Continued from page 1
Prior to joining forces with his brother William, and his pal Kevin, Tom worked for ten years in cross-community art projects in city as a means for getting two communities to understand one another. He was a pioneer in field. Tom says: "Our society has done incalculable harm to our natural pride and sense of self-worth. Christianity addresses this." Tom has completed many murals in city that depicted life, as it existed a long time ago. He called these `heritage murals'. They were made for schools, hospitals and community centers.
Tom is a fine singer and musician and has produced Wellspring's one and only CD, a compilation of well-known Irish gigs and a few original numbers from Wellspring's composers.
WILLIAM Tom's older brother William Kelly also worked in England. First he went to Queens University after a formal education at St.Columbs College. St.Columbs incidentally boasts no less than TWO Nobel Prize winners - Seamus Heaney and John Hume. Renowned playwright Brian Friel was also educated there.
William decided to leave uni and went to Carlisle, England, to work as a Post Office counter clerk, which lasted a year. His intention was to `grow up'. "Happily, I failed," he says.
Teaming up with his brother Tom and Kevin to form The Bogside Artists was a natural progression. William likes to read and paint and has little time left for anything else. He is married and spends his time between Australia and Ireland. _________________________________________________________ _
3. ON THE GRAPEVINE
Sad days for some in Derry. The old stalwarts who were in regular receipt of funding from Derry City council have been axed this year. The purse strings are tightening. We, of course, have never received a penny and it seems that this time around, our "chances are very slim" according to one official. We are shocked, of course. __________________________________________________________
4. OUR DIARY
Recently we have organized our group along more professional lines with a management committee and everything. That means, when we apply for funding, we might conceivably be taken seriously. In meantime, we concern ourselves with our next murals. The first of these will begin at end of May. There will be three more in toto, and you can follow our progress with all three. You can be sure that this section of our newsletter will gradually take pre-eminence over all others. _________________________________________________________
So now you know all about us! Our intention is to complete remaining three murals for Bogside. It will be an open-air gallery, unique of its kind. Our Newsletters, of which this is first, will keep you informed of our progress; and in "Diary" section especially, you will read about bizarre and wonderful events that unfold, as we go about making our murals......because what actually happens to The Bogside Artists, on a day to day basis, is a helluva lot funnier than anything we could make up. Also, we will be able to post photos taken in situ on our Newsletter so that you can get a real intimation of what it is like to work as a muralist in Derry! On that promising note, I bid you adieu and wish you, on behalf of Tom, Kevin and myself, a very happy day. _________________________________________________________
5. USEFUL WEBSITES
www.derrycity.gov.uk, Spartan in contact info.
www.derrycityfc.com, Derry's soccer site, all you ever
wanted to know about Derry's football squad but were afraid to ask. Up to minute.
www.geographia.com/northern-ireland/ukider00.htm, useful links to all things Northern Irish.
http://www.donegalnews.com, has that little village life content. BIG things happen in Donegal, mostly to fish.
http://www.irishroots.net/Derry.htm, for those seeking their biological origins all over Ireland. Derry's genealogy center is based in Heritage Building where The Bogside Artists have exhibited.
http://www.cityofderryairport.com, simple and to point giving visitor what he needs to know and well presented with good flicks. Flights to Dublin, London, Glasgow, Manchester, Majorca etc.
http://www.derryvisitor.com, good plug for town. I should say "city"; but Derry will never be a "city" as such, we hope! To Derry "wans", it'll always be a town. _________________________________________________________
The Bogside Artists are three men who are famous for their murals situated in their hometown of Derry in Northern Ireland. You can see a gallery of their work and learn about their book at, bogsideartists.com