Summer Madness is
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
's largest
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
festival. It usually takes place over the first weekend in July. Beginning with the 2022 iteration, the festival site has been in lands adjacent to
Portglenone Abbey
Our Lady of Bethlehem Abbey, a Cistercian monastery in Portglenone, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, was founded in 1948 by Mount Melleray Abbey in County Waterford. The monks bought Portglenone House, a country mansion built about the year 1810 ...
.
Origins
The festival was commissioned thirty years ago by the
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the second ...
Youth Department.
Target audience
The festival is aimed at young people, and consistently targets those aged 15–25, and also caters for ages 5–11. The festival expects at least 1,700 people camping on site for the duration.
Amenities and facilities
* Seminars
* Debates
* Arts Workshops
* Sports and activities programme
* Internet cafe
* Cinema
* Exhibition hall
* Christian rock groups
* Worship meetings which are the focal point of the festival are held twice-daily
In 2008, a similar programme under the banner of 'Urban Soul' began in Dublin. In January 2008, Summer Madness started in
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
.
References
{{Reflist
External links
Summer Madness official website
Christianity in Northern Ireland
Church of Ireland