The Oughley Shed
The Oughley shed exhibition depicts the duality of the life of David Strain, through one of its most important aspects: his country shed.
A sanctuary built by David, where gay men could entertain friends and lovers, has been recreated using evidence unearthed by Ulster University researcher Professor Leanne McCormick, and Dr Tom Hulme of Queen’s University Belfast from vivid descriptions found in David’s diary entries.
From the outside, David’s shed looks like any other. But the interior reveals a place of Oscar Wildean decadence. A peat-scented pot belly stove provides a warm welcome. Photographs of David’s friends, family, and his beloved Jack Murray demonstrate his rich social life; a green carnation buttonhole nods to his obsession with Oscar Wilde. Hidden in the secret drawer of a writing box are replicas of Belfast Telegraph personal ads used by David and other men who were seeking a male companion.
Three audio tapes bring some of his diary entries to life play inside the shed while visitors explore their surroundings. A more intimate recording for adult visitors can be accessed via a telephone. The entire recording can be accessed through the QR code.
The Oughley shed was inspired by the writings of David Strain, and brought to life by artist, Lorna Gough. A native of Country Down, whose diaries, letters, photo albums, and newspaper cuttings were deposited in The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI).
David was a dutiful son from a strict Christian background. After completing school, he joined the family linen business. But in the evenings and weekends David had his shed: a safe place he built at Oughley, on the outskirts of Belfast.
The installation was developed as part of the Queer Northern Ireland: Sexuality before Liberation Project. Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), the project looks at all aspects of LGBTQ+ or 'queer' history from the late 19th century to the 1970s.
Leanne
“The Ougley Shed is an exciting collaboration which tells of a previously unknown aspect of our history. It brings to life in a vivid and personal way the story of David Strain and allows visitors to understand more about an LGBTQ+ past. It has been a great experience to work on and to see how Lorna Gough was able to visualise and create the shed from the pages of a diary.”
Tom
“I am delighted to see the Oughley Shed now installed in the Ulster Museum. For the diarist David Strain, this country hut was an idyll away from the hustle and bustle of Belfast; a place where he could be himself, surrounding by the books and friends he loved so much. Working with the artist Lorna Gough to realise this project really shows how art and history can work together to shed new light on the LGBT+ past of Northern Ireland.”
Exhibition
Karen
“This is an incredibly meaningful addition to Ulster Museum and our commitment to being an inclusive space for all. The installation houses a vast array of social history artefacts, collectively telling a uniquely human story of the 1930s and we hope that visitors come away from it feeling connected to the past and with new perspectives for the future.”
The exhibition has been at the Ulster Museum for three weeks, leaving on Sunday 24 November, before moving to the Public Record Office Northern Ireland (PRONI) where it will be on display for three months.