Bangor’s commemoration of the 1400th anniversary of the death of Columbanus will come to a climax over the weekend 20th to 22nd November when the Columbanus 1400 Festival will be held in the town.

The festival opens with the now–traditional Journey of a Single Day concert in Bangor Abbey on the evening of Friday 20th.

On Saturday 21st there will be a series of talks by noted experts on the subject of Columbanus together with story–telling and song for the younger audience. Admission to these talks will all be free of charge.

Saturday evening sees a concert of music of the time together with new settings of texts by Columbanus himself. This takes place in First Bangor Presbyterian Church.

It is followed on Sunday afternoon by the first performance in Northern Ireland of a new work telling some of the Columbanus story in words and music.

Finally, the festival reaches its conclusion on Sunday evening with a United Celebration in Bangor Abbey at which the preacher will be Lord Eames who began his own ecclesiastical journey as Curate in Bangor Parish.

Further details, including a full programme, can be downloaded here.