Installation shot, PS2
Krenn & O’Beirn and the 50+Group, The Bully Bully Bus, 2018
Materials: Card, glue lollypop sticks, paper tape, wood & varnish
Dimensions: 50 cm x 30 cm 30cm
Testimony courtesy of the 50+ Group. Artefact made by the 50 + group with Krenn and O’ Beirn
A resident of Hamill St. drove the bus.* It was called the Bully Bully Bus because the first time Maureen and I went on it to go for a visit to jail, all the young women on it with their babies and young children were singing rebel songs. We couldn’t sing because we were crying so much. It was miserable. The women were amazing because some of them were very young but they kept their spirits up by singing.
* Local people volunteered to drive relatives to the prison once a week for prison visits. Many of the women in the 50 + group got to know each other going on these gruelling weekly prison visits. This system of someone volunteering to drive relatives to their visits was also used in loyalist areas. We photographed a table made as a thank you to someone who drove a bus for relatives of loyalist prisoners.
Krenn & O’Beirn, Message 1981?, 2018
Photographic print of artefact
Dimensions: 50 cm x 30 cm 30cm
Testimony courtesy of loyalist ex-prisoner, object made by Krenn & O’ Beirn in response to testimony
Materials: Chalk, found display drawer lined with plum coloured velvet, fishing line, panel pins. Made by Krenn and O’ Beirn in response to loyalist testimony.
Many years ago there was a particularly strange scenario.* I remember kites been flown from the prison. It must have been connected to the hunger strikes, but I’m not sure, it might have been before that. The kites were flown so high that they looked just like very small coffins. They cut them and there was about 200 metres of fishing line on each to launch it into the sky. I remember it well because we followed one of the kites for about 2 miles from where we lived. We found the kite and it had messages written on it in Irish. I brought it home. My Mum and Dad both worked and when they walked in that night there was a white coffin just sitting on the floor. It was the kite. I’ve never been able to get an explanation, it was definitely republican prisoners. I’ve heard that it might have been the Official IRA sending messages out. I don’t know whether that’s true or not. It would be interesting to find out what that was all about because it wasn’t just one kite, there was a number of them, made from white bed sheets.
* The author of the statement grew up as a child in a housing estate very close to Long Kesh/Maze. Years later, as an adult, he eventually got arrested and became an inmate of this prison. His experience as a prisoner is described in “Reflection”.
Krenn & O’Beirn, Family Nov 1994, 2018
Photographic print of artefact
Materials: Ballerina doll, blue velvet, brass fittings, chess pawns, clothes pegs, mirror, music box mechanism, paint & varnish
Artefact dimensions when open: 40 cm x 30 cm x 200cm
Testimony and artefact courtesy of loyalist ex-prisoner
I was in the Maze in 1989. I was in the Crumlin Road Jail* in 1991. I was released in 1996, so it would have been made between 1992 and 1996. It’s made of clothespegs. The legs are from the bottoms of the pawns in a chess set. It took a long time and effort – many nights spent – but it was enjoyable making it.
When the door closed, you were locked up. That’s the bottom line. You had to do something and I was always for doing something with my hands. At that stage, there was no TV so it was either read books or get involved in handicrafts.
* Crumlin Rd Jail was a former prison in central Belfast where people were held on remand before being sentenced to Long Kesh or other prisons. It was linked by an underground tunnel to the former courthouse which was directly across the road. The site of the jail has now been developed as a visitor attraction. The former courthouse lies derelict awaiting redevelopment.
Krenn & O’Beirn, Big Mid’s Dartboard 2018
Photographic print of artefact
Dimensions: 50 cm x 30 cm 30cm
Testimony courtesy republican contributor, artefact courtesy of The Roddy McCorley Society Museum
Materials: Coloured metallic threads, lollypop sticks, green baize, metal chain, panel pins & plywood
This dartboard* was probably sent out from Long Kesh in end of 1974 or 1975. It says at the bottom ‘From Martin, with respect’. He would be among the last few internees to be released because he had such a big name in republican circles. He and certain other people were let out last, for whatever reason. The British obviously thought that up.
A guy called ‘Big Mid’ has given the dartboard to us. I said to the person who brought it in, ‘could you give me an address and ‘Big Mid’s name so that I can let him know that we’d received it and put it on show in the museum’. But he did not give me the name and replied ‘just call him Big Mid’. There must have been major security surrounding ‘Big Mid’. Apparently, this guy is very well-known in Ardoyne.
* The Andy Tyrie Interpretive Centre also have a dartboard made by a loyalist using the same technique.
Krenn & O’Beirn and the 50+Group, The Bully Bully Bus, 2018
Materials: Card, glue lollypop sticks, paper tape, wood & varnish
Dimensions: 50 cm x 30 cm 30cm
Testimony courtesy of the 50+ Group. Artefact made by the 50 + group with Krenn and O’ Beirn
A resident of Hamill St. drove the bus.* It was called the Bully Bully Bus because the first time Maureen and I went on it to go for a visit to jail, all the young women on it with their babies and young children were singing rebel songs. We couldn’t sing because we were crying so much. It was miserable. The women were amazing because some of them were very young but they kept their spirits up by singing.
