‘HARRY AND THE ART OF FLIGHT’ LAUNCHING AT THE ULSTER FOLK MUSEUM
Date Posted: June 25, 2024
Subculture Media is pleased to announce the premiere of five short educational films, collectively entitled Harry and the Art of Flight, directed by award-winning documentary filmmaker John T. Davis and funded by Northern Ireland Screen’s Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund.
The series delves into the remarkable life and legacy of Ulster-Scot Harry Ferguson, a local pioneer in engineering. Born in County Down in 1884, Ferguson played a major role in the mechanical implementation of farming and agriculture internationally. He also became the first man in Ireland to build and fly an aeroplane, a remarkable feat celebrated in this series.
A key feature of Ferguson Tractor Day, Harry and the Art of Flight will screen for the first time on June 29th at 1pm in The Picture House at the Ulster Folk Museum, Cultra. The screening will be introduced by producer Chris Eva and followed by a Q&A session with John T. Davis.
This cinema’s unique history and location complements the documentary films’ exploration of Ferguson’s life and achievements. The Ulster Folk Museum celebrates Ulster’s rich cultural heritage, while the nearby Ulster Transport Museum houses a vast collection of transport vehicles through the ages, including a full size replica of the original Harry Ferguson monoplane.
The films utilise Davis’s footage, shot in 2009 – one hundred years after Ferguson’s first flight in 1909 – of a meticulously-crafted quarter scale replica model of the monoplane. Using Ferguson’s personal archives voiced by actor Richard Clements, the documentary series goes beyond the machine to offer a comprehensive look at Ferguson’s life, motivations, and unwavering determination as a designer and aviator. Viewers will learn of Ferguson’s humble beginnings on an Ulster farm, and witness his early fascination with the motorcycles and automobiles that ultimately ignited his passion for aviation.
As well as launching at the Ulster Folk Museum’s Ferguson Tractor Day, Subculture Media is also planning future screenings of the series at prestigious international aviation events to ensure that this remarkable story becomes one that resonates across the world. The series can also be viewed online at ulsterscots.nvtv.co.uk and the Education Authority’s Ulster-Scots Hub.
