Love Trail is 
attracting 
global visitors

NATURE lovers are invited to take a walk on The Lagan Love Trail this summer in what is described as the area’s first public art poetry trail.

The trail has been designed by artist Liam de Frinse who has created “Ireland’s longest love poem” along a seven-mile stretch of the Lagan Towpath.

Walkers are encouraged to participate in this unique public art form and follow the treasure trail to find the words in the artist’s poem, ‘My Lagan Love’ which has been written especially for the project.

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Starting at the Island Arts Centre in Lisburn, the trail ends at Shaw’s Bridge, Belfast, with lines from the poem punctuating the route.

There will also be a series of visual encounters along the way, including tree, water and salmon kite installations, air sculptures and a poetry art tree with a ‘Forest of Letters’.

On completion of the trail, participants will receive a certificate for their endeavours and a copy of ‘My Lagan Love’ - and will be asked to submit a seven-line poem reflecting their journey.

Submitted poems will then be placed on a ‘Poetry Tree’ and included in a future publication of ‘Unsung Voices of the Lagan’.

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The focus of all the action is an ‘Arts Lab’ which doubles up as Liam’s studio at Minnowburn National Trust from where the artist first began his mammoth task in January - donning ski gear to make a ‘love nest’ in the frosty weather.

“The problem with working out in the cold is that your hands go numb and you could damage them and not feel anything,” Liam said. “I got to work using raw materials lying on the forest floor and learning about the stress and strains of the material at hand - dogwood, hazel, ash and some willow.

“The love nest is now growing with the seasons and it has been great to welcome so many visitors from different countries including China, Canada, America, Greece, Italy, France and across the UK and Ireland.”

Liam has urged more local people to check out the trail and has thanked Minnowburn National Trust, LVRD, DCAL and the Lagan Canal Trust, as well as all visitors to date for their encouragement and support.

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