l Donegal County Museum remembering the shared histories of Donegal

Donegal County Museum remembering the shared histories of Donegal

JUDITH McCARTHY

1. This article is adapted from a presentation made at the Irish Museums Association Education and Outreach Forum on 27 June 2014, Dublin

Introduction1

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” George Santayana, Spanish born American Philosopher.

Donegal County Museum is part of the Cultural Services Division of the Community Culture and Enterprise Directorate of Donegal County Council. The Museum is based in the reception block of Letterkenny workhouse built in the 1840s. The aims of the Museum are to collect, record, preserve, display and communicate the material heritage and associated information of County Donegal to the widest community possible.

Since it opened, the Museum has endeavoured to remember and communicate the shared histories of its communities. Donegal has been shaped by its history. Its culture, language, landscape, and people have all been influenced by the past. From the ulster Scots words and phrases in use in everyday language to the war graves to be found around the County the impact of this history can be seen in every community. The influence of the past can also be ‘seen’ in less tangible ways. This is particularly true when we examine the legacy of the last 400 years on the story of Donegal. From the Flight of the Earls in 1607 to the Good Friday Agreement and beyond, from how we were taught history in school to the stories our parents and grandparents told us, the ‘story’ of Donegal has influenced how we view the past, our communities and ourselves.

Therefore it is not enough to just remember. Museums should endeavour to understand the past and use this understanding to enable communities to shape a better future. How have we in Donegal County Museum remembered and explored our histories and what have we learned through this remembering?

How we remembered

Donegal County Museum in association with other services in Donegal County Council and external groups and organisations has remembered and explored key events including the First World War, World War II/Emergency, The Flight of the Earls, The Plantation of ulster, the Troubles/28th Infantry Battalion and the ulster Covenant 1912. We have done this through projects, exhibitions and activities and have used these to examine and communicate the story of the past to a wide variety of audiences. Our audiences have varied from schools to the general public, from special interest groups to community organisations. We have used a variety of mechanisms for communicating with these audiences including exhibitions, talks, seminars, drama, workshops and demonstrations.

How we remembered the first World War

Fig. 1. Remembering World War I in Donegal County Museum 2014 For many generations the story of the War and of those who participated in it was largely ignored and forgotten by families, communities and the State. Medals and letters were consigned to attics and the history we were taught in school rarely included the Great War. This was particularly true in Donegal where communities remembered – or not – separately and in very different ways. In 2001, in an attempt to address the lack of understanding and knowledge of the War, the Museum organised an exhibition entitled Donegal and The Great War 1914-1918. Through the exhibition we emphasised the importance of giving people the opportunity to remember. For many visitors this was the first occasion they had felt able to talk openly about their family’s involvement in the War. We provided these visitors with a safe and welcoming space in which to remember.

In 2006 we launched ‘Before I joined the Army…’ a touring exhibition, which highlighted the contribution of ulster Men and Women to the First World War. The exhibition consisted of a series of freestanding information

panels and was designed to tour to venues such as community centres and libraries thereby increasing its accessibility. The exhibition subsequently travelled throughout the island of Ireland. In 2014, this exhibition was on display during the 48th Plenary Session of the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly in the Royal Hospital, kilmainham.

In September 2014, through a Peace III funded project entitled The Hands of History the Museum was given the opportunity to examine more closely the story of World War I and in particular the experiences of Donegal men and women at home and abroad. We created an exhibition entitled ‘Remembering World War I: The Donegal Story’ and were overwhelmed by the number of people who came forward to share their family stories and to lend us images, archives and artefacts.

We worked closely with the 28th Infantry Battalion of the Irish Defence Forces based at Finner Camp, Donegal throughout the planning stages of these exhibitions. They provided invaluable assistance in creating replica trenches for both exhibitions and provided a Flag Party (from the RDF) for the opening of Remembering World War I: The Donegal Story.

It is clear from the response to the exhibition that there is a new willingness to remember the Irish men and women who participated in World War I. The Decade of Centenaries provides an opportunity for this remembering to be inclusive and encompassing.

How we remembered World War II/The Emergency

In 2005, on the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War we organised an exhibition entitled ‘Our War: Donegal, the Emergency and World War II’ which told the story of the Emergency/World War II as experienced by the men and women of County Donegal. The exhibition included artefacts, photographs and documents as well as stories from those who experienced the War at home and abroad. Men and women from Donegal were involved in the War on all fronts and they provided us with a wealth of information and memorabilia. As part of the exhibition we organised an event, which we called ‘Meet the

Veterans’. We invited schools to come to the Museum to meet 3 men who had been involved in some way with the Emergency/ World War II. This was a wonderful opportunity for the children to talk to people who had actually experienced something they themselves had only read about in schoolbooks. unfortunately we did not record the stories that these men shared with us at the time and now they are lost to us forever.

