Museum of Free Derry

Working towards a representative recounting of history through the Conflict and Legacy Interpretive Network

In 2020 the Bloody Sunday Trust/Museum of Free Derry received £75,432 from the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund to collaborate with National Museums Northern Ireland and Healing Through Remembering to create the Conflict and Legacy Interpretive Network (CLIN).

CLIN is an all-island, cross-community network of heritage organisations, with 19 current members specifically covering, or with a defined interest in, conflict and legacy issues regarding the conflict in and about Northern Ireland, commonly referred to as ‘the Troubles’. CLIN was set up with the intention that through collaboration and ethical shared remembering, they could produce a more representative recounting of recent history.

CLIN’s members include those reflecting the views and experience of perceived nationalist organisations (Museum of Free Derry, Áras Uí Chonghaile) and republican ex-combatants (Coiste Na nIarchimí, Roddy McCorley’s Heritage Centre), perceived unionist organisations (Siege Museum) and loyalist ex-combatants (ACT Initiative), as well as representation from police and ex-army personnel (Police Museum, Decorum NI).

It also has members who are non-aligned, governmental and arm’s-length organisations (national museums, libraries, public records, tour providers). This has enabled significant progress in inclusive discussions on how to tackle legacy issues within our sector and beyond. No other network has attracted members with such diverse perspectives and expressions of identity, or exhibited their collections and promoted their events alongside each other.

The network facilitates away days which have enabled thought-provoking conversations, efficient project planning, and better in-person relationship building between members who would rarely get the opportunity to engage directly with each other due to geographical and ideological distances.

They have also launched a network-wide digital exhibition, with photos of artefacts and audiovisual recordings of network members presenting artefacts from their collections to illustrate their personal narrative of the history and legacy of the conflict.

The work has been shortlisted for Best Small Museum Project at the Museums Change Lives Awards 2024.