Herstory for Peace conference / 30.11.23

The conference will take place on Thursday, 30 November 2023, 13:00-16:00 Irish Time 

via this zoom link

and will be live-streamed via Facebook. 

The working language will be English. 

To join us, please register here.
 

The conference is open to anyone who is interested in gender equality, peace processes, women's and gender history, non-formal adult education, or just wants to learn more about such subjects!

It will discuss the experiences of the organisers, that is, the Center for Gender Equality and History (Cyprus) and the Herstory Education Trust (Ireland) in developing and facilitating women's workshops which brought together women from different communities in Cyprus and Ireland to revisit women's history, gender equality and the processes of building peace.

The conference takes place under the wider project Herstory for Peace: Women's Workshops in Cyprus and Ireland which is co-funded by the European Programme Erasmus+ with match funding from Belfast City Council and the Irish Department of Culture, Heritage and Gaeltacht.

SCHEDULE 

Welcoming 
15:00-15:10 Joining and welcoming 

Introduction to the Herstory for Peace Project
15:10-15:20 Intervention by Thekla Kyritsi, Founder of the Center for Gender Equality and History (Cyprus)
15:20-15:30 Intervention by Melanie Lynch, Founder of the Herstory Education Trust (Ireland)
15:30-15:50 Q&A and discussion 

Experiences from Cyprus
15:50-16:00 Intervention by Magdalene Antreou, Historian
16:00-16:10 Intervention by Aggeliki Kourri, Youth Activist and Human Rights Advocate
16:10-16:40 Q&A and discussion

16:40-16:50 Break

Experiences from Ireland
16:50-17:00 Intervention by Maria Bourke, Personal Development Facilitator and Coach
17:00-17:10 Intervention by Niamh McNally and Zara Meadows, Poets and workshop facilitators
17:10-17:40 Q&A and Discussion

Closing 
17:40-18:00 Participatory Activity using breakout room

 


Herstory Festival of Light 2023

HERSTORY FESTIVAL OF LIGHT

Following Herstory’s successful 3 year campaign, St. Brigid’s Day is Ireland’s new national holiday - the first named in honour of a woman: Brigid, our matron Saint and Celtic Goddess and a celebration of all mná. Traditionally Brigid’s Day is Imbolc, the first day of Spring, the return of the light and the ancient Celtic festival of the goddess Brigid.

Herstory leads the national St. Brigid’s Day celebrations with a spectacular Herstory Festival of Light, illuminating iconic landmarks with beautiful art of women. Light Shows take place in Galway this Friday 27th January; Roscommon on Saturday on 28th January; and in Kildare 31st January & Ist February. The illuminations will be animated with live performances by fire-dancers, musicians and storytellers. All events are free and open to the public.

The illuminations feature art from Herstory’s open call, inviting artists to be inspired by Brigid - goddess and saint - and the modern women who share her passions as environmentalist, feminist, Pride icon, healer, pioneer, human rights activist, goddess of the arts, alchemist and wisdom weaver.  For more information on the full light festival programme and more events see www.herstory.ie  and www.brigidsday.org

GALWAY CITY
 

Friday 27th January 2023



5.30 - 7pm: Lynch’s Castle

7.30 - 8.45pm: St. Nicholas’ Church


9.00 -10pm: Galway City Museum

10.30pm - 12.00am: Pálás Cinema




The Galway light show is funded by Galway City Council Creative Ireland Programme, with curation by Herstory in partnership with Galway City Arts Office.

ROSCOMMON

Saturday 28th January 

Venue: National Famine Museum, Strokestown House 

3pm: Imbolc Visual Arts Exhibition opening

4 - 5.30pm: Herstory Salon

5.30 - 9pm: Herstory Light Show 

6.30pm: Shadow Puppet show

This event is one of many in Roscommon’s new Brigid’s Awakening Festival on 28th Jan - 5th Feb. Roscommon is going for the world record for the biggest St. Brigid’s cross. Funded by Roscommon County Council Council Creative Ireland Programme.

