Author | Lightnews

Hearts of Down @heartsofdown.bsky.social · Aug 12

James McMeekin and his milk float. A gorgeous Newtownards story.

Brónagh 🇮🇪🇵🇸 @beebsymca.bsky.social · Aug 12

Today is National Milkman Day. A barely seen figure now, but the heart of our communities in years gone by.

This is one of the most beautiful films in our collection. If you've been to the Transport Museum at Cultra, you will have seen the wee vehicle featured here.

This might make you cry...

Super 8 Stories: The Last Milk Round - View media

Over 128 years of moving images from Northern Ireland, featuring amateur and professional films from 1897 to 2025, brought to you by Northern Ireland Screen.

digitalfilmarchive.net

1 7

Reposted by Hearts of Down

Lisa Rea Currie @lisareacurrie.bsky.social · Jul 14

This is a beautiful song.

Lay your flags and titles down
Take your place in this common ground 💚

Hearts of Down @heartsofdown.bsky.social · Jul 14

This is the song, Bully's Acre, written by Maurice Macartney, that appears at the end of The Forgotten Famine film. It is performed Stephen Macartney and Maurice. Hear it in full. Click the link below.

In so many ways it captures the heart and soul of the film.

www.heartsofdown.org/work/bullys-...

Bully's Acre — Hearts of Down

www.heartsofdown.org

1 4

Reposted by Hearts of Down

Claire Mitchell @clairemitchell.bsky.social · Jul 14

Our friend Maurice Macartney wrote an incredible song for the Forgotten Famine film. Link in thread.

Will never forget him walking into to the pub with guitar and lyrics, and all of us singing along.

Maurice’s work is a window into the space and conversations we’re trying to carve out in our town.

Hearts of Down @heartsofdown.bsky.social · Jul 14

This is the song, Bully's Acre, written by Maurice Macartney, that appears at the end of The Forgotten Famine film. It is performed Stephen Macartney and Maurice. Hear it in full. Click the link below.

In so many ways it captures the heart and soul of the film.

www.heartsofdown.org/work/bullys-...

Bully's Acre — Hearts of Down

www.heartsofdown.org

2 5

Hearts of Down @heartsofdown.bsky.social · Jul 14

Maurice Macartney's Bully's Acre

All you who enter here
Lay your flags and your titles down
Take your place
On this level ground
Come and hear the call
Step up, gather round
We’re building our new common
And a new New Town

Performed by Stephen & Maurice Macartney

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k6v...

Bully's Acre

YouTube video by The_Combination_NI

www.youtube.com

4 5

Reposted by Hearts of Down

Stephen Baker @stephenbaker.bsky.social · Jul 14

A thread here from the @heartsofdown.bsky.social introducing the work of the multitalented Maurice Macartney @jointhecoo.bsky.social. Maurice is a thinker, writer, songwriter and musician. The song at the top of the thread is beautiful.

Hearts of Down @heartsofdown.bsky.social · Jul 14

This is the song, Bully's Acre, written by Maurice Macartney, that appears at the end of The Forgotten Famine film. It is performed Stephen Macartney and Maurice. Hear it in full. Click the link below.

In so many ways it captures the heart and soul of the film.

www.heartsofdown.org/work/bullys-...

Bully's Acre — Hearts of Down

www.heartsofdown.org

1 4

Hearts of Down @heartsofdown.bsky.social · Jul 14

And one more thing for the Maurice Macartney thread. Maurice made The Spirit Cellarman film, looks at clans, clearances and commoners on the Isle of Skye, by way of a family connection. It's a fascinating story.

www.heartsofdown.org/work/the-spi...

The Spirit Cellarman — Hearts of Down

www.heartsofdown.org

2

Hearts of Down @heartsofdown.bsky.social · Jul 14

And you can follow Maurice here on Bluesky @jointhecoo.bsky.social

1 2

Hearts of Down @heartsofdown.bsky.social · Jul 14

You hear Maurice talking about his book on the North Podcast @north-tuaisceart.bsky.social hosted by @stephenbaker.bsky.social

www.heartsofdown.org/work/north-p...

North Podcast — Hearts of Down

www.heartsofdown.org

1 1

Hearts of Down @heartsofdown.bsky.social · Jul 14

Maurice is also the author of the book Combinations: Denominations, Democracy and the Politics of Nonviolence.

www.heartsofdown.org/work/combina...

Combinations — Hearts of Down

www.heartsofdown.org

1 1 3

Hearts of Down @heartsofdown.bsky.social · Jul 14

This is the song, Bully's Acre, written by Maurice Macartney, that appears at the end of The Forgotten Famine film. It is performed Stephen Macartney and Maurice. Hear it in full. Click the link below.

In so many ways it captures the heart and soul of the film.

www.heartsofdown.org/work/bullys-...

Bully's Acre — Hearts of Down

www.heartsofdown.org

1 5 6

Reposted by Hearts of Down

Claire Mitchell @clairemitchell.bsky.social · Jun 28

Feeling grateful to the people of Newtownards for all their generosity, stories and wisdom as we made our short film about Bully's Acre and the impact of the Great Hunger in the town.

