About this book The artwork in Dwell was created by Mrs Wilson's P4 & P5 Class, Donaghey P.S. Co. Tyrone as part of the Kids' Own Virtually There online residency project. The children were inspired by Artist Ann Donnelly to connect with their home area and family history through art. The work is process-based and this book is a way of giving a taste of that creative process. Most of the artwork was selected by the children themselves, who have also made a collaborative class book and 28 individual books.
DWELL Work from the Virtually There online residency with Virtual-Artist-in-Residence: Ann Donnelly and Mrs Wilson's P4 & P5 Class, Donaghey P.S., Co. Tyrone
Introduction Our book is called “Dwell”. The book is called “Dwell” because we are mainly doing about places around us or where we live. We worked with an artist called Ann Donnelly. We worked online. When we were talking over the web-cam on the computer, we were in our classroom and Ann was in her art studio. When the first lesson started the P4’s weren’t used to talking to our artist through the internet [but] we got used to it. We used different types of technology like microphones, computers, e-mails, web-cam, scanner and cameras.To communicate we use web-cam, text and e-mail. Or [sometimes] we scan photos then send them to Ann. We gathered up as much research for our books [as we could]. We researched about families and signs and places. There are lots of interesting places in the countryside. There are lots of interesting houses. We went on to the computer and looked up a website about the Griffith's Valuation. It showed us our townlands, main roads and small roads from long ago. Towns have changed massively but country roads haven’t changed too much. Our class did loads of working out for our family history. This project helped us all to find out different things about our family that we never knew. And we [did] some research about the places around us. We took photos of each other, places, things, people and dwellings around our homes. We made maps with the people who live in the area we live in, from our house to the school. The maps show roads and main roads and countryside. Sometimes they show people’s houses. We used techniques like painting, writing, pen and wash, watercolours, charcoal, photography, collage with different papers, typing and pastels. Through our project we learned to appreciate other’s ideas and we found out it’s fun to work together. Sometimes we worked by ourselves. Thinking was hard work but it made it easier to get organised. It is lots of fun making a book. It takes a long time but it was really fun at the same time and we really enjoyed it!
-extract from the class book, Dwell by Mrs Wilson's P4 & P5 Class, 2012-2013
Bryony View from my window Overleaf: Kirsty Signpost, Sherrigrim
Abbie Signposts
Erin The Greaves Household
Erin Great Granny and Granda Greaves
Group Map Jessica, Neil, Jake M, Lydia, Luke M Opposite: Abbie Rodney Morton (Dad)
Bryony My House
My house is 2.2 miles away from Donaghey Primary School. To go to school, the roads I travel on are Gortagammon Road (Townland of Tulyhogue) then turn right on to the Newmills Road (Townland of Low Cross) past the Donaghrisk Road (Townland of Low Cross) past the Old Donaghey School that was built in 1909 then turn right on to the Killygarvin Road (Townland of Donaghey) and continue until I reach the primary school on my left. My Great Grandfather has always lived in this area. When he got married, Great Granda Bob rented a farm in Ardtrea. In the early 1940's the opportunity arose to buy a farm at Tullyconnell from Thomas Hogg which became the homestead. Seven out of his nine children were born at Tullyconnell. In the late 1940's Bob bought a neighbouring farm from the McGaw family and when his eldest son Stanley got married in 1965 Stanley moved into that farmhouse and set up his own pig farm. In 1947 a bungalow was built between the original farmhouse and Stanley's house and my Great Granny and Granda moved into the bungalow and retired from farming shortly after. Their next eldest son, Arnott then took over the original farmhouse and dairy farm when he got married. Since then another daughter built a bungalow along the Soarn Road and Stanley's son Gary recently set up his own pig farm too a few miles away. So even today the family still farms in the Tullyconnell townland. -extracts from Jake A's research
Opposite: Jake A Griffith's Map: Tullyhogue, Sessiagh (Lindesay), Ballymullyglebe and Gownshill
Katie My House Katie High Cross Donaghmore Old Graveyard "My Great Grandma and Great Grandpa went to that church and are buried in that graveyard."
