** Lá an Dreoilín Community Play ## **Goals for the coming year** Our goals for the coming year are to increase our international performances and promote ourselves further within Ireland. We also want to continue to develop new plays and material. We also want to increase and develop our pool of performers to strengthen the organisation for the future. |Signed|Date|Signed|Date| |---|---|---|---| |J McMullan.||Gerry Crossan|| |**Chairman**||**Hon Treasurer**||