 

 KILDARE

St. Brigid’s Eve, 31st January 

5.30 - 10pm: Potato Market Naas 

5.30 - 6.30pm: Wonderful Barn, Leixlip 

7.30 - 8.30pm: Maynooth Castle

10pm - 11.30pm: Athy Library




St. Brigid’s Day, 1st February

5.30 - 9pm: Potato Market Naas

The Herstory Light Show in Kildare is part of the fantastic Brigid 1500 Festival, funded by Kildare County Council Council Creative Ireland Programme.

HERSELF @ GORT, CO GALWAY

Saturday 4th February 

Gort Arts Group presents a magic mini Brigid’s festival including Herself, a large-scale public projection project. The project illuminates those women who work quietly in the background, nurturing, protecting, growing, healing, listening and making our world a better place to be.

Herstory’s new dedicated website for all things Brigid is now live - www.brigidsday.org - packed with events, school artivism project, articles, art and lots of ideas on how the nation can celebrate Brigid and mná na hÉireann.



Herstory Light Show in Kildare, Brigid 1500 / 31.01.23

Following Herstory’s successful 3 year campaign, St. Brigid’s Day is Ireland’s new national holiday - the first named in honour of a woman: Brigid, our matron Saint and Celtic Goddess and a celebration of all mná. Traditionally Brigid’s Day is Imbolc, the first day of Spring, the return of the light and the ancient Celtic festival of the goddess. St. Brigid was Ireland’s first environmentalist, a passionate protector of nature and carer of animals and all living things. An icon and role model for our times.


St. Brigid’s Eve, 31st January 

5.30 - 10pm: Potato Market Naas 

5.30 - 6.30pm: Wonderful Barn, Leixlip 

7.30 - 8.30pm: Maynooth Castle

10pm - 11.30pm: Athy Library


St. Brigid’s Day, 1st February

5.30 - 9pm: Potato Market Naas


The Herstory Light Show in Kildare is part of the fantastic Brigid 1500 Festival, funded by Kildare County Council Council Creative Ireland Programme.

THE ART

Herstory launched an Open Call on Samhain 2022, inviting artists to create artwork for the light show for St. Brigid's Day. Artists were invited to explore Brigid - woman, goddess and saint. Alternatively they could create a portrait of modern women who embody her qualities: Environmentalist, Feminist, LGBTQ+ Icon, Healer, Pioneer, Human Rights Activist, Goddess of the Arts, Alchemist, Wisdom Weaver. 

A small selection of the artwork you can expect to see:

Thanks to all the artists who submitted. We were so inspired by the response with art from the island of Ireland and internationally, with submissions in from people from Iran, Kazakhstan, France, UK, Brazil, Germany and more. The standard of art and volume of submissions we received this year was absolutely incredible.

You’ll see a selection of these submissions throughout the Herstory Light Festival.

Brigid's Awakening Festival / 28.01.23

Brigid’s Awakening Festival

Art Exhibit

Three female Roscommon based Visual Artists; Frances Crowe, Margo McNulty and Lea Farrell have come together for a group show located in the Vaulted Stables, Strokestown Park, also included in this show will be work by Ukranian Artist Olena Kosalevych. Visitors can also view as part of this showing an exhibit of the famed local hero’s the Sharkey Sisters. This show will open Saturday January 28th and run until Sunday February 26th. Visit www.strokestownpark.ie for opening times and further information.

SAT 28TH JAN

Strokestown Park

4.00pm: Herstory Salon – Vaulted Stables. Join in the conversation lead by Melanie Lynch (CEO of Herstory) and featuring speakers including Mary Kennedy (Irish TV Personality).

5.30pm: Herstory Light Show - Park House. Illumination Spectacular featuring the work of local schools.

6.30pm: Shadow Puppet show - Vaulted Stables. Experience the story of St Bridgid through shadow puppetry performed by local schools.

