September Update – Talks, Tours, Tunnels & Local Legends

September has been another busy month for Abandoned Ni, with talks, tours, new discoveries and some brilliant opportunities to hear more of the stories connected to the places I photograph.

One of the highlights was my Downpatrick Gaol talk, held inside Down County Museum itself the original old gaol. It was a fantastic setting for a talk about prisons, police stations and some of the darker stories connected to our historic buildings, and I was delighted with how well the evening was received.

Even better, someone at the talk told me about an old tunnel which once connected the gaol with the courthouse. Naturally, I had to go and investigate it for myself. I absolutely loved getting the chance to visit and document something I hadn’t known about before. Those are the moments I enjoy most one story leading to another. (Video below if you haven't seen it already!)

This month also saw the launch of my Hillsborough history walking tours. These have been a little quieter so far, but I’m hoping they will continue to grow. Hillsborough has so many layers of history, from the Hill family and the fort to the ordinary people and characters who made the village what it is.

I was also delighted to give a talk in The Linen Hall Library in Belfast as part of Culture Night. This was a real highlight, with all 80 seats selling out. It was a brilliant evening and a fantastic atmosphere.

Another very special event was my Linen Heritage talk at Hilden Community Centre. It was wonderful to see so many people turn out and, more importantly, to see how passionate people still are about our linen heritage and the huge mills which once dominated places such as Hilden.

It raises the same question again and again: what can realistically be done to save Hilden and the many other linen buildings still lying derelict across Northern Ireland? These places helped shape our towns, our communities and our economy, and once they are gone, that history cannot simply be rebuilt.

Yesterday was another memorable day with the open day at Mickey McIlhatton’s house the King of the Glens.

What a character Mickey must have been. He was a butcher, a highly accomplished fiddle player, and became famous far beyond the Glens for his poitín-making skills. People reportedly travelled from far and wide to buy from Mickey, and his reputation became so legendary that he was immortalised in the song “McIlhatton,” performed by Christy Moore.

It was a real privilege to stand inside his home and hear stories from people who actually knew him. I always say I regret not getting the opportunity to meet more of these remarkable local characters while they were still alive. Their stories are every bit as important as the buildings themselves.

And October is already shaping up to be another very busy month, with plenty more events, talks and unusual locations ahead.

Keep an eye on the Events tab if you would like to come along to anything.

And if you would like to book me for a school, historical society, organisation, club or private group, please send me a message through the Contact Me tab on the website.

Events