Fig. 2. Meet the Veterans event, Donegal County Museum How we remembered – The Flight of the Earls

The Flight of the Earls, which took place in 1607 from Rathmullan in Co. Donegal, is considered a pivotal event in the history of ulster and of Ireland. It signalled the collapse of the old Gaelic order and paved the way for the introduction of a new way of life with the Plantation.

The four hundredth anniversary in 2007 provided an opportunity to explore and commemorate not just this event but also vital elements of Donegal’s culture before, during and after the Flight. Donegal County Council worked with a wide variety of groups and organisations throughout the County to organise a comprehensive programme of events throughout the year.

The Museum worked with our colleagues in the Archives Service and in Derry City Council’s Heritage and Museum Service to organise a major exhibition exploring the story of the Flight of the Earls. This exhibition included archival material on loan from the National Archives, uk.

In order to make the exhibition and its subject matter accessible to children we produced an activity booklet, jigsaws and a specially designed board game based on the Earl’s journey to Italy. The exhibition subsequently toured to venues in Ireland and to Switzerland (Basel and zurich) and Italy (Rome).

During the planning stages of the exhibition we discovered that opinions could vary widely (and wildly) on how and what we should remember. In Donegal the story of Flight of the Earls had been taught differently from school to school depending on the viewpoint of the teacher. As a result we were questioned on more than one occasion as to why we would be ‘celebrating’ this event. It is important therefore to take into consideration that the language we use to remember can have an impact on how people react to commemorative events.

How we remembered the Plantation of Ulster

Between 2008 and 2010, we organised a series of projects to commemorate the Plantation of ulster. This was considered to be a natural progression from commemorating the Flight of the Earls and is a period in our shared history, which has left a lasting legacy in Donegal and the North West. The Plantation of ulster is often considered to be a single–identity history with little or no understanding of the impact that it has had on all communities. The anniversary was a good opportunity to cooperate on a cross border and cross community basis. We worked on a variety of projects with different groups and grant aided by a number of funding bodies. Because the Plantation took place over a number of years it was legitimate for us to organise events over a similar time period. Working with our cross border partners over a number of years resulted in a wider reaching and more effective overall project.

Plantation of Ulster booklets

We began our commemoration of the Plantation by trying to dispel some of the myths associated with the period. In 2008 we commissioned 3 booklets on the Plantation in Derry and Donegal funded by the Cultural Institutions unit, Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism and the Heritage Council (through the County Donegal Heritage Plan). It was a joint project with Derry City Council Heritage and Museum Service. The aim of the booklets was to provide an insight into this important period in our history and to examine the influence of the Plantation on the environment and landscapes in which we live.

Plantation schools’ workshops

To further inform communities about the Plantation and its impact we delivered a Plantation project to secondary schools in 2009, which was funded by the Cultural Institutions unit, of the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism.

Working in conjunction with the Derry City Council Heritage and Museum Service we commissioned Heritage Stories of Port Stewart to undertake a series of living history workshops in secondary schools in the Derry City Council area and in County Donegal. The workshops consisted of interactive drama performances with two costumed facilitators. Drama and living history proved to be a very effective mechanism to engage children in the topic and we used this format and other similar formats in future projects.

The Planter and Gael

Finally to broaden the target audience we organised a project between 2009 and 2010 entitled ‘The Planter and the Gael: Perspectives on the Plantation of ulster’. We again worked with Derry City Council Heritage and Museum Service, with funding from the Donegal Peace III Programme under its Small Grants Scheme.

The programme brought together groups of volunteer adult learners in cross-border and cross-community contexts over a four-session course of study and creative reflection on the Plantation of ulster and its impacts upon their communities. As part of the workshops the participants created a number of digital stories on the theme of the Plantation. The programme of study concluded with a final seminar where the participants, and other interested individuals and groups, came together to share learning and engage in a wider discussion of the legacies of the Plantation

How we remembered recent history – the 28th Infantry Battalion

In 2011 the Museum worked with the Public Art Office of Donegal County Council on the ‘How We Remember’ project funded under the Peace III programme. Through Public Art, an exhibition and an education programme the project told the story of the servicemen and women of the 28th Infantry Battalion of the Irish Defence Forces.

The 28th Infantry Battalion were formed in 1973 as a direct response to the beginning of the ‘Troubles’ in Northern Ireland. The Battalion members and their families played a significant role in the economic, social and cultural lives of Donegal. It was important therefore that the Museum work closely with both serving and retired members of the Battalion to organise the exhibition. The exhibition featured a Border

Fig. 3. How We Remember project Education Programme, Donegal County Museum checkpoint, archives, uniforms, equipment, images and oral histories, as well as ‘Rockhill Remembered’ a short documentary of the stories of ex-servicemen.

