“People tend to imagine that our history is just bars, whereas we see our heritage as being in every sphere of life – politics, art, religion, business… as well as [in] bars and [as] entertainers,” she explains. “LGBTQIA+ people are and have been everywhere. Now it’s about acknowledging and celebrating that fact.” Mary Ellen was involved in the original project which finished in October last year and has come on board again.
The walking tours are just one aspect of the project which aims to gather and document the stories of the LGBTQIA+ community in the North, focusing primarily on the period between the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1982 up to Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act in 1998 which enshrined anti-discrimination policies in law. Often overshadowed by the conflict, a culture of fear and prejudice meant that much LGBTQIA+ history was never recorded and has already been lost with people passing away.
“It’s really important that people can see themselves,” Mary Ellen says. “Visibility is important for our community in everyday life – also our heritage, and for us to remember that. It’s also like a celebration of those who went before us and the struggles that they undertook.” She likens the situation to one summed up in an old African proverb: until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter. “If we don’t tell our story, then it’s told from the perspective of those who sought to oppress us.”
For the first time ever, the Lottery-funded project is creating a digital archive of queer stories, objects, documents and memorabilia alongside HERe NI, The Rainbow Project and Cara-Friend. The material is being stored between the Ulster Museum, the Linen Hall Library and the project’s own archives. “People are starting to see the value of retaining items from their past,” says Mary Ellen. Recently there’s been an uptick in material being put into archives; some people who still aren’t ‘out’ have submitted material to be made public only after ten years or when they’ve passed away.
Among the most poignant stories unearthed by the project is that of Wilma Creith, one of the first openly trans women in Northern Ireland. Working as an Ulsterbus driver in the 1970s, Wilma received support from unions and the company boss at the time who ensured her protection. She also set up a transgender helpline that operated one evening a week from the Cara-Friend offices. She died in 1980 as a result of a blood clot after undergoing gender realignment surgery in England. Information on the trans community in Belfast in the 70s is limited and Wilma’s story highlights the importance of people simply sharing their memories in preserving this important heritage. “How we came across that piece of information was doing oral histories with people,” Mary Ellen explains. “One of the participants of our documentary The Troubles I’ve Seen talked about Wilma and was saying how supportive the manager of the bus service was. I don’t know if anybody today would get that level of support. You would imagine the 70s would have been worse, yet we see this backlash against the community that we all need to stand against.”
Wilma’s story is a key talking point of the project’s walking tours, which cover the uplifting and also tragic aspects of queer life here. Traversing the city centre, groups pass the spots where brothers Sammy and later Anthony McCleave fell victim to queerbashing 50 years ago. They were vilified in the newspapers and no one was ever convicted. Guides describe how gay venues were raided by the police and paramilitaries, leading to unlawful arrests and people being outed as a result. We learn about the activism of Mark Ashton and how project volunteer Jude Copeland has been campaigning for a memorial plaque to be erected in his hometown of Portrush.
Mary Ellen feels that her role in the project gives people the opportunity to “validate their own memories”. “One of the most emotive ones that I’ve received was when we talked about people who had to leave to be their authentic selves,” she shares. “A girl contacted me and told me the story of her friend Billy who was from a unionist part of Belfast and went away to Canada to be himself and unfortunately contracted HIV. [He] came home here and she helped care for him until he passed away. We had this really beautiful conversation and it enabled her to remember her friend.”
Preserving this hidden history is more important than ever in a time when transphobia is rampant in the UK press. “I have a lot of fears for our trans and non-binary community. The transphobia here is shocking. We’re seeing the growth of it here and we all have a part to play to stop that. Challenge homophobia, no matter how insidious it may be. It’s about challenging [it] right away and standing with your colleagues and friends.” Mary Ellen emphasises pronouns as one of the simplest ways to demonstrate allyship. “I know not everybody gets that, but if you’re going into a room and introducing yourself, all that does is tell other people in the room that we support you. Even on your own social media or emails, it makes us think ‘oh, they must be sound!’. Without flying a flag, you’re supporting our community.”
Documenting the joy and togetherness of the queer community is as important as their ongoing fight for equality. Coming out of a busy LGBT History Month, Mary Ellen is delighted that the project has managed to source some old footage and photos from Parliament and The Crow’s Nest, two former queer spaces in the city. Rather than end the night with the British or Irish national anthem as was typical for bars at the time, the Chariot Rooms, one of Belfast’s first gay venues, chose ABBA’s Thank You for the Music. Many of the project’s tours now do the same.
Do you have something that could help the LGBTQIA+ NI Heritage Project? Archival material (or even just a photo of an item) could be things you might throw out, be it a T-shirt, a badge, a ticket or an old Pride/Outburst guide. Email history@hereni.org or get in touch on social media. The project also runs an LGBT History Club on the last Tuesday of every month on Zoom.
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