General Collections highlights

Downpatrick Heritage Railway

Ireland's only full-size heritage railway celebrates 20 years. Entirely run by volunteers, this unique railway allows you to enjoy the beautiful countryside of County Down on board vintage passenger trains an...

Pilib O Runai

Setting up an Irish nursery

Pilib learnt some Irish at school, which was not common at the time something that was not very common at that time. He grew up with the language being spoken around him and always had an interest in it. He participat...

Neil Shawcross: A Portrait

The artist Neil Shawcross.

Neil Shawcross (born March 15, 1940) is an artist born in Lancashire, England who has lived in Northern Ireland since 1962. Primarily a portrait painter, his subjects have included novelist Francis Stuart, football...

Cuideachta ó Thuaidh Clara Gill

An interview with Clara Gill.

Agallamh le Clara Ní Ghiolla, bean a bhfuil mar inspioráid ar chuile duine. Ag cáint ar saol s’aici agus í ago bar i Meircéa, Sasann agus na hOileann Ara. Bíonn plé ann comh maith faoina chuid oibreí anseo I mBéal Fei...

Heritage Collections highlights

Mina Wardle

Talking to the community activist

Mina’s father was an engineer on RMS Queen Mary, her mother suffered from arthritis. Mina passed her 11+ and was awarded a place at Grammar School but at 15 years, her parents could no longer afford to keep her at the...

Dale Harrison

Community work in West Belfast

Dale remembers the beginning of the Troubles. “From memory the Troubles in the Woodvale were rife. To this day some people would say that’s originally where it all started. I do remember one evening. There was a full ...

Kathleen Kelly

Teaching and community development

The ten years, Kathleen spent as a teacher in the primary school in North Queen Street, brought home to her the poverty in which the children she taught, lived. Originally from east Belfast, where her father was a ...

Falls Women’s Centre

Stories from Falls Road women

Personal stories from women who established a women's centre on the Falls Road in Belfast and sought to provide a space for women to feel safe and to gain advice on childbirth, abortion, marital problems, social secur...