Greenway and Falls Women’s Groups visit Crumlin Road Gaol

After many delays and postponements over the past year and a half, the Greenway and Falls Women’s Groups were able to complete their Women in the Archives project, with a visit to Crumlin Road Gaol, Belfast on Monday 28 June 2021.

Never let it be said that a global pandemic would keep these women down!

The overall project covered a wide range of issues about how women were often painted out of history and the groups visited PRONI, the Linen Hall Library and took part on a city-wide tour, discovering aspects of their own history, women’s health provision, the role of women in the work place, equal and civil rights, incarceration and education. Just a few run of the mill topics then!

The women themselves were a joy to work with, having a willingness to learn and understand their past, as well as continue to be aware of injustice and equality in the future.

The Crumlin Road Gaol dates back to 1845 and closed its doors as a working prison in 1996. After extensive renovations the gaol has re opened as a visitor attraction and explores the history of the site from when women and children were held within its walls through to the political segregation of republican and loyalist prisoners.

Here are a few pics of the day, and what a beautiful day they got!