Textile Details

'Walking to Death', by Helen Heron. (Photo: Martin Melaugh)

Helen Heron from Ireland worked in many forms of textile art. She became interested in the history of the Irish involvement in the First World War, and the way the newly independent state ignored the involvement of Irish people in that war for many years, and the number of families who lost relatives and friends.

She was also struck by the role of the war poets who recorded their experiences at the Front. If they had not enlisted as serving soldiers, they would not have had access to the forward positions. The same situation pertained to the war reporters. She made this piece, originally entitled 'Soldiers', inspired by a poem of F.S.Flint, in January 2003 for the exhibition 'Hanging on every word', in Bangor, Co Down. The poem was written when Flint saw a friend marching towards the Front. He could not warn him of what was about to happen to the soldiers because the order was 'silence'.

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