Interpretation of maritime identity and culture will underpin all aspects of the Rising Tide project, from the celebration of cross border waterways and coastlines, to the development of skills that reflect the heritage of maritime traditions. Rising Tide will engage with communities at a variety of levels, instilling a pride and appreciation of a maritime culture of Welsh and Irish communities
The water between these two countries was a main transport route, the Celtic communities traded here, with towns and ports being built and the trade developing throughout the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th Centuries.
The communities that became established along the coasts and up the estuaries did so as a result of this trade and the vessels that worked there, with almost every family being associated with the industry and many men of ships and the sea.
Just taking this period into account, 4 centuries of culture grew and developed because of that industry, because of that coast, that sea, that trade. But these 4 centuries hardly do justice to the Ancient Celtic era in our history where these people first became established, their culture planted like a seed; we can hardly ignore what made the people that live here now.
Both coasts are made up of a people who have suffered the hardships and the losses of that sometime cruel sea, with a people who have a strength and resilience to overcome and carry on and yet with a welcome, a helping hand and a pride in their land. This is a small indication of the sort of culture that you will find here, a small indication, but a big reason why we should never let that culture die out.
In our music and in our stories we tell this tale, in our events we welcome travellers and share refreshment whilst we breathe in the air and look out upon this old and beautiful coast.
Rising Tide endeavours to remember and celebrate this culture of the Welsh and Irish coasts, to tell the world what people we are, what went before and why it mean so much to us.