An education programme consisting of a booklet, facilitated tours and a small touring exhibition aimed at primary schools accompanied the exhibition. This programme examined areas such as peacekeeping at home and abroad, the role of women in the army and symbolism. Over 1,700 school children participated in the programme.

This exhibition highlighted the often forgotten fact that recent ‘history’ has had an impact on our communities and that this impact is not always recognised. It provided a space to remember and acknowledged the role of the Defence Forces at home and abroad.

How we remembered the Ulster Covenant

In 2012, we commemorated the centenary of the signing of the ulster Covenant. The Thiepval Memorial Loyal Orange Lodge, Convoy and the Donegal ulster Centenaries Committee approached us to organise an exhibition looking in particular at Donegal and the Covenant. While the signing of the ulster Covenant has particular resonance for some communities in Donegal it is not widely acknowledged. This exhibition was seen as an opportunity to recognise its importance in 1912 and in the events of the following decade. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Reconciliation & Anti-Sectarianism Funds funded the exhibition. As part of the exhibition we displayed some of the original signed Covenant sheets from Donegal, on loan from the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. We received an anonymous letter during the exhibition, which criticised us for purportedly supporting a terrorist organisation. This reinforced the need for us to continue to remember our shared histories in a balanced and inclusive manner.

Remembering through collaboration

The Museum has been involved in a number of cross border, cross community projects which have enabled us to explore and examine our shared histories through a variety of mechanisms. These partnerships, with organisations, groups and individuals have proved to be an invaluable method of learning and sharing and have enabled the Museum to reach out to a wide variety of audiences throughout Donegal and the border counties.

The plantation to partition project

Between 2012 and 2013, the Museum participated in Plantation to Partition: Shared understanding, Remembrance & Legacy, a collaborative heritage programme led by Derry City Council’s Heritage and Museum Service working in partnership with Strabane District Council, Omagh District Council and Donegal County Council, represented by the Museum Service.

The programme explored the 400-year period from Plantation to Partition and its legacy in a cross community, cross border capacity. It promoted shared use of spaces and resources as a means of developing an understanding of our shared heritage and a deeper awareness of our cultural identities. Participants were recruited on a cross-community and cross-border basis and the project included, a facilitated programme of workshops; a touring exhibition; a History Ireland Hedge School on the ulster Covenant; an interactive archaeological dig; a drama production for schools entitled ‘Planters, Paupers and Rebels’; a booklet on the impact of World War I in each Council area; and 4 short docudramas on the themes of Emigration, WWI, Partition and Alice Milligan/Gaelic Revival.

One of the most successful elements of this project was the creation of Planters, Paupers and Rebels, a Horrible Histories style drama production for schools. This production entertained and

Fig. 4. Famine Master Chef in Donegal County Museum

educated in equal measure and was popular with both children and adults. It included a 1914 Match of the Day with the unionist team captained by Edward Carson and the Irish Volunteers team captained by john Redmond; an Emigration opera and Famine Master Chef. Children will remember this creative and imaginative view of our history.

The Hands of History project

Between 2013-2014, we participated in The Hands of History Project (Phase I and II), an Action of the Donegal Peace III Action Plan. The aim of the project was to develop and deliver a programme exploring how we remember key events in our history, and how the legacies of these events have impacted on our communities. The programme offered opportunities to challenge attitudes and share perspectives.

Two elements of the project were delivered directly by the Museum Service. These were; a series of workshops and exhibitions exploring themes related to local history with the production of 5 exhibitions using research carried out by community groups and schools. These exhibitions were displayed in the County Museum and then throughout the County. The second element delivered by the Museum was the exhibition ‘Remembering World War I: The Donegal Story’.

All elements of the project were open to the public either as participants or as attendees and the programmes included seminars; facilitated study visits to Belgium (World War I), the Balkans (recent conflict) and Poland (WWII); schools projects delivered to primary schools throughout Donegal and a drama production examining the challenges faced by Protestants in Donegal immediately after Partition.

The success of the project lay in the diversity of both its events and its participants. This diversity ensured that the content and outcomes of the project were truly cross community. Furthermore the project did not deviate from its overarching theme of exploring how we remember key events in our history, and how the legacies of these events have impacted on our communities.

Future remembering

Through our exhibition and events programme Donegal County Museum has built relationships with individuals and organisations to preserve and communicate our shared histories. We have addressed a

wide variety of themes. We have learned that it is vitally important to be inclusive, to be open to hearing all stories and to recognise that people have pride in their histories and cultural traditions. There is however more work to be done. There are individuals and communities we have yet to connect with. The Decade of Centenaries provides a not-to-be-missed opportunity to engage these communities in a meaningful way. We can give people the opportunity and space to remember and explore their histories in a balanced and inclusive manner. Through the relationships we build we can come to a better understanding of who we are and where we come from. Perhaps we can also work together towards a shared future.

Judith McCarthy is Curator at Donegal County Museum.

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