Northern Lights: We Have Arrived: Renewing Roots
Date: 6.10.25 - 31.10.25
Time: All Day
Location: Northern Lights, Cains Brewery Village, 5 Mann Street, Liverpool, L8 5AF
Fréa’s Renewing Roots programme supports former residents of Ireland’s Mother and Baby and County Home institutions who now live in the north of England.
Their arts for wellbeing group began in spring 2025 with the aim of using creative practices to explore their experiences and build a community of understanding. The group meet monthly and enjoy a programme of activities with UK and Irish artists and facilitators.
Led by Liverpool potter Olivia Rowan, the group have hand-made, decorated and glazed ceramic sections which together represent the cross-section of a root. The Fréa Renewing Roots logo is inspired by the root — ‘fréamh’ in Irish — as they are anchored and strengthened by their shared heritage. The green leaf shoot of Renewing Roots represents growth and hope for the future.
Scan the exhibition’s QR code to hear the poem We Have Arrived, written in collaboration with theatre-maker and writer Aoibh Clarke (Wee Yarn Productions). A fully accessible version of the poem will be available as part of the event on 1 Nov 2025 at The Bluecoat, where visitors are invited to meet the contributors and hear excerpts from Fréa Renewing Roots oral history project, soon to be stored at The Institute of Irish Studies (University of Liverpool).
This event has been organised as a commemorative event by Renewing Roots, with funding from the Government of Ireland (DCEDIY Commemorative Grant Scheme). Fréa is funded — with thanks the Irish Government — via the Irish Embassy in London’s Emigrant Support Programme.
Free, just turn up during café hours
