Deputy Mayor excited to launch new exhibition celebrating inspiring women at Coleraine Town Hall

Council is pleased to announce the opening of a new exhibition at Coleraine Town Hall, Peace Heroines. This vibrant display was developed by the Herstory Education Trust and celebrates the pivotal role played by women in the Northern Ireland peace process.

Peace Heroines will be on show at Coleraine Town Hall until 22nd June, and is accompanied by a display developed by Coleraine Museum (supported by Council’s Good Relations) which explores the stories of inspiring Causeway women.

The Peace Heroines exhibition has been blazing a trail across Northern Ireland and internationally since it launched at the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2022, touring to venues including the Derry Tower Museum, the US Congress in Washington DC, and the United Nations in New York, among others.

The exhibition explores how women from all walks of life contributed to peace and continue cross-community and reconciliation projects today. Ordinary women with extraordinary courage, they faced daily threats to their lives and the lives of their families. The women featured 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.

Causeway Coast and Glens Museum Services were joined by members of the public, elected members and contributors at a launch event on Thursday 16th May.

Deputy Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Councillor Margaret-Anne McKillop, who launched the display, said: “We are very pleased to see such an exciting exhibition arriving at Coleraine Museum in Coleraine Town Hall.

“These women have helped generations of people across the Borough and further afield and we are excited to be able to share their stories with future generations.

“We are very proud of the hard work seen here and we cannot wait to share their inspirational stories.”

Some of the women featured in the exhibition include Pat Hume, Baroness May Blood MBE, Linda Ervine MBE, Saidie Patterson MBE and former United States Secretary of State Hilary Clinton. The display also highlights the contributions of local women to the Suffragette movement, peace efforts and integrated education across the Borough.

Admission is free. The exhibition closes on Saturday 22nd June.

Coleraine Town Hall is open Tuesday to Saturday, 11am to 4pm (closed Bank Holidays).

For more information, email Museum Services: museums@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk or phone 028 2766 0230.