Poet and artist contribute to WWI Centenary display

Centenary: Exhibits on display in St Columb's Cathedral

The work by Dr Sam Burnside and Leslie Nicholl was produced in response to the centenary of the outbreak of the war. Award-winning poet Dr Burnside’s specially composed poem ‘Remembrance’ is partnered with paintings of war victims by Leslie Nicholl.

The poem, which had its roots in visits to Ely Cathedral and St Columb’s Cathedral, also considers the shooting down of the civilian aeroplane in the Ukraine. The energy of the paintings, a stretcher bearer from an original photograph from the First World War, and the face of a victim in the air disaster, arises out of the poem and visits to Germany and London, using WWI documents.

Their work form a part of a larger WWI exhibition, ‘The First World War in Derry and Donegal’ which is open throughout November at the Cathedral.

Dr Angela Garvey, Her Majestyâ¬"s Lord Lieutenant for the City of Londonderry, was the guest at the opening of â¬ÜThe Great War 1914-1918 in Derry and Donegalâ¬" in St. Columbâ¬"s Cathedral on Thursday evening. Included are, from left, Richard Doherty, Tim Webster, and Dean William Morton. INLS4514-144KM

“Dr Burnside and Mr Nicholl are thanked for their kindness, help, support and co-operation in providing these excellent commissions,” said the Dean of Derry, Very Rev Dr Wm Morton.

Dr Burnside and Mr Nicholl have jointly explored the relationship between image and text since 1996 and they have staged a number of exhibitions: Closely Observed Trains (Belfast, 2001); Gatekeepers (Old Museum Arts Centre, Belfast, Writers Museum, Dublin; The Bridge Gallery, Dublin, 1998); The Grey Eye (Orchard Gallery, Londonderry and Old Museum Arts Centre, Belfast, 1996).

Meanwhile, ‘Markings’, a series of 10 pieces of inter-related poems and images are on semi-permanent display in the Millennium Forum and Theatre, Londonderry.