Blazing a Trail exhibition / 04 - 18.01.2019

BLAZING A TRAIL EXHIBITION

DATES: 4th - 18th January 2019

VENUE: EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, CHQ Custom House Quay,Dublin 1

‘Blazing a Trail: Lives and Legacies of Irish Diaspora Women’ is a new exhibition running at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum from 4th - 18th January 2019. It celebrates the lives and legacies of 21 pioneering Irish diaspora women of the 19th and 20th centuries who blazed a trail in a wide range of fields. The exhibition is a collaboration between EPIC, Herstory and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

On the 20th November, the eve of the centenary when women were first given the right to run for parliament, we launched 'Blazing a Trail', the first exhibition celebrating Irish diaspora women & the first women's exhibition to run in the Irish Embassy network. The exhibition marks the centenary of partial women’s suffrage, the right of Irish and British women to vote in elections. Individual Irishwomen across the globe struggled for their own professional recognition, and for justice and equality for others.

Some of the Irish women featured in ‘Blazing a Trail’ include designer and architect Eileen Gray; computer programming pioneer Kay McNulty; poet, mystic and trade unionist Eva Gore-Booth; tennis champion Mabel Cahill; medical missionary Sr Dr Maura Lynch; and ‘most dangerous woman in America’ Mother Jones. As part of the exhibition, Hungarian artist Szabolcs Kariko has created original portraits of several of the women.

Watch the ‘Blazing a Trail’ video, featuring Tara Flynn, Dr Micheline Sheehy Skeffington, Dr Ciara Kelly and Dr Niamh Shaw picking their most influential figures from the exhibition:

Emigration offered many women access to education, careers and other opportunities that may not have been available in Ireland. These women made their mark across the globe, innovating in every field and paving the way for others to follow, navigating a male-dominated society on their own terms.

‘Blazing a Trail’ is free and open to the public at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum in the CHQ Building from 12–25 November 2018 from 9.30am-6.30pm, returning from the 4th - 18th January 2019. The exhibition will then travel to Irish embassies around the world over the coming years.

Queen's University Herstory Salon / 18.06.18

I SEE YOU / 11 - 26.05.2018

I SEE YOU

World Premiere at Theatre Upstairs 
Written by Amy De Bhrún -- Starring Amy De Bhrún & Roxanna Nic Liam

Dates: 11th - 26th May 2018: Monday - Saturday @ 7PM / Wednesday + Saturday @ 1PM
Previews: €10.00 / €8.00 / General Admission: €12.50 / €10.00

Venue: Theatre Upstairs, Lanigan's Bar, 10 Eden Quay, D1

www.theatreupstairs.ie / 085 772 7375

Two women. A Century Apart. Same Story.

 “I See You” is an insight into the life of Limerick-born Lady Mary Heath, first female commercial pilot and all round trailblazer. Her untold story sank into the walls of history, where she remains to this day.

 Set against the backdrop of Modern Mary’s story – one of a middle class Irish woman, who discovers she is pregnant early on in an abusive relationship. Without any options available to her, she is forced to continue with her pregnancy, which inevitably leads to devastating consequences. 

 Through spoken word and soundscape, the two characters learn to communicate with each other – leading Modern Mary to make the biggest decision of her life.

 This is an immersive and female-led piece of theatre, which breaks the fourth wall. In fact, the only wall in this show is the one between them, encouraging these characters to become creative with their means of communication.

“I See You” explores how if women’s stories continue to go untold and unacknowledged, we will have no role models, and therefore repeat cycles of inequity, inhibiting our ability to evolve and move forward as powerful women in today’s society.

Banner image: Lady Mary Heath by Séan Branigan of Storyboard workshop

Herstory: Suffragette Walking Tours / 15 - 19.03.18

Herstory: Suffragette Walking Tour

Venue: Starting from City Hall

Dates: 15th - 19th March

Time: 15th–16th: 5pm and 18th–19th: 11am

Tickets: €7

The suffrage movement in Ireland has been overshadowed by the events that took place in 1912-1923. This walking tour will highlight some of the key figures and events undertaken by very courageous women in their efforts to win equality for women. 

The suffrage movement came to the fore in the mid to late 19th century. Initially the movement relied on constitutional methods to win support for their cause, but in the early years of the 20th century, more campaigners began to emerge such as Hannah Sheehy Skeffington, Margaret Cousins, who set up the Irish Women’s Franchise League (IWFL) in 1908. They were followed by Louie Bennett and Helen Chenevix who founded the Irish Women’s Suffrage Federation in 1911. The IWFL was a more militant body with close ties to the Women’s Social and Political Union and Sylvia Pankhurst.

