C S Lewis Centenary Group

Newsletter of the C S Lewis Centenary Group, commemorating Lewis's Centenary in his native land.

Number 2, June 1997.

HISTORICAL TRAIL

The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Cllr Dr Ian Adamson, and the Mayor of North Down, Cllr Mrs Irene Cree, opened the C S Lewis historical trail in glorious weather on 27th May. Both Mayors received copies of the Group's new brochure The C S Lewis Trail in Belfast and North Down. More than 50 guests attended the launch. Ulster Television gave the event four minutes' coverage in their main evening news.

Smashing

'The C.S. Lewis Trail and the C. S. Lewis News... are both smashing.'
Walter Hooper, scholar

'v. impressed by brochure...congratulations on the whole project':
Rosemary Evans, Head of Publications, Northern Ireland Tourist Board.

'What an excellent brochure. It does the job beautifully and I wish it every success.'
Paull Tickner, Managing Director, British Heritage Tours.

'beautifully done'
Rev Perry Bramlett, C S Lewis for the Local Interstate Ministries [USA]

Guided Tours

The first guided tour of the C S Lewis Trail took place on 7 June. Thirteen members of the public walked the route St Mark's-Little Lea-Bernagh- and return, followed by a tour of St Mark's Church.

The remaining guided tours take place on the first Saturdays in July and August, departing from St Mark's Church, Holywood Road, Belfast, at 10 am. St Mark's remains open to the public throughout June, July and August, each Wednesday and Saturday (11 am-4 pm) and each Sunday (2 pm-5 pm).

TREASURER

We welcome Mrs Joan Whiteside as the Group's new Treasurer. Joan is well-known as Chairman of the Northern Ireland General Consumer Council. And as wife to John, a Group member as well. Joan will be working with Mark Larmour [of the Church of Ireland's ACE Ventures] on financial planning and fund-raising for the Group

INTERNET

The Centenary Group has recently established a site on the Internet http://www.d-n-a.net/users/cslewis. And a direct E-mail address cslewis@dnet.co.uk. We thank Carnson, Morrow, Graham, Solicitors, of Belfast and Bangor, for their generous sponsorship.

C S LEWIS: THE MUSICAL

Keith Getty [of New Irish Music] and Douglas Gresham are co-operating on a Musical based on the the life of C.S. Lewis, to be called Surprised by Joy. Keith has written the music and Douglas will present the work. The musical is planned to open in England in February 1998. A modified version will later come to Belfast's Waterfront Hall.

DAVID BLEAKLEY addressed the Oxford University C. S. Lewis Society on 2 June.

LOGO Simon Adley writes that Harper-Collins [the publishers of C S Lewis's books] are working on a logo for the Centenary.

INTERNET CAFE Jack's Other Worlds Internet Cafe of 110 High Street, Holywood, Co. Down BT18 9AG, is a cafe with a C. S. Lewis theme, owned by Raymond McCullough. Tel/fax: (01232)-422009, E-mail: Raymond@other-worlds.com.

VIDEO An American video on the life of C. S. Lewis is to hand. The Director of the original film, Bob O'Donnell of Chicago, recently sent the copy to the owners of Little Lea [where he filmed in 1978]. John Whiteside is undertaking the task of formatting the copy for European video players.

LITTLE LEA Members of the C S Lewis Centenary Group have enjoyed private visits to see Little Lea, courtesy of the owners.

FELLOW The Cultural Traditions Group will announce the name of the C S Lewis Cultural Traditions Fellow towards the end of June.

FUSION North Down Borough Council's Arts Newsletter, Fusion, will feature Arthur Greeves, friend of CSL, in its next issue.

SOUTH-EAST EDUCATION AND LIBRARY BOARD will feature the C.S. Lewis Trail in its Religious Education newsletter.

BAYBURN HISTORICAL SOCIETY [Helen's Bay and Crawfordsburn] have invited James O'Fee to speak to them on 21st January [8 pm, Crawfordsburn Country Park Centre]. The subject will be 'C S Lewis and Crawfordsburn'.

BOOKLET Tony Wilson is planning to write a pamphlet or booklet for the Centenary year containing more detail on Lewis's Irish links.

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