PI Week 21 May 21 - May 27, 2011 Get back to nature with BBC NI’s Wild Week Live Wild Week Live is a celebration of our rich wildlife from around Northern Ireland Programme Information New this week Get back to nature with BBC NI’s Wild Week Live Page 3 Wild Week Live is a celebration of our rich wildlife from around Northern Ireland BBC NI gears up for the NW200 Page 5 BBC Sport Northern Ireland is putting bike fans on pole position with its extensive NW200 coverage across TV, radio and online The Championship returns on BBC Northern Ireland Page 8 The Ulster Championship kicks off with Donegal v Antrim on BBC Two NI Tubáiste Bhaile Mhánais Page 11 Irish Language documentary investigating the explosion of a World War II sea mine in the Gaeltacht village of Ballymanus in 1943 BBC Broadcasting House celebrates 70th birthday with Open House Page 13 BBC Northern Ireland hosts a week of activities to celebrate the landmark birthday of BBC Broadcasting House 2 Get back to nature with BBC NI’s Wild Week Live A celebration of wildlife on BBC NI across TV, radio & online Wild Week Live is running from Saturday, May 21 to Saturday, May 28 across BBC NI TV, radio & onlne Wild Week Live is a celebration of our rich wildlife from around Northern Ireland. Throughout the week (Saturday May 21 to Satur- day, May 28) BBC NI will uncover the rich flora and fauna which ex- ist in this country and encourage audiences to go out and explore their great outdoors. The week long TV and radio extravaganza will kick off on BBC Radio Ulster on Satur- day, May 21 at 8am with a special Your Place And Mine. The programme will broadcast live from Church Bay in the heart of Rathlin, as Anne Marie McAleese meets residents young and old and discovers what makes island life so special, while Darryl Grimason delves deep into Rathlin’s unique natural history. It will feature puffins, shy golden hares and rare orchids, thriving communi- ties of common and grey seals, and an enor- mous, raucous seabird colony. Then from Monday to Friday (May 23 to 27) Darryl Grimason & Donna Traynor there will be five 15 minute special live BBC Radio Ulster programmes each morning at dio Foyle has been tasked with diving with On television there are also five half hour 10.15am with presenter Etta Halliday. We basking sharks and whales off the coast daily programmes from Monday, May 23 to will go to the places which are often for- of Donegal. Etta Halliday is really excited Thursday, May 27 on BBC One NI at 7pm gotten like the Montiaghs, close to Lough about the project: She says: “I will get to see which will come live from the Wildfowl and Neagh, which is a haven for the wonderfully places that I never knew existed and also – Wetlands Trust Centre at Castle Espie near iridescent dragonfly; or the Correl Glen in just as exciting – to revisit places from my Comber and various other outside broad- Fermanagh. Mark Patterson from BBC Ra- childhood!” casts will feed into the main programme 3 from around Northern Ireland. The week will culminate in a special hour long pro- gramme at 7pm on Friday, May 27. Presented by Donna Traynor and Darryl Grimason these programmes will celebrate our diverse wildlife by showcasing nature from all parts of Northern Ireland. We will see badgers, bats, foxes and ancient forests alongside starlings, pine martens, hares and red kites. The programme will also meet the people who have a passion for the great outdoors. Each night Donna and Darryl will be en- couraging the audience to undertake some Radio presenters, John Toal, Etta Halliday & Anne Marie McAleese wildlife projects of their own. This will in- clude Moth Night where they will show hatchery, nest boxes and a swallow’s nest them to reflect on how the natural world people how to attract and observe moths throughout the week. Audiences will be relates to spirituality. in their own back gardens with a moth able to access this footage throughout the hunt in Londonderry with Gerry Anderson. week at bbc.co.uk/ni In Gardeners’ Corner on Saturday, May 28 There will also be tips on how to get the at 9am Cherrie McIlwaine will be visiting best from the wildlife in your own back gar- Darryl Grimason says: “This is a golden op- gardens where wildlife and gardeners live den and advice on the best places in North- portunity to celebrate this lovely corner of in harmony. Birds, bees, butterflies and lady- ern Ireland to see wildlife at its best. the world that we share with some incred- birds are just some of the small creatures ible wildlife. I