The Road to the Somme (Belfast, 1987, 2008)
Based on an oral history of the last generation of local Great War survivors, this is an account of the 36th Ulster Division in the Great War. It deals with their bloody experience of the Somme campaign and the second edition also offers an investigation of the role of that battle in Ulster Unionist memory. It was my first ever publication and I was greatly helped in assembling it as a historical text by the later Jonathan Bardon. I realise now the importance of the project insomuch as I was listening to the voices of a generation which was about to pass on into history.
Field of Bones (Dublin, 2005)
Based on the letters and diaries of several veterans, this is the story of the 10th Irish Division who fought and died at the Battle of Gallipoli in the summer of 1915. It is also an exploration of how that military narrative disappeared from public memory after Irish independence. I won’t forget the thrill of visiting Gallipoli along with my friend Brian Wilson. We spent some time on the beaches where the Irish troops landed and we visited the cemeteries where the dead lie. One of the most memorable experiences I have ever had.
Tom’s Story (Newtownabbey, 2006)
Based on a trove of correspondence and photography, this is an account of the life and death of Tom McKinney, a farmer’s son from County Antrim who perished in the early days of the Somme campaign with an English regiment. When I left teaching this was probably the first of my new research projects. A visit to Tom’s home of Sentry Hill, near Glengormley is well worth while. It has been well preserved by the local council as a museum and the staff are always personable and informed.
New Loyalties (Belfast, 2008)
This is a detailed survey of the relationships between the Christian church and the Loyalist working-class communities of post-Troubles Ulster. It was commissioned by the Centre for Contemporary Christianity. I was especially interested in tracing the story of Billy Mitchell, who as an Ulster Volunteer Force prisoner discovered not just the significance of faith but social justice and reconciliation when behind bars. I was pleased to hear the veteran Shankill community worker Jackie Redpath describe the book as a ‘seminal’ publication.
An Ordinary Kind of Miracle (Newtownards, 2009)
This is the story of the 174 Trust, a powerful venture in community transformation and reconciliation, situated on the Antrim Road in a part of Belfast which has suffered from deprivation and had been scarred by daily violence during the Troubles. I endeavoured to interview a range of individuals who had worked there or who had been regulars at the famous Saltshaker cafe. Some of the most profound testimonies came from one of the Mennonite volunteers who had worked there for several years and had experienced the complex challenges of peace-making.
Carrickfergus, Whitehead and the Great War (Carrickfergus, 2010)
This is an illustrated account of the social and political impact of the Great War on two small urban communities on the eastern seacoast of Ulster. It was undertaken as a result of a commission by Mid-Antrim Museum Services. The war had a huge impact at home and not always in ways you might expect. Some benefited from the war while others lost out, and not just in terms of bereavement. I reference Louis MacNeice’s poem abut growing up in his home town in a time of war.
New Perspectives (Ballymena, 2011)
Based on archived records, correspondence and newspaper accounts, this is the story of armed resistance to the 3rd Home Rule Bill in Ballymena town and district, as well as an exploration of other local political and social developments. It was undertaken as a result of a commission by the Mid-Antrim Museum Services. The Young family of Galgorm Castle play a big part in this story as local entrepreneurs, Unionist leaders and as relatives of a man of a different stamp, Roger Casement.
Ballykinler Camp (Downpatrick, 2012)
This illustrated story of the creation and development of a British Army camp on the County Down coast is an exercise in cultural geography. It explores how the venue became an internment camp in the 1920s, holding high-profile Republican prisoners, as well as hosting the Ulster Division on its way to the Great War. The project was undertaken as a result of a commission by Down Museum.
From Ulster to the Dardanelles (Belfast, 2015)
This illustrated text was co-authored with local Great War historian Nigel Henderson. It unveils the hitherto hidden story of servicemen and women who took part in this Great war campaign. It was commissioned by the Northern Ireland War Memorial. The project was an inspiring one given the importance of the Irish regiments and the way in which their tragic sufferings have not been forgotten amongst Nationalists, decades later.
Down by Avalon (Belfast, 2019)
Commissioned by Belfast’s East Side Partnership with tourism in mind, this book aims to offer a brief story of the east of the city. The text pays attention to its industrial, political and religious heritage but also focuses on its less familiar role as a venue for recent, confident cultural experimentation and urban renewal. It was very important to acknowledge the distinctive Protestant religious life of mission halls, denominational cleavage, dogma and rivalry.
What More can I Ask? (Newtownards, 2019)
Commissioned by a local charity now known as Harmoni, this richly illustrated book draws on a remarkable archival record of ‘disability’ care that stretches back into the 19th century and reveals the remarkable changes that have occurred over the decades. This is for many people a forgotten story of kindness, ambition, faith and and resourcefulness. Harmoni’s current location is on the beautiful coastal stretch of the County Down coast on the outskirts of Bangor.
The Illustrated History of Flight (Norwich, 2020)
The first section of this book consists of a prose autobiography which covers the period of my life up to my departure for university in England as well as a reflection on the family and the community in which I grew up. The twenty-five poems that follow explore the human histories of that community which in 1969 entered a period of prolonged civil conflict. That community was ill-equipped to explain itself to the world and since then it has struggled to tell itself some fruitful narratives about the violence, loss and disorientation that were endured and the possibility of healing that nonetheless remains.
The Secret Chain, Francis Hutcheson and Contemporary Ireland (Belfast, 2021)
This booklet explores the legacy of the great 18th century philosopher who was born in County Down and went on to be Professor of Philosophy at Glasgow University where he became a key figure in the Enlightenment. The booklet argues that Hutcheson is relevant today, especially in Ireland, where his pursuit of tolerance and his espousal of humanity’s moral sense have something important to say to all of us. The booklet is published by the Reclaim the Enlightenment project in Belfast and may be purchased on contacting that organisation.
