Boston College collection of Northern Ireland political posters

Collection

Collection MS-2001-014: Boston College collection of Northern Ireland political posters

Staff Only

Dates

Creation: 1965 - 2005

Scope and Contents

This collection contains English and Irish language political posters published in Northern Ireland during The Troubles, a period of violent conflict between Protestant unionists and Roman Catholic nationalists in Northern Ireland.

It includes election campaign posters for Sinn Féin and Ulster Unionist Party candidates, as well as Ailtirí na hAiséirghe party posters. Posters also represent various nationalist causes, such as the H-Block hunger strikes of 1980 and 1981, campaigns against the police and their use of plastic bullets, campaigns against British occupation, extradition, and the imprisonment of IRA members, as well as posters advocating for Irish prisoners abroad. Some posters also represent unionist causes, including unionist-backed labor strikes. Others memorialize children, prisoners, and IRA members killed in the conflict. The collection also contains a few posters from the Republic of Ireland from events commemorating historical conflicts with Britain, including the 1916 Easter Rising, the Irish Rebellion of 1798, and the Great Famine.

Restrictions on access

Collection is open for research.

Restrictions on use

These materials are made available for use in research, teaching and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source. The original authors may retain copyright to the materials.

Extent

6.5 Linear Feet (3 containers)

Language of Materials

English

Irish

Additional Description

Abstract

This collection contains political posters published in Northern Ireland during The Troubles, a period of violent conflict between Protestant unionists and Roman Catholic nationalists in Northern Ireland. It includes election campaign posters, posters that represent nationalist and unionist causes, as well as posters memorializing people who died in the conflict. It also contains a few posters published in the Republic of Ireland from events commemorating historical conflicts with Britain.

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by creator or sponsoring body.

Provenance

Because the current accessioning system was not used until January 1986, it is not possible to know exactly the dates of acquisition of materials received before that time. Two posters were gifts of Susan Moynihan in 2010; many others were collected or purchased by former Boston College Burns Librarian Robert Keating O'Neill.