* Local people volunteered to drive relatives to the prison once a week for prison visits. Many of the women in the 50 + group got to know each other going on these gruelling weekly prison visits. This system of someone volunteering to drive relatives to their visits was also used in loyalist areas. We photographed a table made as a thank you to someone who drove a bus for relatives of loyalist prisoners.
Krenn & O’Beirn, Message 1981?, 2018
Photographic print of artefact
Dimensions: 50 cm x 30 cm 30cm
Testimony courtesy of loyalist ex-prisoner, object made by Krenn & O’ Beirn in response to testimony
Materials: Chalk, found display drawer lined with plum coloured velvet, fishing line, panel pins. Made by Krenn and O’ Beirn in response to loyalist testimony.
Many years ago there was a particularly strange scenario.* I remember kites been flown from the prison. It must have been connected to the hunger strikes, but I’m not sure, it might have been before that. The kites were flown so high that they looked just like very small coffins. They cut them and there was about 200 metres of fishing line on each to launch it into the sky. I remember it well because we followed one of the kites for about 2 miles from where we lived. We found the kite and it had messages written on it in Irish. I brought it home. My Mum and Dad both worked and when they walked in that night there was a white coffin just sitting on the floor. It was the kite. I’ve never been able to get an explanation, it was definitely republican prisoners. I’ve heard that it might have been the Official IRA sending messages out. I don’t know whether that’s true or not. It would be interesting to find out what that was all about because it wasn’t just one kite, there was a number of them, made from white bed sheets.
* The author of the statement grew up as a child in a housing estate very close to Long Kesh/Maze. Years later, as an adult, he eventually got arrested and became an inmate of this prison. His experience as a prisoner is described in “Reflection”.
Krenn & O’Beirn, Family Nov 1994, 2018
Photographic print of artefact
Materials: Ballerina doll, blue velvet, brass fittings, chess pawns, clothes pegs, mirror, music box mechanism, paint & varnish
Artefact dimensions when open: 40 cm x 30 cm x 200cm
Testimony and artefact courtesy of loyalist ex-prisoner
I was in the Maze in 1989. I was in the Crumlin Road Jail* in 1991. I was released in 1996, so it would have been made between 1992 and 1996. It’s made of clothespegs. The legs are from the bottoms of the pawns in a chess set. It took a long time and effort – many nights spent – but it was enjoyable making it.
When the door closed, you were locked up. That’s the bottom line. You had to do something and I was always for doing something with my hands. At that stage, there was no TV so it was either read books or get involved in handicrafts.
* Crumlin Rd Jail was a former prison in central Belfast where people were held on remand before being sentenced to Long Kesh or other prisons. It was linked by an underground tunnel to the former courthouse which was directly across the road. The site of the jail has now been developed as a visitor attraction. The former courthouse lies derelict awaiting redevelopment.
Krenn & O’Beirn, Big Mid’s Dartboard 2018
Photographic print of artefact
Dimensions: 50 cm x 30 cm 30cm
Testimony courtesy republican contributor, artefact courtesy of The Roddy McCorley Society Museum
Materials: Coloured metallic threads, lollypop sticks, green baize, metal chain, panel pins & plywood
This dartboard* was probably sent out from Long Kesh in end of 1974 or 1975. It says at the bottom ‘From Martin, with respect’. He would be among the last few internees to be released because he had such a big name in republican circles. He and certain other people were let out last, for whatever reason. The British obviously thought that up.
A guy called ‘Big Mid’ has given the dartboard to us. I said to the person who brought it in, ‘could you give me an address and ‘Big Mid’s name so that I can let him know that we’d received it and put it on show in the museum’. But he did not give me the name and replied ‘just call him Big Mid’. There must have been major security surrounding ‘Big Mid’. Apparently, this guy is very well-known in Ardoyne.
* The Andy Tyrie Interpretive Centre also have a dartboard made by a loyalist using the same technique.
Krenn & O’Beirn and the 50+Group, The Bully Bully Bus, 2018
Materials: Card, glue lollypop sticks, paper tape, wood & varnish
Dimensions: 50 cm x 30 cm 30cm
Testimony courtesy of the 50+ Group. Artefact made by the 50 + group with Krenn and O’ Beirn
A resident of Hamill St. drove the bus.* It was called the Bully Bully Bus because the first time Maureen and I went on it to go for a visit to jail, all the young women on it with their babies and young children were singing rebel songs. We couldn’t sing because we were crying so much. It was miserable. The women were amazing because some of them were very young but they kept their spirits up by singing.
* Local people volunteered to drive relatives to the prison once a week for prison visits. Many of the women in the 50 + group got to know each other going on these gruelling weekly prison visits. This system of someone volunteering to drive relatives to their visits was also used in loyalist areas. We photographed a table made as a thank you to someone who drove a bus for relatives of loyalist prisoners.
