By Emma Shaw Albert Einstein said “Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think”. If you grew up in Northern Ireland, especially in working class areas, the chances are you experienced a highly segregated schooling system. We have the Education Authority who have the mandate for State schools, which are predominantly Protestant, and…
Image illustration by Nathalie Lees. Delighted to share with you the full report from the Loyalist Women’s Engagement Survey. As people across Northern Ireland and indeed the world continue to deal with a global pandemic, it is little wonder that the highest concern for loyalist women at present is Covid-19 with 75% citing it as a concern now. Furthermore, social…
Her Loyal Voice (HLV) is pleased to release Part One of the results of the Loyalist Women’s Engagement Survey. A total of 532 loyalist women responded to the survey. Women were asked if, over the past 12 months, had their opinion been sought on issues of concern to them. Sixty seven percent said they had never been asked for their…
Editor: It is my view that protesting is a fundamental human right within a democratic society. Exercising the right to protest is a vital tool to ensuring your voice is heard. Protests take place all across the globe and Northern Ireland is no exception. From civil rights to flags protests, there is a long tradition of protesting within this wee…
Editor: Following on from Emma’s opinion piece here, she wants to share with you policy recommendations stemming from her research report Unheard Voices: East Belfast Pupils Have Their Say on Higher & Further Education. The full report can be downloaded by clicking here.
Editor: Women should be equally represented in boardrooms, governments, the workforce, and in all walks of life but, sadly that is not what is happening today. You just have to look at social media to see the barrage of insults, threats and demeaning language used against any woman who shares her opinion. There is an urgent need for the female…
I have fond memories of being in a band. Participating was a thrill. I was so proud of myself walking to the field. Although at such a young age that distance was just too much. I managed to walk from Tiger’s Bay to the Dublin Road where I was then allowed into the car. I have to admit my thighs…
Have we forgotten the many different types of representation of Loyalist women? Have we acknowledged the many roles women have played? I have had the pleasure of meeting many women who have played many different roles within Loyalism. From the female combatant to the female non-warrior. Let’s talk about the female Loyalist combatant. I would guess that not many people…
There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think of my Dad. Since starting Her Loyal Voice it seems to have amplified. My Dad and I didn’t always see eye to eye. He would have said white, I would have said black. You see I was angry. I was angry that most of his life he dedicated to…
Too many working class Loyalist women have been forgotten or whitewashed from history. It’s time to share the stories and reclaim the history of these remarkable women. I’m delighted to share with you the story of the Brown Square Millionaires through the voice of their children, Patricia Ward (nee McCallister) and Yvonne Murphy (nee Thompson). Ellen Rea, Maggie Lamont and…