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Talented photographer the late Stiofán Loughran’s black and white negatives showing the last years of the twentieth century have been generously donated by Mrs. Treasa Loughran. The negatives capture aspects of social, civic and sporting life in the city.
Gaeláras Mhic Ardghail, the Irish Language & Heritage Centre is currently under construction at Chapel Street and as well as the photographic archive a Newry Foundry grate and a small drawer of Newry Gasworks paper ephemera including unusual keys from the former gasworks have been donated by Peter Mallon, presently involved in the Calvary Development Project in Omeath, and formerly the lead fundraiser for Newry Bunscoil in its early days.
Commenting on the donation of Stiofán's negatives Anita Gallagher, the Heritage Development Officer attached to the Gaeláras said ‘Among his many gifts, Stiofán was a talented photographer and it is intended to create a digital archive of his work in the Gaeláras.’
Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), who awarded £49,900 to the heritage project, were delighted to hear that local people are getting involved and starting to donate items of local heritage interest to help the project team round out their existing collection. The collection of negatives sound particularly interesting and the creation of the digital archive will undoubtedly have a wide appeal to both local people and those researching family links with Newry and the wider area.
This active participation in the conservation and sharing of local heritage is exactly the type of heritage project HLF hope to support through the Your Heritage and Young Roots programmes and would encourage other local groups to look at the funding opportunities via the HLF website at www.hlf.org.uk
