Literature-loving teacher helps celebrate GFA with poetry

AN Omagh primary school teacher’s bright idea recently came to life when a book of poetry celebrating the 25 year anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement was published.

To mark the passing of a quarter of a century since the historic peace agreement, Natasha Eccles went to the Northern Ireland Office and suggested getting school children to write poems on the theme of hope.

Recently, a selection of those poems were collected and published in a book called, ‘25 Years On: A Poetry Collection’.

Speaking with Natasha, she told us that seeing her idea come to fruition was ‘very poignant’.

“I came up with the idea at a time when I needed hope myself,” began the Primary Two teacher. “I do not want to downplay the thing too much, but it was just a notion that I took.”

However, try as she might to minimise what she has done, Natasha had enough confidence in her concept to pitch it to the Northern Ireland Office.

“It was a simple enough idea: To get young people to write either a 25-word or line poem on the theme of hope and send it in,” she described.

Not one to do thing half heartedly, Natasha was persistent in her efforts to get NIO’s attentions.

“I don’t want to sound like I was being bossy, but I kept at them,” she laughed.

The competition was sanctioned; the poems started streaming in, and, before long, Natasha and some of the entrants were enjoying a reception at Hillsborough Castle.

“Some of the students read out their work in the throne room, and we were all given a tour of the grounds,” she reflected. “I have to be honest, it was very poignant and quite overwhelming to see how far my wee idea had come.

The book is now available online at ‘www.neversuchinnocence.com’.

“I thought that it was fitting to have young people write on the theme of hope,” Natasha concluded. “Because, while it might sound corny, they are our hope.”