While officialdom forgot this story, the people remembered.

www.clairemitchell.net/blog/2025/6/...

The Forgotten Famine — Claire Mitchell

This is a short film that I made with my friends and neighbours in Newtownards, County Down. It’s about the impact of The Great Hunger in a town that where officalidom has disremembered some parts of ...

www.clairemitchell.net

1 7 26

Reposted by Hearts of Down

Andrew White @apw1970.bsky.social · Jun 28

An excellent film on the Great Famine's manifestation in Newtownards, and a potent reminder of its terrible impact on the North of Ireland at that time

Hearts of Down @heartsofdown.bsky.social · Jun 26

Our short film about the Great Hunger in Newtownards.

There are Bully’s Acres all over Ireland – mass graves, where victims of an Gorta Mór and harsh workhouse regimes lie buried.

‘The Forgotten Famine’ is about one of them, in a quiet corner of County Down…

www.heartsofdown.org/work/the-for...

The Forgotten Famine — Hearts of Down

www.heartsofdown.org

2 1 3

Hearts of Down @heartsofdown.bsky.social · Jun 28

Thank you Andrew

1

Reposted by Hearts of Down

Will Mac Siúirtáin @wjorda87.bsky.social · Jun 26

"Oh we may moil and delve an' bore, an' weep our blighted prittaes"

youtu.be/3i6-cHvtP6c?...

The Forgotten Famine

YouTube video by Hearts of Down

youtu.be

3 4

Reposted by Hearts of Down

Dr Robyn Atcheson @robyninpink.bsky.social · Jun 26

Last year I acted as historical consultant for this film about the workhouse burial ground in Newtownards and the impact of the Famine.

So pleased to see it out in the world.
#history #irishhistory #famine

youtu.be/3i6-cHvtP6c?...

The Forgotten Famine

YouTube video by Hearts of Down

youtu.be

6 14

Hearts of Down @heartsofdown.bsky.social · Jun 27

Absolutely this

1

Reposted by Hearts of Down

turnedtofire @turnedtofire.bsky.social · Jun 27

It's so close to home, yet I didn't know this bit of our history. That image of wealth and poverty so close together feels uncomfortably familiar. North Down gets stereotyped as if everyone's comfortably off - or rich. But today as then, stories of struggling people get lost in the shuffle.

Hearts of Down @heartsofdown.bsky.social · Jun 27

This is a short film about a hidden aspect of the past in a little corner of Co Down. It’s a little less hidden today! That's thanks to everyone who watched it, liked and reposted the link. The response has been so encouraging. Thank you.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3i6-...

The Forgotten Famine

YouTube video by Hearts of Down

www.youtube.com

1 1 2

Hearts of Down @heartsofdown.bsky.social · Jun 27

This is a short film about a hidden aspect of the past in a little corner of Co Down. It’s a little less hidden today! That's thanks to everyone who watched it, liked and reposted the link. The response has been so encouraging. Thank you.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3i6-...

The Forgotten Famine

YouTube video by Hearts of Down

www.youtube.com

1 5

Hearts of Down @heartsofdown.bsky.social · Jun 27

Ah, Jonny, thank you.

Hearts of Down @heartsofdown.bsky.social · Jun 27

It means a lot to hear that, Ian. Thank you for these encouraging words.

1

Hearts of Down @heartsofdown.bsky.social · Jun 27

Thank you for this. And couldn’t agree more. Christine Kinealy’s work is incredible.

1798 Saintfield Walking Tour @1798saintfield.bsky.social · Jun 27

Take 10 minutes out of your evening to read about the Great Hunger in Newtownards. A superb short film 👏👏👏. Ad Prof Kinealy’s research has shown ( www.qu.edu/faculty-and-...), the situation in Down was much worse during the famine than is usually acknowledged.

1 2

Hearts of Down @heartsofdown.bsky.social · Jun 27

Thanks so much for this, and for sharing. Also for mentioning Christine Kinealy’s work. We are huge fans of hers, Frank Costello and others who have shone a light on the Hunger in County Down and other areas that became disremembered from the wider famine story.

2

Reposted by Hearts of Down

Lemmy Caution @mysterioso.bsky.social · Jun 27

Here's a fantastic short documentary, pulling aside the veil of them and us to show that money and power has always been the driver of division in Ireland.

Hearts of Down @heartsofdown.bsky.social · Jun 26

Our short film about the Great Hunger in Newtownards.

There are Bully’s Acres all over Ireland – mass graves, where victims of an Gorta Mór and harsh workhouse regimes lie buried.

‘The Forgotten Famine’ is about one of them, in a quiet corner of County Down…

www.heartsofdown.org/work/the-for...

The Forgotten Famine — Hearts of Down

www.heartsofdown.org

2 2

Hearts of Down @heartsofdown.bsky.social · Jun 27

Thank you and the quote tweet is very much appreciated. 🙏

1

Hearts of Down @heartsofdown.bsky.social · Jun 27

Thank you. That is a lovely and encouraging thing to hear.

1