Oxford News
Iconic Irish group announce Oxford dates on St Patrick’s Day
Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance is coming to the City of Dreaming Spires as part of its 30th anniversary tour on Friday, July 10.
It will be leaving the Oxford New Theatre on Sunday, July 12.
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Tickets for this anniversary tour are on sale now via BookingsDirect.com and venue box offices.
James Keegan, Creative Manager at Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance, said: “Michael Flatley has taught me that there are no boundaries in the creative space.
Michael Flatley in Belfast (Image: Liam McBurney/PA Wire)
“When he burst onto the scene in the mid-90s, he took traditional Irish dancing to a place nobody had ever dreamed of, and that has been the key to the show’s success.”
Since its debut, Lord of the Dance has revolutionised Irish dance, bringing it to a global stage.
Mr Keegan added: “What made Lord of the Dance famous 30 years ago is still what makes it work today: 40 of the greatest Irish tap dancers in the world performing in one line in perfect sync.
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“It’s a spectacle that never loses its magic.”
The tour dates have been announced on St Patrick’s Day (Tuesday, March 17) and although Mr Flatley has retired from performing he remains at the helm of Lord of the Dance.
He said: “The magic of Lord of the Dance lives on in the hearts of our audience, and I am thrilled to bring this iconic show back to the UK in 2026.
“30 Years of Standing Ovations celebrates the incredible journey we’ve shared with fans over the years.”
Oxford News
Faringdon school gets new sensory garden thanks to Tesco
The garden has been developed at Folly View Primary School and is designed to support pupil wellbeing, creativity, and personal growth by providing a calming and engaging outdoor space.
Funding for the project was secured through a £1,500 grant from the Tesco Community Grants scheme, made possible by votes from shoppers using blue tokens at the Faringdon store.
Muddy Spades, a local gardening business led by Royston Oxendale, also played a key role in bringing the garden to life by donating plants and building bespoke planters for the space.
Richard Evans, chief executive of Cambrian Learning Trust, said: “This wonderful sensory garden is a testament to what can be achieved when a community comes together with a shared purpose.
“At Cambrian Learning Trust, we are proud to see Folly View Primary School bringing its core values of belonging, kindness, and aspiration to life in such a meaningful way.
“This space will not only enhance pupils’ wellbeing but also inspire curiosity, resilience, and a lifelong love of learning.”
The garden will also support the school’s gardening club, offering pupils hands-on opportunities to care for plants and learn about the environment.
The school has thanked Tesco Faringdon, Muddy Spades, the PTA, and everyone involved in turning the garden into a reality.
Oxford News
Pictures to celebrate World Poetry Day 2026 in Oxfordshire
UNESCO first adopted March 21 as World Poetry Day during its 30th General Conference in Paris, with the aim of supporting linguistic diversity through poetic expression and increasing the opportunity for endangered languages to be heard.
The heritage organisation said: “World Poetry Day is the occasion to honour poets, revive oral traditions of poetry recitals, promote the reading, writing and teaching of poetry, foster the convergence between poetry and other arts such as theatre, dance, music and painting, and raise the visibility of poetry in the media.”
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This time on Looking Back, we’ve found a selection of fantastic poetry celebrations in Oxfordshire from the year 2014, now 12 years ago.
Language lovers converged for the day of celebration on bookshops, schools, at recitals and conferences.
Take a look back through this Oxford Mail archive gallery to find pictures from a decade ago of World Poetry Day celebrations in Oxfordshire.
Oxford News
All the Oxfordshire locations used as TV and film sets
We’ve made a gallery of pictures showing all the Oxfordshire spots which have been used for TV and film sets over the years.
Some of the biggest productions filmed here in Oxfordshire include Spectre in the James Bond franchise, which transformed Blenheim Palace in Woodstock into the Palazzo Cardenza in Rome.
Blenheim Palace featured as a key movie set for the James Bond film, Spectre, when it was dressed up as the Palazzo Cardenza in Rome, 2015 (Image: Andrew Walmsley)
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Many period dramas were also created in the county, like the BBC adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall, which was partly filmed at Chastleton House in the Cotswolds.
Cotswolds villages have been repeatedly transformed and used as filming locations for their historical appeal, like the villages of Brill, Broadwell and Castle Combe.
Find all the pictures in this archive gallery of historic Oxfordshire filming locations here.
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