Shared Heritage - Legacies of the First World War 18th – 22nd May 2019
What’s it all about?
To mark the end of the Centenary of WW1, a week of free public activities and events will be held across Northern Ireland, on the theme of Shared Heritage. The idea is to bring together heritage groups, projects and stakeholders to share experiences of exploring the legacies of WW1. These legacies connect the past with the present and we want to use Shared Heritage as a way of connecting communities from all across these islands, to help deepen our understanding and appreciation of the war in Britain and Ireland and its significance to us today. Our week-long Shared Heritage events are open to all, and cover topics such as archaeology and landscape, drama and creative arts, digital technologies, museums and exhibitions, led by the ‘Living Legacies 1914-18’ engagement centre and our partners.
How to get involved!
If you would like to participate in any of our themed days below, please fill out the attached application form and contact Elaine Reid, Project Manager for Living Legacies 1914-18 Public Engagement Centre
By email elaine.reid@qub.ac.uk OR by Tel 02890972513
Saturday 18th May 2019
“LANDSCAPE LEGACIES”—CLEENISH, COUNTY FERMANAGH
Venue Cleenish Island and Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh
The day starts in Belfast around 9.30 am and will return around 5.30 pm, with refreshments throughout the day.
Landscapes have stories to tell. To explore how war left a legacy in the landscape the focus of this day's activities is Cleenish Island in County Fermanagh. The day will include a field trip to the island to study some of the buildings specifically created to house returning servicemen and to encourage them to farm after the war. Local experts from the Cleenish Island Project along with researchers from the ‘Living Legacies 1914-18’ engagement centre who specialise in historical and archaeological landscapes will guide the visit. As well as the site-visits on Cleenish Island, the day will also include presentations and discussions on WW1 archaeology and mapping, and a visit to the newly refurbished Enniskillen Museum where we shall view the brilliant WW1 exhibit.
For more about the Cleenish Island Project see Cleenish, County Fermanagh: World War One soldiers’ island BBC
Monday 20th May 2019
COMMEMORATIVE WALKING TOUR—WEST BELFAST
The day will start from Cultúrlann on the Falls Road around 11 am and return around 1 pm, with refreshments on the day. http://www.culturlann.ie/en/welcome/
The story of the West Belfast Ulster Volunteer Force, who joined the British Army's 36th (Ulster) Division in large numbers in 1914, has close connections with the Shankill. However, some of its men lived on the Falls Road, and others joined units of the army far beyond the Ulster Division. The event will begin with a talk by Professor Richard Grayson of Goldsmiths, University of London, on the complicated story of the West Belfast UVF before and during the First World War, drawing on his book Belfast Boys. With the assistance of colleagues from Living Legacies, he will then lead a walking tour of key sites on the Falls and the Shankill which are associated with the men who enlisted.
Monday 20th May 2019
“PERFORMING THE PAST”—BELFAST, UNIVERSITY QUARTER
Venue Brian Friel Theatre, Queen’s University Belfast. The event begins around 2 pm Read more Medal in the Drawer
The use of creative methods to explore the legacies of WW1 offers a powerful way to engage with the past in the present. Since 2014, the ‘Living Legacies 1914-18’ engagement centre at Queen’s has supported a wide variety of community groups in their use of creative writing, drama, and performance to interrogate the complex narratives that exist within the context of remembering the past in Northern Ireland. This event will celebrate how community groups from throughout the United Kingdom have used artistic methods to communicate their own local history through the media of live performance and film. An afternoon symposium, which will include some of this work, will explore how these creative means can be used to investigate the human experience of history and bring that experience to life for audiences and communities today. This will be followed by a special evening performance of Medal in the Drawer by Brenda Winter Palmer and include a post-show discussion on how drama can be a powerful way to explore, celebrate and communicate a sense of heritage and community.
Tuesday 21st May 2019
“DIGITAL CENTENARIES”—BELFAST, TITANIC QUARTER
Venue PRONI, Belfast https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/proni
The day will start around 11 am and finish at 3.30 pm, with refreshments throughout the day.
Join us for this day to mark the many digital achievements of the Centenary over the last five years. The event will be led by the ‘Living Legacies 1914-18’ digital team and will include a range of community-based projects that have used digital technologies to explore WW1 and its legacies. There will be activities for all ages using the latest in technologies, from a series of kiosks illustrating community project successes, through to demonstrations of technologies including the latest 3D, Green Screen photos and virtual reality, with some special surprises! Short presentations from community projects will provide a chance to see what we have learned through using digital approaches and what we have all learnt from HLF-supported projects. Part of the day will also look at ‘where next’ for the digital legacies of the Centenary of the war. We do not want to lose all the digital resources and information that have been developed through our Centenary community projects.
Read more about our Digital Resources and Projects
Wednesday 22nd May 2019
“COLLECTING CONNECTIONS”—CULTRA, COUNTY DOWN
Venue NMNI, Ulster Folk & Transport Museum, Cultra, Co. Down. The event begins around 1 pm.
World War I was a defining era in the history of these islands and had a major influence in shaping the twentieth century. Across Ireland and Britain, museums have worked closely with communities to explore those WW1 collections in both private and public ownership. This event on “Collecting Connections” looks at how these collaborations have worked and what they have yielded in helping to explore Shared Heritage across different communities - connections forged by museums and community groups through their shared interest in WW1 objects and stories. Using the backdrop of the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, and the expertise of National Museums Northern Ireland (NMNI) and ‘Living Legacies 1914-18’ museums teams, we will hear about projects involving museum partners and community groups from across Ireland and the UK. There will be opportunities for friendly and informative discussions about the importance of ‘community collecting’ and how projects in the future can have a lasting impact through objects and stories from their areas. Afternoon tea will be provided; in addition, there will be a themed tour around the Ulster Folk Museum by our WW1 tour guides.