A collaborative exhibition between Proîseact nan Ealan and Comann Eachdraidh Uibhist a Tuath is coming to the museum in March 2015.
It will feature elements from Proîseact nan Ealan’s current WW1 exhibition and will accompany those from the display currently in Gallery 2 – artefacts from the renowned In Flanders Fields museum in Ypres, Belgium, formed part of a series of exhibitions commemorating the remarkable human sacrifice of the Hebrides population during World War I. This exhibition is part of the Gairm nan Gàidheal | Call of the Gael project being run by Pròiseact nan Ealan | The Gaelic Arts Agency. The initiative aims to discover and retell the stories of the island communities who experienced the devastating impact of the First World War more than most other areas.
The death toll of the Western Isles had incredible impact on the small communities; bearing the harshest toll of the Great War. North Uist. 367 men from the Uists and Benbecula, serving with 2nd Service Battalion of the Camerons in the 9th Division, were killed in the opening days of the Battle of Loos in September 1915, Out of a total Battalion strength of 800, only 72 men survived.
The devastating impact of war on the already small and fragile communities that were left behind – as well as recollections of what the men faced when they reached the front line – will be detailed through photos, words and memorabilia on show. Among these artefacts will be items on loan from the internationally acclaimed In Flanders Fields museum, whose research staff are supporting the Gairm nan Gàidheal | Call of the Gael project. Organisers have also worked across the islands to research the exhibitions and explore personal accounts handed down through the generations, all of which will go towards painting a picture of the effect the war had on the Hebrides.
Credits: The Gaelic Arts Agency Portfolio //
http://www.gaelic-arts.com/gd/project/gairm-nan-gaidheal/