Seven Ways Proposed, 2016

The title refers to a chapter (Seven Ways Proposed ) from: ‘The Intelligent Woman’s Guide to Socialism, Capitalism, Sovietism & Fascism’ (Bernard Shaw).

St Gemmas is a former girls high school located in my native North Belfast, which was forced to close having served its local community for 45 years. The building had since its closure been caught in a community debate with local residents, religious leaders and politicians vying for control of the building’s future purpose.

The building, a reminder of post colonial education policies which were often at odds with the reality of the troubling events unfolding immediately outside the school gates. The young women were taught the fundamentals of modern life, although not a history they could relate to remaining subordinate dependents of an authority based elsewhere than in their lives.