Thursday 24 October 2013

Booklet and short films connect North West to the past

A booklet entitled From Home to Foreign Fields, which presents an introduction to the history of the First World War in the districts of Derry City, Strabane, Omagh and Donegal, has been published.

At its launch at the County Donegal Museum, Letterkenny, a number of docudramas on WW1 were screened, along with short films on Emigration, the Partition of Ireland, and the Omagh-born poet Alice Milligan.

The booklet and short films are all part of the PEACE III funded Plantation to Partition Programme led by Derry City Council’s Heritage & Museum Service in partnership with Strabane District, Omagh District and Donegal County Councils.

Margaret Edwards, Project Officer with the Heritage & Museum Service of Derry City Council, said that the book and short films offered a chance to bring to light the legacy of the First World War and other significant events on the North West Region.

Speaking at the launch, she said: 'From Home to Foreign Fields brings to life a number of touching memoirs of local peoples’ experiences during the Great War, with contributions from local historian Richard Doherty, former Strabane Council member James Emery and Donegal County Museum. It also includes stories about how men from all over the North West and Donegal joined up to fight for a variety of reasons. It includes heartfelt accounts of people from across the region.'

The PEACE III programme allows citizens of the region to engage directly with the past and feel a sense of connection and ownership to their local heritage.

Copies of the book are available at the Foyle Valley Railway Museum, Foyle Road, Derry BT48 6SQ and all four films (none more than 10 minutes long) are available to view at YouTube.