Kirkintilloch exhibition

Exhibition on Kirkintilloch fire disaster to visit Achill

Anton McNulty

AN EXHIBITION illustrating the story of the Kirkintilloch bothy disaster and seasonal migration to Scotland from Achill will open in Achill this Saturday.
The ‘Tubaiste Kirkintilloch’ exhibition is part of the 70th anniversary commemorations of the bothy fire disaster which claimed the lives of ten young workers from Achill. It will be held in Halla Acla in Achill Sound for three weeks before moving to Cumarsáid Acla, in Crumpaun for two weeks.
On September 15, the exhibition opened in the William Patrick Library as part of a co-initiative between East Dumbartonshire Council and Conradh na Gaeilge in Glasgow. A delegation from Achill travelled to Kirkintilloch for the opening of the exhibition, which is in three languages, English, Irish and Scots Gallic.
Mary Angela McLoughlin of Comhlacht Forbartha Áitiúil Acla told The Mayo News they are delighted that the exhibition is coming to Achill and they expect large numbers of people to view it over the next five weeks.
“When we went over to Scotland we did not know what to expect from the exhibition but it is very professionally done. It consists of 12 themed banner-style panels which can be folded up and put on stands to be viewed. It will be open for four hours a day in Achill Sound from 12 noon until 4pm but will be open all day in Crumpaun. We are delighted to be able to show the exhibition and people from Scotland will be travelling over for the opening,” she said.
Each panel cost over €2,000 and the exhibition in Scotland and in Ireland will cost between €60,000 and €70,000 to put together with funding coming from various organisations including Údarás na Gaeltachta.
Grainne Crothers of Conradh na Gaeilge in Glasglow said the exhibition had been a huge success in Kirkintilloch and after it leaves Achill, it will be on display in Aranmore Island in Donegal, Belfast and the Isle of Lewis.
“We are delighted the exhibition will be coming to Achill and I am sure there will be a lot of interest in it. The exhibition will focus on the seasonal migration to Scotland from Achill and the type of work done by the workers. It will suggest what happened and the social atmosphere towards the Irish at the time in Scotland. We got a number artefacts from newspapers and from the families and there are some photographs not previously shown,” she said.
Grainne also confirmed that the plaque dedicated to the ten young men who died in the fire, which was vandalised just two days after it was unveiled, will be replaced. The plaque was made from marble granite and the designer Willie Rodgers agreed to design a new plaque, which Grainne hopes will be in place in the coming weeks.