Since the 19th century, women in Northern Ireland have been building bridges by setting aside religious and political affiliations to work together to assert their civil rights and challenge laws that restricted their freedoms; issues regarding women’s education, married women’s property rights and voting rights.

From local to national, this cooperative characteristic of the women’s movements continued into the 20th century with suffragism, trade unionism and eventually, the peace movement of the 1960s on.

Women from all walks of life played a pivotal role in the Northern Ireland peace process and continue cross-community dialogue and reconciliation projects today.

Ordinary women with extraordinary courage, they faced daily threats to their lives and the lives of their families. Many overcame struggles with poverty, poor education, and personal tragedy to work together for peace.

They did everything from supporting victims of sectarian violence to lobbying politicians, founding integrated education, starting cross-community projects, organising mass peace marches, and inspiring women to participate in political and public life.

Their story is a key United Nations case study. From the Congo to Columbia, international peace delegations learn about the impact that Northern Irish women made to what is widely considered to be one of the most successful peace processes in the world.

As we mark the 25th Anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, this exhibition is an introduction to the women who worked for peace.

The Troubles – or the Northern Ireland conflict – was a period of civil and political conflict which began in the late 1960s and is generally accepted as having ended with the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

There remains no consensus about the causes of the Troubles, its nature, or how it should be remembered. It has been interpreted as an anti-colonial independence struggle, an ethno-political conflict, and a terrorist campaign against democracy.

Central to the conflict was the struggle over Northern Ireland’s constitutional status. Unionists and loyalists – who were mostly Protestant – wanted to remain a part of the United Kingdom, whilst nationalists and republicans – who were mainly Catholic – sought a united Ireland.

Over 3,600 people were killed during the Troubles, with approximately 50,000 total casualties over the three decades.

It is important to acknowledge that this is both difficult and contested history. Although we have a shared past, we don’t have a shared memory. This exhibition presents a diverse range of opinions and identities but does not seek to achieve consensus or to provide a comprehensive history of the period.

Our aim is to explore the essential role of women, individuals and collectives, who operated from grassroots to government levels. It is only possible to capture a selection of women’s stories in this exhibition but we hope that this project will spark your curiosity and inspire you to research your local peace heroines.

This online exhibition was developed by the Herstory Education Trust and the Nerve Centre, with funding from the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs Reconciliation Fund

Founded in 2016, Herstory tells the stories of modern, historic and mythic women through the arts, visionary education projects, and spectacular light shows.

Our mission is to give the public authentic female role models and a game-changing education programme, inspiring countries around the world to start their own Herstory movements.

The exhibition was curated by Melanie Lynch and researched by Katelyn Hanna and the digital version was delivered by Nerve Centre. Special thanks to Karen Logan and Louise Rice from National Museums NI for their expertise and advice.

Developed in collaboration with Professor Emeritus Monica McWilliams, Bronagh Hinds, Anne Carr, Dr Dianne Kirby, Dr Emma Black, Maria Bourke, Freda Wilkinson, Martina Byrne, Fiona Ward, Fiona Lowe and Caroline Stott. Original portrait artworks by FRIZ.

Herstory would like to extend thanks to all institutions and individuals who gave permission to reproduce photographs and other material in copyright for this exhibition. Every reasonable effort has been made to trace and contact copyright holders. If there are any inadvertent omissions, please do not hesitate to contact: [email protected]