On the Three Cheers for The Derrys! site Eamonn Baker mentions the forthcoming launch of a new book, planned for November. The book was launched on Wednesday evening, Armistice Day.
Remembering has grown out of research conducted over the past few years by Trevor Temple, staff member of the North West War Memorial Project. The following is the description of the book provided by Yes Publications for the launch:
“Remembering is a tapestry of stories created from edited interviews with families who lost loved ones during the First World War. Without the generous commitment and openness of all twenty eight interviewees, this book would not have been possible. Each interviewee has shared precious family stories which previously had remained hidden from our collective view.
On this Remembrance Sunday the Maiden City Festival has launch a small website dedicated to the ‘The Derrys’, the 10th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. This is the final part of the Festival programme which was based on the book was first published in 1991 and published as an updated second edition in this past year. The book has the benefit of reminisces of two old soldiers, Jim Donaghy from Londonderry and Leslie Bell from Moneymore.
Our video provides a short introduction presented by the author at the launch of the project in the Playhouse, though this was followed during Festival week by a full multi-media presentation. The Launch also drew attention to how the interest in the story of The Derrys sparked wider interest in the history of the First World War, and how that led to interest in the names of the Fallen on the City’s War Memorial.
Throughout Festival week, a number of young men explored the story within the book and on the Friday of the Festival week, these workshops provided a dramatic interpretation the books themes. It is a distinction of this project that the young men from Londonderry who explored the story of The Derrys are of the same age as those who volunteered for the Great War.
The week’s project is wrapped up in a song first performed at the launch of the project, by Josh Goforth. He had been thinking for some time of writing a song about soldiers serving abroad, with contemporary conflicts in mind. When he was a lad he would ask his grandfather about time served in World War Two. When he asked his grandfather where he fought, the answer was ‘Far Across the Sea’. The words seem as apt for our own generation as it was for his grandfather’s.
The real time final day of the Festival is here. Looking forward to the short drama pieces based on the book “Three Cheers for The Derrys” at the Playhouse Theatre at 1pm. Will probably just make the end of Balkan Alien Sound at the Verbal Arts Theatre. Of course there are those other Culture Bite sessions at the other lunchtime venues. Afternoon feet up at the Memorial Hall for an afternoon of light entertainment. Wish.
Remember, after the Festival week is over we will continue to upload pictures and videos and update here on the Weblog.
Videos from Festival performances will be at http://www.youtube.com/user/MaidenCityFestival
Pictures are being posted on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/maidencityfestival/collections/
