Saturday, 7 December 2024

Textile Details

'Northern Ireland Peace Quilt', by Women Together. (Photo: Colin Peck)
'Northern Ireland Peace Quilt', by Women Together. (Photo: Colin Peck)

 

Title of Textile:Northern Ireland Peace Quilt
Maker: Women Together
Country of Origin: Northern Ireland
Year Produced: 1994
Size (cm): 1.82m (w) x 1.62m (l)
Materials: Cottons
Type of Textile: Quilt
Description:

Founded in 1970, at a time when violence and civil unrest from The Troubles were at their height, Women Together united protestant and catholic women in working for peace and a better life in Northern Ireland. Over the years it has tirelessly worked to end sectarian violence in Northern Ireland, give support to victims of violence, allow women a voice in society and create a society rooted in mutual understanding and respect for diversity.

Pat Campbell, Women Together's Life Vice-President, who has been involved with the group for over 30 years recalls the early days: “Women Together really was ‘Women Together’ It was a great melting pot, where you could be protestant, catholic or no religion.” She comments on the positive steps taken towards peace: “We’ve come a long way since the riots,” while cautioning against complacency: “… there are still terrible things happening and still a certain amount of bigotry.”

Over the years, Women Together made three quilts. This sixteen panel quilt on display, with the words justice, equality, solidarity and peace around the edges, is the product of the work of women and women’s organisations all over Ireland, with one panel from Scotland.

Pat Campbell, who coordinated the quilt making process, comments on its significance: “The patches on the quilt reflect the key elements of what is required for peace. We, as women directly affected, many of us bereaved, wish to have contributed to the peace process and stop the violence.”

This quilt is also documented in Accounts of the Conflict a digital archive of personal accounts of the conflict in and about Northern Ireland, located at the International Conflict Research Institute (INCORE), Ulster University. A total of 10 textiles from the Conflict Textiles collection are included in “Accounts of the Conflict”.

Handwritten testimony from Pat Campbell is available here and in the 'textile detail' section below.

Owner: Pat Campbell
Location: Northern Ireland
Original / Replica: Original
Photographer: Colin Peck
Provenance: N/A. (HM0724)





Textile Detail Image(s)

  Handwritten letter (undated) from Pat Campbell to Conflict Textiles curator Roberta Bacic on the background to and process of making the Northern Ireland Peace quilt.