“Cecil Frances Alexander Celebrated” Project Concludes with Lasting Legacy of Music, Heritage and Reconciliation.

In April 2026, The Churches Trust proudly announced the successful completion of “Cecil Frances Alexander Celebrated,” as a landmark cross-community and cross-border heritage project delivered through the PEACEPLUS Programme and supported by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) and Derry City & Strabane District Council.

April brought a final gathering of our Steering Group with a Lunch and evaluation at The Grassroots Café, off John Wesley Street in Strabane.  This marks the completion of our celebratory year, creating events, talks and workshops which brought this much-loved hymnist to the wider community.

Over the course of the project, communities from across Strabane, Derry~Londonderry, Donegal, Killeter and surrounding areas came together to explore and celebrate the life, legacy and enduring influence of one of Ireland’s most internationally recognised hymn writers, Cecil Frances Alexander. The project combined music, heritage, creative arts, education and dialogue to promote peacebuilding, shared understanding and cultural connection across communities. 

Through an ambitious programme of workshops, lectures, heritage events and performances, participants of all ages and backgrounds engaged with Alexander’s story in meaningful and contemporary ways. Highlights included the “Each Bird Sings” cross-community writing workshops led by writer Kathy Donaghy, intergenerational lantern-making workshops, the ‘All Souls Lantern Walk’ through Strabane, and a cross-border evening of music and reflection at The Old Rectory in Fahan, Co. Donegal. 

One of the defining moments of the programme was the celebratory concert held at Christ Church Strabane, which united choirs from across the North-West in a major musical event celebrating Alexander’s contribution to hymnody and community life. Participating choirs included The Inishowen Gospel Choir, St. Columb’s Cathedral Choir, Strabane Chorale, Strabane Controlled Primary School Choir and Strabane Academy Choir.   We were grateful to Sir Robert Scott for giving the opening address.

The evening culminated in the world premiere of “The Angels Stand Around Us All” a newly commissioned contemporary hymn composed by Nicky Morton and Louis Fields of St. Columb’s School of Music. Inspired by research into the life and writings of Cecil Frances Alexander, the piece represented a powerful symbol of unity, inclusion and shared cultural heritage. 

Another significant achievement was the launch of the “Bright & Beautiful” Heritage Bus Tour, a cross-border journey tracing the landscapes, churches and communities associated with Alexander’s life and work. Participants travelled through Strabane, Killeter, Baronscourt, Fahan and Derry~Londonderry, exploring themes of faith, poetry, education, women’s history and social conscience.  The tour concluded at Alexander’s graveside in Derry City Cemetery with a shared rendition of ‘There Is a Green Hill Far Away’, providing a reflective and moving finale to the experience. 

Steering group members and participants worked collaboratively throughout the programme, building lasting friendships, encouraging dialogue and creating welcoming spaces for shared learning and creativity. 

Speaking on the completion of the project, Project Coordinator Sinéad Smyth said:

“Cecil Frances Alexander Celebrated has shown how heritage, music and storytelling can bring people together in meaningful and lasting ways. Through workshops, performances, shared journeys and conversations, communities from different traditions and backgrounds discovered common ground in the life and legacy of a remarkable woman whose compassion, creativity and social conscience continue to inspire today. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who participated, supported and contributed to this project.”

Our Steering Group members have been Howard Crowe, Rosemary Doherty, Fiona Fagan, Peter Ferguson, Elaine Graham, George Irwin, Judi McGaffin, Pat McGuigan, Mark Roxborough, Bridgeen Rutherford, Marlene Skuce, Gordon Smyth, Trevor Smyth and John White, with support from Elizabeth Fielding, Robert McGonigle and Gordon Speer.

The Churches Trust are grateful to the project Steering Group, facilitators, schools, churches, choirs, historians, researchers, artists and community participants whose commitment and enthusiasm helped make the programme such a success.  Thank you.