Leitrim women’s history project to feature on RTÉ’s Nationwide

A project documenting the lives and experiences of rural women in Co Leitrim will be showcased on national television this week as part of a special International Women’s Day broadcast.

The “Leitrim Women Through Time” project will make its television debut on Nationwide tomorrow evening at 7pm on RTÉ. The programme forms part of a dedicated International Women’s Day special highlighting the work of women’s groups and community initiatives around the country.

The feature will highlight the work of the North Leitrim Women's Centre and the Leitrim Women Through Time project, which celebrates and records the experiences of ordinary rural women from both the recent and distant past.

The initiative is a joint project between the North Leitrim Women’s Centre and Scéal Heritage Consultancy, and aims to build a lasting archive documenting the lives, work and contributions of women across the county.

One of the key elements of the project is the Pop-up Leitrim Women’s Museum, which brings together stories, photographs and historical material highlighting the role women played in shaping rural communities.

The programme will also look at the recent “Voices from the Factory Floor” exhibition, which celebrated the experiences of women who worked in factories across Leitrim and helped drive the county’s industrial and economic life.

The project has also explored the stories of rural midwives and nurses who played vital roles in communities throughout the county, often working in challenging conditions and serving generations of families.

Curator Donna Gilligan, principal of Scéal Heritage Consultancy, has been closely involved with the project since it began in 2022. With a career spanning more than two decades in archaeology and museum work, she specialises in heritage projects that preserve the voices and experiences of rural communities.

Gilligan has worked with local, regional and national museums, helping community groups develop exhibitions and heritage initiatives. Her research focuses particularly on documenting the lives of everyday rural women whose stories are often missing from official historical records.

Through talks and exhibitions connected to the project, she has shared stories of Leitrim women from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century, including community midwives, nurses and factory workers whose work formed the backbone of rural life.

Organisers say the appearance on Nationwide is an important opportunity to bring these stories to a wider audience and to recognise the vital contribution women have made to Leitrim’s social and cultural history.

Viewers can see the feature when Nationwide airs on RTÉ One at 7pm tomorrow evening March 6.

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