Morgane My back garden, Sandholes Overleaf: Katie My Great Granda, William Moore and my neigbour, Joe Mc Graghan
Ellen My Nanny Taylor
Stefan My brother rolling a snowball
Louise My Granda Boden at Deco our bus driver's Mum and Dad's wedding
Ethan C My home -Maple House, Sherrygroom
Ethan G My Great Granda holding my baby Uncle Andrew Sammy-Lee My Nanny, Mary Wenlock, at her wedding
Opposite: Emily My Granda. His name was Lee. Above: Carys My Granny and Granda's wedding day
Opposite: Ryan My Great Granny and Granda, Gladys and Herbie Archer Above: Jasmine Headstone, Old Donaghendry Graveyard
A lot of people have lived in our house. My Great Granda bought the house and farm in 1956 and we have been renovating it. There is a Shooting Club called Sherrigroom shooting that meets at our farm. There is a forest on a hill called Glen. The house we live in was the old minister's house. The old church was destroyed in the Civil War in 1641. Some people say that there is an underground tunnel running from our house to the old graveyard. If there is, we haven't found it yet. There is a standing stone opposite our house 2m high. -extract from Jasmine's research My Dad spent the first five years of his life in Stewartstown and after moved to Newmills. Beofre our house was built a man named Kevin Goan rented a cottage which was knocked down. In 1998 my Mum and Dad started to build a new house which they moved into after they were married in 1999. In 2005 when I was born we did an attic conversion to the house adding two bedrooms and a bathroom. In 2010 we added an extension to the kitchen. -extract from Ethan G's research Gortagammon, "field of the camans or hurleys" is my townland. At the top of the hill behind our house we can see far far away: Antrim hills, Sperrin mountains, Mourne mountains and lots of drumlins. There is a large stone which was a megalithic tomb. One day we went up to see it. The people of neolithic times were the first people to leave a lasting mark on Ireland's landscape. They built huge megalithic tombs to bury the remains of their dead. There are three main types: court, passage and wedge tombs. This tomb is near An CreagĂ n where my Daddy works. It is a court tomb. -extract from Kate's research Opposite: Court tomb near An CreagĂ n Kate
Above Left: Jessica My house Above right: Jessica View from my window "It was my Great Great Granda's house. My family has lived in my house for seventy years."
Above: Griffith's Maps including townlands of Gortagammon, Desertcreat, Kiltyclogher, Rockdale, Highcross, Tullyhogue, Sherrygroom, Aughaginny, Gortfad, Doras and Creevah Lower Overleaf: Lydia Me and my Great Granny Luke My Granny and Granda with friends at a wedding
Opposite: Kirsty My house Kate My Mum's Dad and family Caleb Me and my Granda Wenlock at my sister Bella's wedding Above: Louise My Granny and Granda and my Uncle Tom Jodie My Granny and Granda and my Uncle
Neil The fields and landscape around my house, Donaghendry
Jake M Griffith's Map, townland of Low Cross
Above: Lauren Untitled portraits, collage and pen and wash Opposite: Adam Great Uncle Harry
Above: Lauren Rockdale House Samuel Tennis players and Lowry family guests, Rockdale House, about 1910 Opposite: Samuel Rockdale House when it was built in 1823
Samuel Rockdale House "Rockdale House is the oldest house in Sandholes. It is very close to me. There are ruins at Rockdale House. There is a cellar. Captain Lowry lived there and his family before him."
Acknowledgements Thanks to everyone who supported this project: Families, friends and neighbours for all their contributions; c2kni for support with the technology; the staff from Donaghey P.S, particularly Mrs Wilson for her energy and enthusiasm and Kids' Own for the opportunity. Also thanks to ACNI for an ACES award enabling Artist Ann Donnelly to develop her own practice including the themes explored in this residency work.
DWELL Virtually There is a long-term virtual-artist-in-residence project run by Kids' Own Publishing Partnership and funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.