New ‘NI100 - Influencers from the Roe Valley’ exhibition now open in Limavady
Wed, December 08, 2021
A new exhibition at Roe Valley Arts & Cultural Centre is celebrating famous men and women who made an impact on the area over the past 100 years.
Entitled ‘NI100 - Influencers from the Roe Valley’, the display delves deeper into the lives of 17 of the ‘Famous Sons & Daughters’ shortlisted by Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council as part of its centenary programme.
Visitors to the exhibition can view individual portraits, with summaries, as they line the new museum exhibition space at the Arts Centre while accompanying printed handouts are also available.
The ‘influencers’ were selected by Roe Valley Ancestral Researchers (RVAR), who spoke with families, friends & relatives to bring their stories to life. The aim was to share their achievements with a new audience and highlight the collective pride that we can all feel towards the people who have helped shaped the area we live in.
The Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Councillor Richards Holmes, who officially opened the exhibition, said: Through our NI 100 programme we want to celebrate our people, and this exhibition is an inspiring showcase of some of those who influenced life in Roe Valley over the past century.
“We’re very grateful to Roe Valley Ancestral Researchers for their commitment to this project and I’m glad that Council was able to support their research through the NI 100 Centenary Small Grants Fund.”
The exhibition includes portraits of the 17 famous men and women, with details of their role in the culture and daily life of the area. Research for the project took four months, with contributions from as far away as New Zealand and as close as next door.
The exhibition is open at Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre until Saturday 29th January 2022. For details visit www.roevalleyarts.com.
The project is set to continue with plans to take miniatures of the portraits to communities within the Roe Valley. This will see researchers ask residents who their influential local heroes are, and which notable names are celebrated in their streets, villages or townlands.
History groups from the area will also be invited to give their perspective, building on the existing research with views, opinions, and personal recollections to build a shared history.
‘NI100 - Influencers from the Roe Valley’ is supported by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council’s NI100 Centenary Small Grants Fund.