Krenn & O’Beirn, Message 1981?, 2018
Photographic print of artefact
Dimensions: 50 cm x 30 cm 30cm
Testimony courtesy of loyalist ex-prisoner, object made by Krenn & O’ Beirn in response to testimony
Materials: Chalk, found display drawer lined with plum coloured velvet, fishing line, panel pins. Made by Krenn and O’ Beirn in response to loyalist testimony.
Many years ago there was a particularly strange scenario.* I remember kites been flown from the prison. It must have been connected to the hunger strikes, but I’m not sure, it might have been before that. The kites were flown so high that they looked just like very small coffins. They cut them and there was about 200 metres of fishing line on each to launch it into the sky. I remember it well because we followed one of the kites for about 2 miles from where we lived. We found the kite and it had messages written on it in Irish. I brought it home. My Mum and Dad both worked and when they walked in that night there was a white coffin just sitting on the floor. It was the kite. I’ve never been able to get an explanation, it was definitely republican prisoners. I’ve heard that it might have been the Official IRA sending messages out. I don’t know whether that’s true or not. It would be interesting to find out what that was all about because it wasn’t just one kite, there was a number of them, made from white bed sheets.
* The author of the statement grew up as a child in a housing estate very close to Long Kesh/Maze. Years later, as an adult, he eventually got arrested and became an inmate of this prison. His experience as a prisoner is described in “Reflection”.
Krenn & O’Beirn, Family Nov 1994, 2018
Photographic print of artefact
Materials: Ballerina doll, blue velvet, brass fittings, chess pawns, clothes pegs, mirror, music box mechanism, paint & varnish
Artefact dimensions when open: 40 cm x 30 cm x 200cm
Testimony and artefact courtesy of loyalist ex-prisoner
I was in the Maze in 1989. I was in the Crumlin Road Jail* in 1991. I was released in 1996, so it would have been made between 1992 and 1996. It’s made of clothespegs. The legs are from the bottoms of the pawns in a chess set. It took a long time and effort – many nights spent – but it was enjoyable making it.
When the door closed, you were locked up. That’s the bottom line. You had to do something and I was always for doing something with my hands. At that stage, there was no TV so it was either read books or get involved in handicrafts.
* Crumlin Rd Jail was a former prison in central Belfast where people were held on remand before being sentenced to Long Kesh or other prisons. It was linked by an underground tunnel to the former courthouse which was directly across the road. The site of the jail has now been developed as a visitor attraction. The former courthouse lies derelict awaiting redevelopment.
Krenn & O’Beirn, Big Mid’s Dartboard 2018
Photographic print of artefact
Dimensions: 50 cm x 30 cm 30cm
Testimony courtesy republican contributor, artefact courtesy of The Roddy McCorley Society Museum
Materials: Coloured metallic threads, lollypop sticks, green baize, metal chain, panel pins & plywood
This dartboard* was probably sent out from Long Kesh in end of 1974 or 1975. It says at the bottom ‘From Martin, with respect’. He would be among the last few internees to be released because he had such a big name in republican circles. He and certain other people were let out last, for whatever reason. The British obviously thought that up.
A guy called ‘Big Mid’ has given the dartboard to us. I said to the person who brought it in, ‘could you give me an address and ‘Big Mid’s name so that I can let him know that we’d received it and put it on show in the museum’. But he did not give me the name and replied ‘just call him Big Mid’. There must have been major security surrounding ‘Big Mid’. Apparently, this guy is very well-known in Ardoyne.
* The Andy Tyrie Interpretive Centre also have a dartboard made by a loyalist using the same technique.
Krenn & O’Beirn, Thankfully Never Used 1976 2000, 2018
Photographic print of artefact
Description: Stainless steel whistle on a chain with buttonhole clasp. Made in England embossed on whistle barrel.Artefact dimensions: 50 cm x 5 cm 5cm
Testimony and artefact courtesy of Phil Holland, former prison officer
The only thing that I kept of my own, that I thought worthy of keeping, was my prison service issue alert whistle. I don’t know why I kept it, but it’s just been there. I’ve had that from when I first joined in 1976. It was something that was part of my uniform. It was like an adornment between the two breast pockets.
You would have used it if needed if you’d had time to do so. If there were any trouble you knew to call for help because a lot of the time in the prison you were on your own. You could have been quite isolated at times. You used to only hope that you never needed to use it.
Krenn & O’Beirn, Visit Diary 1996 – 2000, 2018
Photographic print of artefact
Dimensions: 50 cm x 30 cm 30cm
Testimony and artefact courtesy of Simon Bridge, former member of the Board of Visitors
Description: Spiral bound, lined notebook with timed and dated visits to the prison
This is my personal log book, which I found useful to record each time I was in the prison; who I’d seen, what we’d done, so I could refer as a reminder for the future. I’ve got brief notes of all the visits that I’d made and then at the back of the book I’d actually put one line for each visit with the exact time, what it was for and the mileage as a basis of which I could then complete the travel claims.
Staff never went into the wings, except when they went in bulk to search, whereas in normal prisons staff would have walked up and down the wings when prisoners are shut in their cells. Here they left prisoners to free range the wings. We as visitors walked into the wings but the staff didn’t.
