Time to Think

Time to Think: Open University Journeys in British and Irish prisons during the years of conflict 1972-2000 is an Open University Ireland oral history collection. The collection contains interviews with Loyalist and Republican ex-prisoners who studied in prison, Open University tutors and staff, prison education staff and Open University students who worked in the prisons.

Image of Time to Think
67 items in total
Thumbnail Content type Title Description Date
audio record of Audio Working in the early 1970sNaomi joined The Open University as a member of the administrative staff in the Belfast Office in...
audio record of Audio Why are you doing this?Diana Purcell Senior Counsellor with The Open University reflects on her long professional career...
audio record of Audio When is a spring a security risk?Robert Campbell describes his experiences of studying Mathematics with The Open University in the...
audio record of Audio When I go into an art gallery I can recognise the artists that I studied then.Jennifer McCann remembers many of The Open University courses she studied in prison naming her...
audio record of Audio We learned as we went alongPhilip O’Sullivan is a Staff Tutor and Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences...
audio record of Audio We entered into the formal education systemRaymond McCartney describes education among Republican prisoners on the Blanket Protest in the H...
audio record of Audio Translating for the Peace ProcessStudent C describes how Open University students helped other prisoners in Loyalist Wings of the H...
video preview image for Time to Think Image Time to ThinkOriginal artwork created by David Smyth for the OU Time to Think Project. The image shows a book...2019
video preview image for Time to Think Video Time to ThinkAn introductory showcase film for the project: ‘Time to Think: Open University Journeys in...2019
audio record of Audio They have to have an outlet and The Open University can give them one.Jane Nelson recalls just after her appointment to the newly founded Open University in 1971 finding...
audio record of Audio The power of educationJohn D’Arcy National Director of The Open University in Ireland reflects on the development of...
audio record of Audio The power and the value of knowledgeGabi Kent worked as documentary film maker and digital storytelling practitioner in the area of...
audio record of Audio The early days of organising tuition in the prisonClaire O’Kane from The Open University’s Belfast office was closely involved in the...
audio record of Audio The Open University was just an answerJoy Clark Education Officer in Armagh Gaol and then Chief Education Officer of the Northern Ireland...
video preview image for The Open University Belfast Office in 2019 Image The Open University Belfast Office in 2019The Open University Belfast Office in 20192019
video preview image for The Open University Belfast Office Image The Open University Belfast OfficeThe Open University Belfast Office in the 1990s1995
video preview image for The OU's oddest study centre Image The OU's oddest study centreImage of the Long Kesh Internment camp/centre in Northern Ireland. This image first appeared in the...1972
audio record of Audio The OU was always oursTommy studied with The Open University in the UVF Compounds of Long Kesh Prison Camp (the Maze and...
video preview image for The Maze and Long Kesh Image The Maze and Long KeshThe site of the Maze and Long Kesh prison20112011
video preview image for The Good Friday Agreement Image The Good Friday AgreementThis is a picture of the front cover of the Belfast Agreement (more commonly known as The Good...2018
audio record of Audio That whole sense of achieving somethingMartin Snoddon was imprisoned in the Ulster Volunteer Compound 21 of Long Kesh Prison Camp (the...
audio record of Audio Teaching in Portlaoise PrisonMichael Doorley Open University Associate Lecturer describes his experiences of going to Portlaoise...
audio record of Audio Teaching and learning about stereotypingEugene McElhinney Open University Associate Lecturer talks of the value of a student learning about...
audio record of Audio Teaching Women’s Studies to a manJoanna McMinn Associate Lecturer in Women’s Studies describes her first meeting with an Open...
audio record of Audio Taking a step back being more reflectiveAustin Treacy Director of the Northern Ireland Prison Service describes attending an Open...
audio record of Audio Sharing books and building a libraryHarry Donaghy describes his love of books building a library and sharing books including Open...
video preview image for Prison Education Service stamp Image Prison Education Service stampPhotograph showing the inside page of an Open University set course book (The Mighty Micro) with a...2019
video preview image for Portlaoise Prison Image Portlaoise PrisonThis image is owned by Coiste na nlarchimi the Republican ex-prisoners association. It shows people...1975
video preview image for Peacewall Belfast Image Peacewall BelfastPhotograph by Gabi Kent. The picture shows artwork on the Peacewall between the Falls and the...2019
audio record of Audio Organizing tutorials despite logistical difficultiesHarry Hughes Education Officer in the Maze and Long Kesh Prison describes study conditions and the...
video preview image for Open University Study Image Open University StudyAn original drawing by David Smyth, who graduated with The Open University in the Compounds (Maze...2019
video preview image for Open University Steps Image Open University StepsAn original drawing by David Smyth, who graduated with The Open University in the Compounds (Maze...2019
video preview image for Open University Belfast Office Image Open University Belfast OfficePhotograph of The Open University Belfast Office in 19831983
video preview image for OU Womens Studies book cover Image OU Womens Studies book coverThe cover of a book from The Open University course U221 'The changing experience of women'. The...2019
audio record of Audio Men studying on the inside while women studied on the outsideShelagh Livingstone was a member of the Board of Visitors in the Maze and Long Kesh Prison from...
video preview image for Maze and Long Kesh Prison Image Maze and Long Kesh PrisonA photograph by Lorcan Fairmichael taken at the Maze and Long Kesh Prison site in 2011. The...2011
video preview image for Maze and Long Kesh Prison Image Maze and Long Kesh PrisonA photograph taken by Rab Kerr who was an Open University student in the Republican Wings of the H...2005
audio record of Audio Long Kesh was just full of ideas and discussionSeán Lynch describes being challenged by other Republican prisoners to become involved in...
video preview image for Light of Cell Image Light of CellAn original drawing by David Smyth for the Time to Think Project. It shows a student studying...2019
audio record of Audio Lessons from historySéanna Walsh studied History with The Open University in the 1990s in the Republican Wings of the...
video preview image for LK Lads Image LK LadsPainting by Geordie Morrow showing Nissen huts in the Long Kesh Prison Camp.1975
video preview image for John Wallace Image John WallaceJohn Wallace pictured reading an OU book in Compound 21 of Long Kesh Prison. Painted by Steven Elliot.1980
audio record of Audio I’m still referring back to the structure of my TMAs!Carál Ní Chuilín reflects on the value of the skills she learned through writing her Open...
audio record of Audio It wasn’t exactly your average education!Eleanor Gaw Open University Associate Lecturer describes her first visit to the students in the...
audio record of Audio It helped our political educationRosie McCorley describes the educational ethos amongst the Republican women in Magahaberry Prison...
audio record of Audio It has been a privilege to have been involvedWilliam has worked in The Open University office in Belfast since 1985 and has been a member of the...
audio record of Audio It allowed me to see things differentlyBilly Hutchinson recalls how his academic study with the Open University in the Compounds (the Maze...
video preview image for International Wall Mural Northumberland Street Belfast Image International Wall Mural Northumberland Street BelfastPhotograph by Rab Kerr. This photograph is of a section of the International Wall mural on...2006
audio record of Audio I was on the very first courseNoel Quigley Education Officer for Provisional IRA prisoners in 1973 describes a meeting with the...
audio record of Audio I was going in to tutor studentsPat Jess former Open University Staff Tutor in Geography in Ireland responds to a question about...