Thursday 2nd July 2026

7pm

Starting at Queen’s University Belfast

This is a circular tour route led by historian Dr Robyn Atcheson. This tour introduces you to some remarkable women from the 19th and 20th centuries and the ways in which they rebelled against societal norms. The route takes in their homes, their businesses, their schools and tells their stories in their terms. You'll meet women who fought for the poor and oppressed, for the rights of women, the medical pioneers & the brilliant earliest female students at Queen's.

Starts Thursday 9th July 2026

(& further dates in July & August)

2pm

Friar’s Bush Graveyard

Calling all Junior Historians!

This summer you can enter the gates of the ancient Friar's Bush Graveyard and learn all about its fascinating history from a real historian. If your child likes Horrible Histories, they will love this!

For 90 minutes, children (ages 6 - 11) will enter this graveyard and learn lots about the history of Belfast. After touring through the 19th century, children will find out all about deadly diseases of the past before receiving their Junior Historians pack. This bespoke workbook includes activities for within the graveyard as well as some bonus worksheets to take home. After each activity, historian Dr Robyn will lead the kids through what they have learned & encourage their history detecting skills.

Grown-ups will stay with their Junior Historians in the graveyard and will probably learn something too!

Friday 31st July 2026

7pm

Partnered with Féile an Phobail

A special tour of Friar’s Bush graveyard focused on the 19th Century.

The story of Friar's Bush is the story of Belfast. We begin with haphazard burials at a tiny religious settlement beyond the small town of Belfast and progress to an organised,19th-century graveyard.

You’ll learn about the struggles the people of Belfast had with disease, epidemics, bodysnatching and the effects of the Famine.

This is a small group tour, limited to 20 people and taken at a sedate pace. There will be an opportunity at the end to roam, explore and take pictures.

Suitable for all ages, but parental discretion advised.

Saturday 1st August 2026

12pm

Partnered with Féile an Phobail

Pox, plagues, cholera – all just part of life for people in 19th-century Belfast. How did they cope with the constant outbreaks of disease? How did doctors treat the sick? Where did all the dead bodies go? This tour introduces you to the stories of the poor of Belfast and their experiences of health and sickness as well as their fears of the workhouse, hospitals and the dreaded body-snatchers.

Led by historian Dr Robyn Atcheson, this tour will open your eyes (and other senses) to what life was really like for ordinary people in 19th-century Belfast.

Monday 3rd August 2026

2pm - 3.30pm

A Free Tour for Fleadh Choil na Éireann

Dr Robyn Atcheson leads this special tour of Friar’s Bush graveyard through it’s incredible long history. From an unknown religious settlement beyond the small town of Belfast to a modern 19th-century graveyard struggling with the mortality rates of the booming industrial centre. This tour takes you through the history of the graveyard, introduces some key individuals buried there and tells the story of the city of Belfast.

As this tour is led by Robyn, her special interests will also be covered - bodysnatching, the Famine and some horrible historic diseases.

Limited spaces - Booking is a must!

Robyn is an experienced and fully-insured tour guide providing bespoke, all-ability walking tours.

Historical tours are arranged for all kinds of groups - current and retired work colleagues, church and community groups, families both local and visiting, tourists and all manner of clubs and associations.

Bring Ireland’s social history to life with a private talk or workshop tailored to your group, organisation or event. Robyn has almost two decades of experience as a history communicator and storyteller.

For those further afield talks can be delivered online and Robyn’s team is fully equipped to deliver top-notch audio and video quality with dedicated equipment and support.

10 Week Course

Starting Tuesday 29th September

7 - 9pm

Queen’s University, Belfast

Disease was everywhere, dirt was inescapable and death was a fact of life for the people of Ireland & Britain in the nineteenth century. This course looks at the history of medicine in the Victorian era by examining how ordinary people experienced and understood diseases both common and terrifyingly new. How did new advancements in medical understanding actually help people? What happened in times of epidemic? Why was childhood mortality so high? This course will also consider the rise of institutions and the growing awareness of public health across society. Fascinating and sometimes gruesome, this course will get under the skin of the medical world of the Victorians. 

10 week course

Starting Thursday 1st October

7 - 9pm

Queen’s University, Belfast

This course looks at remarkable women from the Tudor court who scandalised society with their romantic relationships. It will look at women close to the throne including the known mistresses of Henry VIII, the Tudor princesses who married for love and the romantic entanglements of the Virgin Queen, Elizabeth I. The lesser-known sisters of Lady Jane Grey also made shocking love matches and were both imprisoned as a result. In this course, we'll delve into the Tudor ideals of courtly love and how women flirted with and sometimes overstepped the boundaries placed on them in the 16th century.

Saturday 24th October

10am - 1pm

Queen’s University, Belfast

Queen’s College Belfast was founded in 1845 as one of three new universities – for men.

What about the women? This half-day workshop examines the campaign to open the doors of Queen’s College to ladies.

By using contemporary sources, we will track the campaigners, the trailblazing early female students and the pioneering first female lecturers through the history of Queen’s.

We will also look at wider issues on female education, classes held outside the university and the legacy of the women who made Queen’s University Belfast.