Ulster University has been awarded £253,961 by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to further develop its long-standing Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN) as part of the new “Home in Troubled Times” initiative. The project is one of seven heritage-led investments in Derry~Londonderry announced this September, collectively attracting over £10 million in funding.
Led by Dr Adrian Grant, Lecturer in History at Ulster University, the “Home in Troubled Times” project will explore housing histories and migration during and after the conflict in Northern Ireland. The archive will engage diverse communities, including those who have lived in the region throughout the conflict, those who moved to the area, and those who left. The project aims to shift focus from political narratives to the social histories of everyday life.
Dr Adrian Grant, Lecturer in History, said:
“Using the theme of ‘home’, we’re inviting people to share their lived experiences of place, movement and belonging. This is a different take on those years, one that centres on the human stories behind the headlines.”
The CAIN archive, hosted by Ulster University since the late 1990s, is a vital digital resource that documents all aspects of the conflict. It includes photographs, oral histories, videos, maps and reproductions of archival materials. The new funding will support its modernisation and expand its reach to reflect a broader spectrum of lived experiences.
The award forms part of a wider commitment by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to heritage-led regeneration in the city, with additional funding going to projects such as the restoration of Austins department store, St Columb’s Hall, and the development of the DNA Museum.
Ulster University’s contribution to this initiative underscores its role in preserving and interpreting Northern Ireland’s complex history through inclusive and accessible digital heritage.