WWI changed the whole political spectrum in Ireland and from 1916 on, Irish independence dominated everything. But the suffragettes did not go away. Many supported the Independence movement, sadly though, in the new Ireland that emerged, the rights of women were far from realised.

Stops on the tour will include City Hall, Rosie Hackett Bridge, Nassau Street/Dawson Street and the Mansion House.

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Supported by: 

Herstory: Revolutionary Religious Women / 18.03.18

Herstory: Revolutionary Religious Women

Date: Sunday 18 March

Venue: The Unitarian Church, 112 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2

Doors: 3.00pm, Start 3.30pm

Tickets: €7

As part of the St. Patrick’s Festival, Herstory will host events in landmark locations around Dublin city celebrating women’s stories throughout history.

Truth be told, women played a key role in the early development of many world religions. In this Herstory Salon lost legends and the forgotten feminine wisdom of Christianity, Islam and ancient pagan religion will be uncovered. From saints to goddesses, we will explore their life stories and the importance of honouring the Sacred Feminine Mary Magdalene emerges from the shadows with Khadijah, the Prophet Mohammad’s wife. The female disciples return, once lost by history, now rediscovered by Herstory. Have you heard of Thecla or Teia Tephi? Did you know that King Laoighre’s daughters saved the life of St. Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint? Think you know our matron St. Brigid? Think again.

Religion has dominated Irish life and permeated our culture for centuries. As we witness the demise of the church and the rise of celebrity culture; the crisis in spirituality, masculinity and femininity will be explored. In a world that has never been more unequal, we ask if it’s time for religions to evolve, acknowledge the role of women, the importance of the Sacred Feminine, and create future faiths based on equality and respect for both sexes? 

Speakers and performers include Tara Flynn (comedian, writer & actress, John Ennis (poet, academic & activist), Danushia Kaczmarek (author & spiritual teacher), Fatin Al Tamini, (activist & photographer), Melania Mora Tomas (member of the Baha'i Faith), Prajnamayi (member of the Triratna Buddhist Community) and the Swami from the Sikh faith.

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Supported by: 

Herstory: Ireland of Equals / 16.03.18

Herstory: Ireland of Equals

Date: Friday 16 March

Venue: Freemasons Grand Hall, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2

Doors: 6pm & Start: 6.30

Tickets: €7

As part of the St. Patrick’s Festival, Herstory will host events in landmark locations around Dublin city celebrating women’s stories throughout history.

Generations of pioneering Irish women played a crucial role in the development of democracy in their own country and around the world. As we approach the centenary of the partial enfranchisement of Irish women, it is vital that we honour these women and their contribution to Irish and world history, and it is fitting that we do in the heart of Irish democracy.

In the Decade of Centenaries, egalitarian partnerships, personal and professional, from history and contemporary culture will be explored. You will discover that in nearly every remarkable woman’s biography, there was a man who saw her as an equal. Speakers reveal the dynamic duos who spearheaded the 1916 Rising and the Suffrage Movement at home in Ireland and abroad. ‘Ireland of Equals’ was the 1916 vision. Once perceived as visionary, the time has come to make it a reality.

Speakers include the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Senia Paseta (Professor of Modern History, Oxford University), Colm O' Gorman (CEO of Amnesty Ireland), Dr. Micheline Sheehy-Skeffington (Women’s Rights Activist and granddaughter of Hanna & Francis Sheehy-Skeffington), Dr. Mary Mc Auliffe (Historian and Assistant Professor of Gender Studies, UCD).  Each speaker is followed with a performance by young contemporary poets Rebecca T. Kealy, Melissa Ridge and Felicia Oulsanya.

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Supported by: 

Oxford University Herstory Salon / 20.01.18

“Women in Oxford” in partnership with Herstory.

DATE: Saturday 20 January 2018, 5-7pm

VENUE: Senior Common Room, St Hilda’s College, University of Oxford

Speakers include Prof Patricia Daley, Rene Sharanya Verma, Dr Liz Woolley, “Women in Oxford’s History” podcasters, Melanie Lynch…

This event will be ticketed. Details to follow on Eventbrite. Please click here.

Salons are open to anyone. 

Salons are held in the Senior Common Room, St Hilda’s College.  The room is wheelchair accessible.

Please click here to read the blogpost by Herstory Founder Melanie Lynch