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

This is a beautiful song. Lay your flags and titles down Take your place in this common ground 💚

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.

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...

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.

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-...

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/...

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

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?...

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.

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-...

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

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.

Fantastic piece of work!!

When I mentioned the subject matter of this excellent film to a few local wise old heads last night they were like..yep, we know this. That's why it's so important that an under-told story is being introduced to new audiences. Worth a watch.

Excellent short film telling a story of forgotten local history. Very promising start to a project and account worth following.

This short film is really worth the watch. We have forgotten the impact of An Gorta Mór on the 6 counties, travellers of the day say Newtownards was as bad as Skibbereen. Congratulations to the team who made it.

A heartbreaking story. Please watch this labour of love.

A few years ago, our friend Aidan messaged his dad, to ask if he knew about a place called Bully’s Acre in our town, Newtownards, with possible famine links. Nobody knew much. After a few years of talking with friends and neighbours, and researching the history, we knew this story needed to be told

This film was a labour of love. The joy of working with friends, neighbours and comrades and the excitement of discovering an important aspect of the past in our midst. Click here for full film and info about the making of it: www.heartsofdown.org/work/the-for... Follow @heartsofdown.bsky.social

Listen out for the song at the end of the film, written by @jointhecoo.bsky.social (Maurice Macartney) and sung by his brother Stephen (King Cedar). The whole song will follow soon.

This is an amazing piece of work. 10 minutes well spent.

God but I am so glad someone is telling this story. Newtownards had the highest amount of soup kitchens. People forget the offspring of the poor farmers dragged over by the undertakers were affected too

Also visit @heartsofdown.bsky.social website, online home to a community arts, heritage and media collective from County Down, drawing inspiration from the radical, democratic and anti-sectarian spirit of our place. www.heartsofdown.org

Watch this short film. It's what's sometimes called a 'hidden history', about a mass unmarked grave. It's about our place in another time, but it deals with events that may resonate with you, in your place. And I think it begs questions about how people in other parts of the world are treated now.

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...

Hearts of Down is a gathering of friends & neighbours, comrades & fellow travellers, who come together to imagine & make things – films, music, books... We draw inspiration from the radical, democratic & anti-sectarian spirit of our native Co. Down, reaching out to people & communities everywhere.

If you’re not following the Hearts of Down, give them a follow now.

Pulling our website together today. The banner image is from a painting 'Old Tongue' by Tim Millen, exhibited recently at the Ards Arts Centre. A show that "emerged from a stew of myth, folklore, climate reports, and the daily ritual of walking on Scrabo Hill". www.timmillen.com/while-your-b...

A great initiative shining light on an under-told history.

A mysterious unmarked site in Newtownards, Co. Down, which some locals call Bully's Acre and is said to be linked to An Gorta Mór... This short film uncovers the disremembered famine history of Newtownards, and draws attention to Bully's Acre as a site of historical significance. Coming soon...

Watch this space! Not long to go until the first treat!

We are making things. Some of them will be ready soon :) Films, podcasts, essays, conversations. Stories from the County Down underground.