All Souls Lantern Walk

The Steering Group and Project Coordinator encouraged families to become a river of light on Saturday November 1st, between 5 -8pm, as they hosted an ‘All Souls Lantern Walk’ in Strabane.  The Churches Trust is partnered with various community groups, in memory of Cecil Frances Alexander to acknowledge and remember her care for others and her love of the environment.  “She was a true light in difficult times and her hymns, including ‘All things Bright and Beautiful’ and ‘Once in Royal David’s City’, brought joy and hope into the lives of everyday people”, said Mary Holmes, CEO of The Churches Trust. 

Artist and Project Coordinator for Cecil Frances Alexander Celebrated, Sinéad Smyth, guided participants through the process of bending willow into tepee style, handheld lanterns and ways to decorate these with tissue paper.  These intergenerational workshops were free and open to all.  Families, parents, grandparents and guardians were encouraged to become involved.  Lantern designs focused on words and motifs from the works of Cecil Frances Alexander, using the descriptions of flowers, birds etc. from her songs and poems. 

These workshops were in preparation for our guided ‘All Souls Lantern Walk’ through the streets of Strabane on November 1^st which included short, shared events (stories, song and poems) at various venues along the way, relating to Cecil Frances Alexander.  This included Partick Street Graveyard, where children from the ‘School for the Deaf and Mute’ are buried.  The walk ended with seasonal refreshments for everyone at St. Patrick’s Hall.