General Collections highlights

Betty Carlisle

Shankill Women’s Centre Manager

As the youngest of five children, Betty recalls fond memories of the Woodvale area of the Shankill in west Belfast as she was growing up. “It was a very community spirited area, I spent lots of time playing and felt a...

(The First) East Belfast Lantern Parade

On 5th December 2003 the BEAT Initiative created the First East Belfast "Making Light" Lantern Parade. It was the result of months of various arts workshops carried out in various community centres and with differe...

The Long Haul & The Kazoo Orchestra: Black Mountain Rescue in Belfast

A local environmental protest.

On Saturday October 21st, 1995, activists from "Black Mountain Rescue" turned up at the premises of White Mountain Quarries protesting at the destruction and erosion of the Black Mountain. On their way to the quarr...

McGurk’s Bar Bombing – Loss of Innocence

Discussing the 1971 bombing.

Relatives of those who were killed and injured in the McGurk's Bar bombing talk of that night and its aftermath. On 4 December 1971, the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), exploded a bomb at McGurk's Bar in Belfast, Nor...

Heritage Collections highlights

Martine Madden

Living with amputation

Marie Breen-Smyth the Associated Dean International at the University of Surrey talks to Martine Madden about the injury she suffered, how her family responded to it and how her life has been affected. Martine was ...

Darren Ferguson

Aid worker and music fan

Darren grew up in Glengormley. He recalls a time when bomb scares were common. “Me and my brother were fascinated when they brought out the robots to defuse these bombs. I have very clear memories of the police com...

Aodán Mac Poilin

Irish language schooling

Aodán grew up on the Norfolk Road in west Belfast with his two sisters, his mother who was an Irish speaker and his father who worked as a civil servant. His parents were avid followers of hurling and Gaelic footba...

Noelle Ryan

A life in community education

Noelle spent six years working in a Liverpool convent before being released. “I know there were some of people who felt, maybe fearful of me in ways, I’ve a fairly strong personality. I suppose it wasn’t my permanent ...