New museum planned for Derry: Appeal to bring Troubles artefacts to Gasyard Centre tomorrow

The people of Derry are being invited to attend a special event in the Gasyard Centre tomorrow (Wednesday) which aims to catalogue local people’s Troubles artefacts and archives.
The Gaswork, Gasyard Centre Lecky Road DerryThe Gaswork, Gasyard Centre Lecky Road Derry
The Gaswork, Gasyard Centre Lecky Road Derry

The event is part of preparations for the opening of a new museum in the Gasyard in 2023 which will focus on the key events from Operation Motorman until the peace process.

Gasyard Manager Linda McKinney said: “We are really excited to be building a new museum in the Centre which will compliment the Museum of Free Derry by telling the story of how the conflict evolved in the local area from August 1972 up to the peace process.

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“It will also explore the various political initiatives pursued in the 1970s and 1980s to resolve the conflict and the key events and themes of the current peace process.

“The museum will also focus on the roles of local residents Martin McGuinness, Mitchel McLaughlin and John Hume in the peace process and will also include a section dedicated to the Hunger Strikes of 1980/81.

“As part of our plans the Gasyard Féile will be hosting an event on Wednesday between 2pm and 4pm where we are encouraging the people of Derry to bring along any artefacts and archives they have which could be displayed in the new museum when it opens in 2023.

“During the event we will be able to scan and itemise individual photographs. For those with bigger collections we can do an initial appraisal of the materials and then make future arrangements with the owners to access and archive the items that would be suitable to display in the museum.”

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Linda said the new facility will create employment, generate economic footfall and help visitors to learn “how this small working-class area played such a key role in developing one of the most successful peace processes in the world”.

“We also want to make sure that our local residents can showcase their own collections within the new museum. This event will provide them with that opportunity,” the Gasyard Manager added.