Exhibition charts story of Norwegian children

THE story behind the burial of two Norwegian children in a Limerick city cemetery nearly 140 years ago will be recalled at the Belltable Arts Centre tomorrow.

The Norwegian Ambassador Truls Hanevold will open an exhibition of photographs which was inspired by a play about the voyage of The Hannah Parr from Norway in 1868.

The Hannah Parr was taking emigrants to Quebec when it was damaged in a storm and managed to make port at Foynes.

It travelled on to the port of Limerick, where it docked for a number of months for repairs.

While there, two children who were travelling on the vessel died and were buried in St Munchin’s Cemetery on King’s Island.

Members of the Island Theatre Company came across the graves and decided to enact a play based on the story of the children. The play was written by Niamh Bowen.

Photographer Deirdre Power took up to 1,000 pictures and selected 22 to mount an exhibition.