Shared histories: diverse images and stories of the borderlands
by Allan LEONARD
21 March 2025
Images from family photo albums adorned the walls and hanging banners in an immersive pop-up exhibition that celebrated the culmination of a cultural initiative aimed at engaging communities on both sides of the Ireland–Northern Ireland border. Shared Histories: Diverse Views is a cross-border, artist-in-the-community project, bringing together participants from diverse communities in Donegal, Derry/Londonderry, Fermanagh, Armagh, Down, Louth, and Monaghan, to share personal photographic imagery and diverse experiences of living in the borderlands.
The event venue was a large, upper room at the Nerve Centre. Niall Kerr (head of heritage and community relations, Nerve Centre) welcomed the audience to the space, which he described as usually hosting “four or five hundred sweaty rockers”: “It’s a real delight to see this building transformed into a venue that can showcase work like this.” His words underline the power of cultural initiatives to repurpose spaces and bring communities together through shared experiences.
Trish Lambe (artistic director, Photo Museum Ireland) spoke eloquently about the project’s mission and its impact on understanding the everyday lives of participants. Her words reflected a deep appreciation for the stories unearthed through the medium of photography: “It’s just such a privilege and a pleasure to work with people to listen to their stories.” Lambe’s emphasis on patience and inclusivity in the archival process highlights the project’s commitment to creating a safe space for storytelling.
John Joe McArdle, a project participant, provided a unique perspective, coming from a background in finance rather than the arts. His initial scepticism about his family’s worthiness to participate in the project was quickly dispelled as he uncovered stories, including the tale of a pig-smuggling grandfather: “It just fascinates me.” McArdle’s narrative illustrates the project’s power to reveal hidden histories and forge new connections between different generations and communities. His gratitude for the opportunity to engage with his family’s history was palpable as he thanked Photo Museum Ireland and the project leaders.
Another participant, Anne Crilly, shared with me an emotional journey that wove through her personal and family history. She began by recalling the contrast between her mother’s glamourous life and the harsh realities that followed. Anne spoke poignantly about a photo taken at the hospital, on display as part of the exhibition, of her with baby Caoimhin, stillborn at delivery (with twin Daithi born alive): “The Polaroid has darkened over time, but that’s part of its story.” This photograph stands as a testament to time and memory, both of which have left their mark on the image.
The images on display from participant Ciaran Dunbar tells his family’s story of relocation from Portadown (Northern Ireland) to Dundalk (Ireland). His curation includes images of family members, contemporary events (protests), and being dressed up as an “IRA man” at age six:
“For us, family photographs hold profound significance. They capture the essence of our memories, binding us to our shared past. For my parents and me, these photos are especially precious, as they help us preserve the memory of my brother, Eoghan.”
Ben Malcolmson told the audience that he was honoured to be awarded the artist commission for Shared Histories. He informed that it was exactly a year ago that the project’s first workshops took place at the Nerve Centre (Derry/Londonderry) and the Regional Cultural Centre (Letterkenny). Malcolmson spoke about his working-class background and growing up in Protestant-populated Shankill Road in Belfast, making it “a wee bit challenging” to go into unfamiliar areas of Derry/Londonderry and Crossmaglen (County Armagh):
“But the people that I met — the fantastic people that are in this room tonight — we all had that common thread of histories. We were all willing to be very vulnerable and raw. I think that made a nice dynamism.”
Malcolmson continued by saying that the workshops were the crux of what was on display here at the exhibition as well as in a complementary book, but he particularly recalled the joy of crucial conversations that often took place afterwards.
Trish Lambe summarised what the Shared Histories project was about and its significance:
“What we’ve done with this project [is bring] together archival representations of the border together with your own representations of the borderlands, and then more contemporary representations through Ben… [It’s] looking at that nuance of history — often in these difficult, challenging political times, where there’s misinformation and disinformation, nuance gets lost. Nuance is the essence of everything — that awkward conversation, that the complexity of most of our histories are never straight down the line. I think if we can kind of hold that and [the] respect that you gain from having the difficult chats and finding that complexity, that’s what these kinds of projects are all about.”
The audience watched a six-minute video installation created by Malcolmson, which included ad hoc, snapshot-style footage from his driving trips around the border region, along with a creation of a manipulation of his footage using various materials, to give “a sense of touch”, which is very much part of his artistic practice: “This piece was very much an abstract experimentation of what the borderland is and the division of it.”
Overall, the Shared Histories exhibition achieves a goal of exploring personal, visual narratives within the broader context of contested spaces. The workshops facilitated a level of trust and willingness to share personal family pictures with the public. This encapsulates the essence of turning private moments into shared historical artifacts that can hopefully foster a deeper understanding for a better future.
Shared Histories: Diverse Views is funded by Creative Ireland’s Creative Communities on a Shared Ireland programme through Creative Donegal and Donegal County Council. The Shared Histories project was managed by Photo Museum Ireland in partnership with the Regional Cultural Centre (Letterkenny), Donegall County Council, the Nerve Centre (Derry/Londonderry), the National Library of Ireland, and local communities in South Armagh and north Louth/Down.