am having a ball at the mo- that add to the rich tapestry of gardening Throughout the week we shall also see a ment filming inserts for the programme. I and Cherrie will be finding out what gar- deners can do to ensure wildlife is protect- host of other familiar BBC NI presenters have been swimming in Strangford Lough ed in both urban and rural gardens. like Lynette Fay who will be spending the with the biggest conger eels ever seen here night searching for badgers and Mark Car- – 130lbs and about 7ft long - have climbed The Sounds Classical on Sunday, May 22 on ruthers who will be travelling to County 100ft up an oak tree to see eye to eye with BBC Radio Ulster will also feature music Fermanagh to find out more about the pine resting herons and we have even captured inspired by the Natural World. marten. Gerry Kelly will be at Tollymore NI’s rarest wild flower on camera.” with some, increasingly rare, red squirrels. The week will finish with a live broadcast Dan Gordon will be checking out the urban Donna Traynor says: “Often we are oblivi- from BBC Radio Ulster’s Saturday Magazine foxes in Belfast. ous to the wonderful wildlife that’s right on at 10am from Castle Espie. John Toal will be our doorsteps. This week gives us the op- taking time to feed the ducks whilst reliving The programme will also show footage portunity to explore that world up close. his adventure canoeing along the Strangford from live webcams which will be filming We want everyone to get involved to redis- to Newry trail and Saturday Magazine’s chef new life emerging at Castle Espie in the cover what’s wild where they live.” Paula McIntyre will be making an irresistible picnic if you’re out and about exploring the Throughout the week, BBC Radio Ulster Northern Ireland countryside. will also have several Wild Week specials including a special Morning Service on Sun- Wildlife fans can also follow the BBC Barn day, May 22 at 10.15am. In this programme Owl, ‘Ollie’, on twitter as well as upload Rev Willis Cordner, Rev Elizabeth Hanna your own local wildlife photos onto the and Father Martin Magill will be visiting BBC Wild Week flickr and Facebook sites. places which have special significance for 4 BBC NI gears up for the NW200 BBC NI is once again putting bike fans in pole position for this year’s NW200 Stephen Watson at the NW200 BBC Sport Northern Ireland The comprehensive coverage will ensure On TV, up to 30 cameras will capture is putting bike fans on pole that fans don’t miss any of the high-octane what’s happening on the circuit including action with previews, all the news from onboard cameras, heli-camera and kerb position with its extensive NW200 the pit lane, live race coverage, reports cams. The TV coverage starts with a preview coverage across TV, radio and from behind-the-scenes, interviews and programme on BBC One Northern Ireland online at one of the most famous features on the riders, the fans and the on Friday night (May 20) from 10.35pm and prestigious motorsport events people who make it one of the sport’s biggest with Stephen Watson and Steve Parrish in the world. attractions. live from the Triangle with special guests, 5 Stephen Watson interviews John McGuinness for BBC Newsline at the NW 200 features and the latest news from the 7.00pm to 9.00pm, Thursday, May 19 from with a special preview programme on BBC North Coast. BBC Newsline will also come 10.00am to 2.00pm and all six races on Radio Ulster MW from the Paddock. live from the North West during the week Saturday, May 21 from 11.00am to 6.30pm. with special reports from the circuit. The first two races on Saturday (May 21) On Saturday, attention turns to live will also be live behind the red button from coverage of all the race day action Live race streaming, practice, interviews 10.30am. starting at 10.30am presented by and results through the dedicated website, Michael McNamee and Joel Taggart with bbc.co.uk/nw200 will offer fans BBC Radio Ulster starts its coverage commentary from Chris Kinley and comprehensive coverage. There will be with commentary of Thursday’s practice Adrian Coates. Richard Petrie is joined at practice sessions on Tuesday, May 17 from session, getting underway at 10.00am on Ballysally by Jeff McMullan and Dave Moore MW with Michael McNamee and Joel completes the team from his commentary Taggart presenting all the action from the position at Metropole. There will be build practice races with Chris Kinley and Adrian up and commentary of all races plus pre Coates heading up the commentary team.