By Daisy Roberts
This St Brigid’s Day, after many years of capturing and preserving the stories of Irish women, Úna Gan A Gúna: Irish Women’s Oral History Collective held our first in-person event at the Irish Cultural Centre in London. There couldn’t have been a more fitting occasion than the National Day of Ireland’s female patron saint, St Brigid of Kildare, and weren’t we lucky that she graced us with her presence!
It was a wonderful evening. Our Project Lead Ruth Beecher had a short in-conversation with St Brigid (also known as our wonderful trustee Dorothy Duffy in fabulous convent-inspired couture), giving a glimpse into the kind of questions asked in an Úna Gan A Gúna interview. St Brigid told us about her girlhood, fending off her many suitors by disfiguring herself, founding her religious order, and how it’s felt to step out of St Patrick’s shadow and finally receive some equitable recognition (a day off).
We heard from volunteers, trustees, and friends about why St Brigid’s Day is important to them and how celebrations for the day have changed throughout their lives. Úna volunteer Steph Blythman hosted a panel discussion with women interviewed by Úna Gan A Gúna who shared what the experience of recording their oral history was like, why they felt it was important for them to do, and what they’d say to others thinking about sharing their stories with us (go for it!). We also heard snippets from interviews in our archive about themes such as gender roles, kindness, and community in Ireland and the diaspora.
It was so exciting to meet and chat all things women’s history with our wonderful audience and thank you so much to everyone that came, asked questions, and celebrated St Brigid’s Day with us.
We’d also like to thank everyone at the Irish Cultural Centre for hosting us, especially Alys White for her help and support organising it all. Not to mention, all of our wonderful voxpop contributors, volunteers, and trustees too: Steph Blythman, Alice Beecher, Amy Beecher, Annie McAnulty, Annie McAleer, Amelia O’Mahony-Brady, Lizzie Barrie, Saidhbh Brannigan, Ruth Beecher, Dorothy Duffy, Evelyn Kerrigan Lebloch, Ailsa Russell, IrishwithMollie, and Enagh Farrell.
