Today’s announcement will create a better understanding of how historical events on the global stage affected, shaped and influenced life for local communities right across Northern Ireland.

The funding will be used to explore a range of themes including the role of Nationalists in the First World War, the forgotten histories of locally buried war dead and the impact of the war on soldiers, their families and home communities.

Announcing the latest awards, Head of HLF Northern Ireland, Paul Mullan, said: “The five projects to receive funding today highlight the diversity and breadth of subject matter that can be explored by communities seeking to commemorate the First World War. It is particularly rewarding to see how a small grant can make a really big difference in helping local communities connect to, and uncover their heritage, and we are delighted to be involved.”

The projects to receive funding are:

The Forgotten Men of Dundonald Cemetery; Lagan Village Somme Society
Awarded grant of £7,800
The lives and stories of the war dead buried in Dundonald Cemetery will be researched, recorded and shared with the wider community through the production of a booklet and exhibition. The neglected graves will also be tended and maintained by a team of volunteers, followed by the laying of wreaths.

Lest our Youth Forget; Lisburn Temperance Constitution
Awarded grant of £10,000
Forty young people will visit a number of historic sites and institutions to learn about the role played by local people at home and abroad before, during and after the First World War. They will explore events in Ireland before the war, social conditions at home regarding housing, health and education, trench conditions and life for soldiers and their families after the war. Each young person will make their own contribution to a final exhibition, detailing their understanding of the events and impact of the war, to share their findings and celebrate their participation in the project.

Belfast Nationalists and WW1; The An Eochair – Clondara Historical and Cultural Group
Awarded grant of £7,700
Many men from west Belfast served in regiments of the British Army during the First World War. The role played by Nationalists in the war will be explored and preserved for future generations, with research themes to include their motives for enlisting, their experiences of war and those of their families left behind. The findings will be used to create exhibitions and slideshows to raise awareness of this shared heritage and stimulate fact-based public debate.

Wae a Heart an a Half (Mourne Answers the Call); Schomberg Heritage Academic Research Education (SHARE)
Awarded grant of £9,900
Young people will research the war-time experiences of five local people from the Kingdom of Mourne to uncover the huge impact of the First World War on both the individuals themselves and the wider community. These experiences will be used to produce a drama and an exhibition to share this heritage and the personal photographs, stories and artefacts that will be collected from the families of the five individuals. The young people will be involved in every aspect of the project, from historical research through to production, acting, music, staging and front-of-house activities.

Moygashel and District 1914-2014; Moygashel Community and Cultural Association)
Awarded grant of £6,600
A series of workshops and museum visits will enable the people of Moygashel and District to conserve their First World War heritage. An exhibition will highlight the key battles and role of the 36th Ulster Division during the war, with a booklet produced to capture and share the learning with others.

The projects have received funding through HLF’s First World War: then and now programme, which provides grants between £3,000 and £10,000 to enable communities and groups to explore, conserve and share their First World War heritage and deepen their understanding of the impact of the conflict.

Notes to editors

Since 1994 the Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded £184million to over 1,000 projects across Northern Ireland.

Further information

For further information, please contact Julie Halliday at HLF (NI).
E: julieh@hlf.org.uk
M: 07733 100 674