Lá Fhéile Bríde - WED 1st FEB

6.15pm: Installation ceremony of Ireland’s largest illuminated Brigid’s Cross on Tarmonbarry Bridge

6.40pm: Tarmonbarry Players performance of “Bridets Cloak” – Keenans Hotel – experience an original short play perfomed by the Tarmonbarry players club.

Bank Holiday - SAT 4th FEB

Rathcroghan Visitor Centre

11.00am: Mike McCarthy, Deputy Manager of Rathcroghan Visitor Centre and co-author of a number of publications, including ‘Slí Seandálaíochta Ráth Cruachan’ and ‘Rathcroghan - The Guidebook’ “Female Divinity in Early Ireland” - The gure of the goddess was very important in early Europe and Ireland and this talk, which also marks the festival of Imbolc outlines specically how it relates to the Royal Site of Rathcroghan and Roscommon.

12.00pm: Dr Marion McGarry – author of Irish Customs and Rituals - Recent Irish customs marking St. Brigid’s day’ - explore the folk rituals of Brigid’s feast day, which also marks Imbolc. Many of the customs of St Brigid’s day were those practised mostly in rural Ireland, from the mid nineteenth to the mid twentieth century, and some are still followed today.

Strokestown Park

3.00pm: Candlelit Tales, Goddess & Saint Family Show - Gather around the fireplace to hear the stories of ancient times in a new light, with music and magical storytelling for all ages. 7.00pm: Candlelit Tales, Imbolc & Bridget - Join us for the tale of Brigid, who might have been a goddess and might have been a saint, as memories of her ancient power come to the surface again.

Bank Holiday - SUN 5th FEB

Strokestown Park

3.00pm: Candlelit Tales – New Communities (WorkShop) - The oldest legends of Ireland tell us that the Irish came from elsewhere, so we are sharing stories of ancient Irish peoples and their journeys to welcome some of our newest arrivals.

*Please note events may change or vary due to unforseen circumstances

COLLABORATION: SCHOOLS - MEN’S SHED - WOMEN’S SHED - LOCAL DRAMA - LOCAL HISTORIANS - LOCAL ARTISTS

#StBrigidsDay #Imbolc

Herstory Light Show in Galway City for St Brigid's Day / 27.01.23

Herstory Light Show in Galway City for St. Brigid’s Day

Brigid by Erin Darcy

This year Herstory will spark the national St. Brigid’s Day celebrations in Galway city on Friday 27th January with a spectacular Herstory Light Show from 5.30pm until midnight in honour of Brigid and Galway women. Iconic landmarks will be illuminated including Lynch’s Castle, St. Nicholas Church, Galway City Museum and Pálás Cinema. 





HERSTORY LIGHT SHOW SCHEDULE

 Friday 27th January 2023

5.30 - 7pm: Lynch’s Castle 

7.30 - 8.45pm: St. Nicholas’ Church 

9.00 - 10pm: Galway City Museum 

10.30pm - 12.00am: Pálás Cinema

The Herstory Light Show is co-produced with Dodeca and funded by Galway City Council Creative Ireland Programme, with curation by Herstory in partnership with Galway City Arts Office.

Mara by Shona MacGillivray

The Galway illuminations will celebrate Brigid and the strength and spirit of Galway women. Legendary locals will be celebrated including Úna Taaffe, Ena McEntee, Biddy Ward, Nora Barnacle by FRIZ, Lady Gregory and Gort heroine Mara; with portraits by local artists Geraldine Kilmartin, Irene Naughton, Shona MacGillivray and local school children. The illuminations will be animated with performances by visual artist Áine Philips, singer Ceara Conway and Moth & Butterfly storytellers.

Galway City Arts Officer Kate Howard says: “We are thrilled to present The Herstory Light Show and the work of so many wonderful Galway artists on January 27th, in the lead-up to St Brigid’s Day and the first public holiday in her honour! The evening will be a celebration of the women of Galway, our Celtic heritage, and the fierce yet protective and creative goddess Brigid.”

