A new documentary exploring an Ulster-Scots journey from Greyabbey to South Carolina airs this weekend.
Produced as part of the USA 250th Anniversary and funded by Northern Ireland Screen’s Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund, Along Black River – The Witherspoon Chronicle is a new documentary from NVTV.
Historian Dr. David Hume follows a remarkable Ulster-Scots story from Greyabbey in County Down to the swamps, rivers and settlements of South Carolina, tracing the journey of the Witherspoon family and the legacy they left behind on both sides of the Atlantic.
Rich in landscape, family memory and historical reflection, the documentary begins in Greyabbey before moving to the Black River region of South Carolina, where descendants, historians and local custodians help piece together the story of early Ulster settlers who left County Down in search of a new life. At the heart of the programme is the story of John and Janet Witherspoon and the wider family network that followed them, settled the Williamsburg area and helped establish a lasting Ulster-Scots presence in the region.
Dean Hagan, Producer and Director, said: “Along Black River is about much more than one family story. It’s about migration, endurance, faith and memory and the ways in which Ulster-Scots history travelled far beyond these shores while still remaining deeply connected to home.”
Along Black River – The Witherspoon Chronicle airs on Sunday 19 April at 8.20pm on That’s TV (Freeview 7 / Virgin 159). The documentary will also be available on NVTV Ulster-Scots Archive and the NVTV Belfast YouTube channel.
