Shared history mural unveiled

L-R: Eddie Breslin, Good Relations Officer with the Housing Executive, Jackie Barr, ISPS Community Liaison/Logistics/Accreditation Officer, Kenny Blair, artist, Wesley Barr , ISPS Company Secretary, Norma Buchanan of the Housing Executive , Carly King from the Housing Executive and Nigel Hagon, ISPS Training & Development Officer.

War has been unveiled at the city’s Ebrington Centre in Waterside, thanks to funding from the Housing Executive.

The mural is the third to be unveiled at the site and depicts the numbers of those killed,

wounded and missing among three divisions formed on the island of Ireland during the

First World War.

The Waterside Forum, supported by the Housing Executive’s Cohesion programme have been working with the International School for Peace Studies since last summer to design the images.

Jackie Barr, Community Liaison Officer with the School for Peace Studies said: “The murals are all based around the shared history of the island of Ireland; its involvement in the Great War of 1914-1918 and its stories of brotherhood and hope for reconciliation.

“The murals focus on the journey of reconciliation and the School for Peace Studies’ story of brotherhood between Major Willie Redmond of the 16th Irish Division and Private John Meeke, a stretcher bearer of the 36th Ulster Division.

“The journey of reconciliation was explored by members of the Waterside Forum at a series of workshops and from those discussions came some of the ideas for each mural. The murals are a positive way to communicate our shared history in a public, shared space.

“We hope that members of the public, schoolchildren, students and tourists will come and look at the murals, learn about those who fought together in the First World War and develop a greater understanding about those who lost their lives.”

Eddie Breslin, Good Relations Officer with the Housing Executive, said: “The project reflects the values of our Community Cohesion programme.”