On Samhain last year, Herstory launched a nationwide open call, inviting artists to create art of Brigid - goddess and saint - and the modern women who embody her qualities and share her passions as environmentalist, feminist, Pride icon, healer, pioneer, human rights activist, goddess of the arts, alchemist and wisdom weaver. 

Úna by Geraldine Kilmartin

Herstory Founder & Creative Director Melanie Lynch reveals,“It was legendary local activist Saibh Egan who introduced me to Úna Taaffe. I had never heard of her before moving to Galway. I was awestruck by Úna’s remarkable compassion and activism, her sense of justice and equality. She gave jobs to single mothers and offered shelter to homeless people. Taboo acts in her era. I believe Úna is one of the greatest embodiments of Brigid in action. She is a local legend who deserves to be a national treasure!”

Photographer Anita Murphy presents a series of empowering contemporary portraits for Spring Tide, her new project supporting and guiding women through the menopause. 

Galway artist and activist Erin Darcy reveals her Brigid and a stunning collection of art exploring motherhood. Erin is a co-Founder of Mother Makers, a tribe of creative mamas that has a vision to gather a community of like-minded creative mother makers in Galway.

By Patsy Connolly

The Daughter of the Dagda Exhibition returns with artists Hilary Morley, Eleanor Duggan and Patsy Connolly responding to ‘Brigit on her special day, by looking at how the business of being female has been represented in Ireland past and present through myths, symbols and iconography.’ The Ancient Celtic Festival of Imbolc was linked to lambing and milk production and was especially associated with the Goddess Brigit, also known as the Triple Goddess and Daughter of the Dagda. The Dagda was one of the gods of the Tuatha De Danann, a supernatural race in Irish mythology.  Celebrated all over Europe in the early part of the first millennium, the Goddess Brigit was transformed into a saint after Christianity came to Ireland.

The illuminations will also feature photos of Traveller women, which Misleor and the Galway Traveller Movement have shared with us.

Thanks to Galway City Arts Officer Kate Howard, Saibh Egan, and Thomas Langan for their recommendations of local artists and women.

Our friends in Gort will present Herself, a large-scale public projection project that takes place in the centre of Gort town on Saturday 4th February 2023. In collaboration with local community groups, artists Shona MacGillivray and Jill Beardsworth identify women whose lives and work embody the qualities that Brigid is known for.

Individual moving portraits of each woman are filmed and layered with visuals representing their ‘Brigid’ qualities. The images will be projected at dusk on the neoclassical courthouse building in Gort town square on the new Brigid bank holiday weekend. The project illuminates those women who work quietly in the background, nurturing, protecting, growing, healing, listening and making our world a better place to be.

“The goddess Brigid is a bridge, crossing the threshold from Celtic to Christian, North and South, winter and spring, water and fire, masculine and feminine.” - Treacy O’ Connor.

#Herstory #StBrigidsDay

LAOH and Herstory Special Event in Honour of Brigid / 21.01.23

LAOH and Herstory Special Event in Honour of Brigid / 21.01.23

The Herstory Education Trust is honored to partner with Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians for a special event in honor of St. Brigid on Saturday 21st January at 4pm Irish time / 11am ET.

This event will introduce the real Brigid and why she is a role model for modern women today. Herstory Poet in Residence Laura Murphy will perform her poem Is Mise Bríd, Herstory board member Treacy O'Connor will lead a beautiful meditation, and Herstory Founder & CEO Melanie Lynch will share a slideshow of the spectacular Herstory light shows.

This event will be hosted via Irish Central's Facebook page, but you should RSVP in advance for this free event here. 


The Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians (LAOH) have been celebrating St. Brigid’s Day for over 128 years. Along with the celebration of St. Brigid’s Day, they have a mission of promoting Irish History. During the Decade of Centenaries, the LAOH focused on the role of women in the Easter Rising. They recently congratulated Herstory on the successful campaign to make St. Brigid’s Day Ireland’s new national holiday.