Battle of Somme expert to talk at event

Battle of Somme expert to talk at event

8 August 2018

ONE of the leading Northern Ireland experts on the Somme battlefield is to give a talk in Killyleagh later this week.

Mrs Carol Walker, who is Director of the Somme Association based at the Somme Museum at Conlig, will give a talk in Killyleagh library at 1pm this Friday.

To coincide with the 100th anniversary of women’s emancipation, Carol’s talk will be on `Women and the Vote plus their role in the war.’

Mrs Walker was awarded the MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours last year for her contribution to commemoration and reconciliation in Northern Ireland. 

During that time she has worked tirelessly and often at great personal sacrifice in pushing the work of the Association across Ireland and at Thiepval in France.

The talk is part of a programme of cross-community events to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War which is being supported by the European Union’s Peace 4 Programme, managed by the Special EU programmes body.

Leading historian and former Killyleagh resident, Philip Orr, will also give a talk later in the year as part of the programme.

The programme of events will climax in the carrying of a lantern of peace by local community heroes and the lighting of a beacon in Killyleagh on the night of Remembrance Sunday.

The following week sees the official launch in Killyleagh library of an exhibition of art reflecting the theme of war, its aftermath and remembrance.

It will feature the work of Roy Rodgers, Leo Casement and Wendy Cromie, all from Killyleagh.

Any other local artist interested in exhibiting on the theme of the Great War can make contact through the Killyleagh Remembers the Great War’s Facebook page.