Roseleen talks about growing up in the Andersonstown area in the 1950s and 60s. She recalls encountering sectarianism for the first time when she began working.
From a young age she did volunteer work and as the conflict developed, she became more politically aware and active.
She was interned in August 1973 and describes her internment and her time in Armagh Gaol with the other republican internees and political prisoners.
After her release she continued her political activism, and her husband was imprisoned in the H Blocks shortly after their marriage.
Roseleen talks about the tragedies that intertwined throughout the conflict and finishes by reading one of her poems, ‘Internees’ dedicated to the women who she was interned with in Armagh Gaol.
Audio Transcript
Early childhood in the 1950s growing up in the new Andersonstown estate. Happy childhood with freedom to play in fields.
00:04:10.8 00:07:03.5 Parents had little money. Father walking miles to hospital to visit sick son as he didn’t have bus fare. Child died on receiving wrong blood transfusion.
00:07:03.5 00:09:20.8 Didn’t enjoy school, felt humiliated by teacher because she found it difficult to read. Left school early to begin work.
00:09:20.8 00:14:08.9 Encountering sectarianism at work.
00:14:08.9 00:16:25.0 Needing to flee a friend’s house because Paisley was having a rally on the street.
00:16:25.0 00:19:22.0 Growing up with families from different backgrounds. No issue about friendships but taught to hide their identity when outside their own area.
00:19:22.0 00:21:07.5 Going to dances and ceidhlís.
00:21:07.5 00:22:40.6 Learning about history and heroes through song.
00:22:40.6 00:24:58.3 Volunteering in the community, many years doing volunteer work in hostel for the destitute.
00:24:58.3 00:26:49.7 Becoming politically aware.
00:26:49.7 00:29:34.7 Home wrecked by British soldiers on August 09th 1971. Two brothers interned. After 50 years seeing no alternative to struggle.
00:29:34.7 00:33:57.2 First woman interned in January 1973. Roseleen grabbed from street by British army in August 1973. Held in RUC barracks’ for a number of days.
00:33:57.2 00:38:46.7 Arriving at Armagh Gaol to be interned.
00:38:46.7 00:41:38.7 Routine within the prison. Things running smoothly under their own command structures.
00:41:38.7 00:43:21.3 Life long friendships. After release family life been totally disrupted by the conflict.
00:43:21.3 00:47:53.7 Continuing political activism. Shortly after marrying Roseleen’s husband, Martin, was imprisoned. Recalling visits to H Blocks with young child when he was on the Blanket. Tragedies intertwined in lives.
00:47:53.7 00:51:54.4 Roseleen reads her poem ‘Internees’.