Roses from the Heart (RFTH) presents an exhibition of the lives of Waterford women who were transported to Australia as convicts in the 19th century. This event is being hosted by the OPW, in the Reginald’s Tower in collaboration with the Roses from the Heart Waterford Group and South East Technological University. The exhibition which has been curated by Emer Powell will form part of OPW’s calendar marking National Heritage Week 2024.

It is a unique memorial to the 25,566 convict women who were transported to Australia from Britain and Ireland between 1788 to 1853. RFTH is the concept of artist Dr Christina Henri, Tasmania which involves the making of a bonnet, similar to servant bonnets worn at the time, as a symbol to commemorate the lives and contributions that the transported women made towards the founding of a new nation. Since 2007 the project has attracted world attention by inviting people to make and showcase bonnets.

RFTH Waterford is a community group promoting and acknowledging Waterford women's
convict history in collaboration with Dr Christina Henri. Bonnets have been made by various
groups and individuals from across Waterford City and County to commemorate and
memorialise these women who were transported to NSW and Tasmania.

For the first time in the project’s history, the bonnets are now being digitised and hosted on
the Digital Repository of Ireland to ensure long-term digital preservation. Visitors to this
exhibit will be able to connect with the history of those women and the people who continue to remember and honour them.

The exhibition will be available to view from the 17th to the 25th August. In this prison setting each bonnet displayed will represent a Woman and her story,
reflecting on this history and bringing the past to life, personalising the individuals incarcerated.

Access to exhibition is by a medieval spiral staircase

No Booking required