Irish Republican History Museum - exterior

Irish Republican History Museum - interior

The Eileen Hickey Irish Republican History Museum ( ga, Iarsmalann na Staire Poblachtach Éireannach), is a

museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make these ...

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

. It was established in 2007 after years of campaigning by Eileen Hickey, who collected the exhibits. The museum is based in Conway Mill in the Falls Road area of West

. The site is a former linen mill built in 1842 which has been in community use for the last thirty years. The museum opened in February 2007 on the first anniversary of the death of Eileen Hickey, one of the major driving forces behind the initiative. The museum is administrated by a committee made up of volunteers. Hickey was the former Officer Commanding of the

Provisional Irish Republican Army The Irish Republican Army (IRA; ), also known as the Provisional Irish Republican Army, and informally as the Provos, was an Irish republican paramilitary organisation that sought to end British rule in Northern Ireland, facilitate Irish reun ...

(IRA) prisoners in Armagh Women's prison and she dedicated her life to preserving artifacts and relics from the period in

Irish history The first evidence of human presence in Ireland dates to around 33,000 years ago, with further findings dating the presence of homo sapiens to around 10,500 to 7,000 BC. The receding of the ice after the Younger Dryas cold phase of the Quaterna ...

known as

The Troubles The Troubles ( ga, Na Trioblóidí) were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it is sometimes described as an "i ...

. The museum was officially opened by Fr. Des Wilson and Noelle Ryan. Exhibits have been donated by hundreds of individuals and families. These include prisoners handicrafts made by republicans imprisoned around the world, weapons used by republicans and pictures and artwork relating to the conflict. Some exhibits date back as far as the United Irishmen's rebellion of 1798. Key exhibits include: *A jacket worn by IRA volunteer

Mairéad Farrell Mairéad Farrell ( ga, Máiréad Ní Fhearghail or ''Mairéad Ní Fhearail'') (3 March 1957 – 6 March 1988) was a member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA). She was shot dead by the British Army in Gibraltar on 6 March 1988.Pg 30 ...

while in prison. *A cell door and bed removed from Armagh women's prison. *A large array of posters and paintings related to the conflict. *Articles of interest on deceased members of the National Graves Association, Belfast and other republicans in Belfast and beyond. *A library and interpretive centre to help with education projects and those conducting historical research.

References

External links

Conway Mill
{{Museums and galleries in Northern Ireland Museums established in 2007 2007 establishments in Northern Ireland The Troubles (Northern Ireland) Museums in Belfast History museums in Northern Ireland Irish republicanism