Join us for a talk by Donna Gilligan, Scéal Heritage Consultancy and curator of the “Leitrim Women Through Time” rural women’s history project.

The “Leitrim Women Through Time” project celebrates and records the experiences of ordinary rural women of the recent and distant past, creating an archive of women’s history for the county. The project is a joint initiative between the North Leitrim Women's Centre and Scéal Heritage Consultancy.

Donna will share stories of a selection of rural midwives and nurses from Leitrim, as well as life experiences of other rural women that have been recorded by the project.

Following the talk, take the opportunity to visit the “Leitrim Women Through Time 1850 – 1950" pop-up exhibition on display in the National Museum for the day!

This talk takes places from 3pm to 4pm on Saturday, 28 June 2025, at the National Museum of Ireland - Turlough Park, Castlebar, in association with the new temporary exhibition, Mary Anne Fanning: Remembering our Community Midwives.

Suitable for adults and children aged 14 years plus. Booking is required. Email BookingsCountryLife@museum.ie or telephone the Bookings Office on +353 94 90 31751 to secure your place.
 

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Donna Gilligan is Principal of Scéal Heritage Consultancy (www.scealheritage.com), a company which provides a range of services to groups and organisations seeking professional expertise on heritage projects. She works with local, regional, and national museums and community groups. She is a passionate advocate for heritage, and specialises in work with rural community groups and volunteer-led museums to assist them in their long-term growth and development.

Donna holds Masters degrees in Archaeology, Museum Practice & Management, and Design History & Material Culture, and has worked in heritage for two decades. She began her career as an archaeologist, and went on to work in roles in collections, education, and exhibition in museums across the country. Her research interests include a focus on the preservation of the stories and experiences of everyday rural women, and she has worked as Project Curator for the “Leitrim Women Through Time” rural women’s history project with the North Leitrim Women's Centre since its inception in 2022.