S. Kirk Walsh

Bellevue Zoo’s first elephant, Daisy, arrived by Heysham steamer in Belfast in March of 1934, and her arrival to the bustling docks and eventual walk up the Antrim Road inspired the opening scene of The Elephant of Belfast.

The second elephant to arrive at the Bellevue Zoo was Sheila (above) in late 1935, and Sheila’s experience inspired much of Violet’s story in The Elephant of Belfast.

Situated on the grounds of the zoo, the Floral Hall was built in the mid-1930s and was one of Belfast’s foremost entertainment venues; the dance hall provides the setting for several critical scenes before and during the bombings in The Elephant of Belfast.

During Kirk’s research trip to Belfast, she interviewed David Ramsey (above), who is the last living relative of Denise Weston Austin (the real-life female zookeeper—and the Elephant Angel—who inspired the character of Hettie Quin). Ramsey works as a solicitor in Belfast and remembers the days when he rode on Sheila’s back with his cousin Denise leading the way.

During Kirk’s trip to Belfast, she interviewed survivors of the Belfast Blitz, including Vance Rodgers (above), who worked as an errand boy at an insurance company and a fire watcher during the bombings of April 1941. Rodgers passed away in April of 2015.

Kirk visited the Northern Ireland War Memorial on Talbot Street in downtown Belfast and had a chance to read original newspapers from the days that followed the Luftwaffe bombings of Belfast in 1941.

During her search, Kirk also visited the New York Public Library, where original city maps of Belfast from the 1930’s and 1940’s were available to study as well as original photos from The Belfast Telegraph and written records of the Mass-Observation. In addition, scholar and Belfast Blitz expert Brain Barton reviewed the manuscript several times and provided detailed feedback to ensure the historical accuracy of the narrative.

Sheila the Elephant was a favorite among the zoo fans—younger and older visitors alike—during her years at the Belfast Zoo.