The Linen Memorial: State and Sectarian Violence in Northern Ireland, 1966-present

Abstract

This brief article explains the non-hierarchical listing of all 'Troubles' deaths in the inclusive Irish Linen Memorial (renamed The Linen Memorial in 2007) - killings for which various persons/groups on either side of the political divide, as well as the security forces, were responsible. The artwork-memorial can be read as an anti-monument. The Linen Memorial (hereafter LM) acts as a 'modest witness' in reordering relationships and engaging a parity of esteem between Nationalist/Republican ('Catholic') and Loyalist/Unionist ('Protestant') communities during the post-1998 period when Northern Ireland is emerging from conflict. The use of the linen handkerchief as symbolic for heartfelt grief was what inspired me to use it, as a building block, to create a non-traditional and mobile memorial to those killed in the sectarian violence, commonly called The Troubles, in Northern Ireland.