WW1 commemorative exhibition opens at The Braid

A touring exhibition, called The Men Behind the Glass, has gone on display at the Mid Antrim Museum in Ballymena.

The exhibition is a result of a year-long project by Campbell College prompted by the photographic portraits of the fallen which line their school walls.

This all began in 2018 when Campbell College were marking the centenary of WW1.

The project culminated in the unveiling of a collaborative archive exhibition on Remembrance Weekend in November 2018 which is now touring to venues around Northern Ireland.

The Men Behind the Glass exhibition tells the stories of 126 pupils and one member of the school’s teaching staff who died in service during the First World War, including three local men who attended the college.

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough, Councillor Maureen Morrow, said: “The Men Behind the Glass exhibition is welcome at this time as Council is committed to marking the Decade of Centenaries, including the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in June 1919 and the anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.”

Campbell College Headmaster, Robert Robinson MBE said: “Thanks to the support of the National Heritage Lottery Fund and PRONI, we were able to put together a really exciting range of activities that opened our archive to everyone and allowed us to work in partnership with Primary and Secondary Schools, local history associations, community groups, arts groups and many more.

“This project was and is about paying respect to our Old Campbellians - the men and boys we lost and telling their stories.

“It is also about connecting these stories with our lives today and involving as many people as possible in the process. Through the travelling exhibition we hope to open up the conversation to more people across Northern Ireland. 100 years on and it is more important than ever that we never forget.”

This touring exhibition is on display at Mid Antrim Museum at the Braid, Ballymena from July 2 until August 15, 2019 (Mon-Sat 10am – 5pm & Sat 10am – 4pm). It will be closed on public holidays and admission is free.

To find out more about the project visit www.menbehindtheglass.co.uk