Women’s Voices: Then and Now – A Creative Celebration of Women’s Stories from 1916 to 1923

Smashing Times are delighted to announce the launch of our new Exhibition titled Women’s Voices: Then and Now – A Creative Celebration of Women’s Stories from 1916 to 1923, taking place to mark International Women’s Day 2019.

Where: St Laurence’s, Grangegorman, Dublin 7

When: Friday, 8 March 2019, 7-9pm

Book this exciting event via Eventbrite.ie by clicking here.

This celebratory evening, which marks International Women’s Day 2019, features a performance of Constance and Her Friends by Mary Moynihan, performed by Megan O’Malley, a film screening of a new short film, music from members of the internationally renowned Irish music group Kíla, and a panel discussion titled Women’s Voices: Then and Now celebrating the lives of women in Irish history from 1916 to 1923 and women’s voices today.

The Compere for the evening is Orla O’Connor, Head of the National Women’s Council of Ireland.

Guest speakers on the panel include Mary Moynihan, theatre and film maker, and Artistic Director of Smashing Times; Edel O’Brien, film maker; Samantha Ncube, Youth Ambassador and Youth Worker; and Raymond Keane, award winning actor.

The evening culminates in the launch of our online exhibition featuring research, articles, biographies, and photographs along with 100 statements from members of the public in the Grangegorman area where the company are based gathered by artists in response to the theme of the centenary celebration of votes for women and exploring what the vote means today. The exhibition features stories of change experienced by women from the past and today and a new theatre workshop model.

Women’s stories include Constance Markievicz, Hanna Sheehy Skeffington and Dr Kathleen Lynn who were active in Ireland’s struggle for freedom and in the suffrage campaign for votes for women and the remarkable life and career of Dr Eleanora Fleury, a psychiatrist who once worked at the Richmond Asylum, originally located in Grangegorman where our event is taking place. The evening brings together citizens, artists, activists and guest speakers to reflect on the legacy of these women today exploring the kind of Ireland we want for the future, at a local level in the Grangegorman area of Dublin, at a national level for all men and women in Ireland and at a European level. Reflecting on the Easter Rising and the centenary of votes for women, the exhibition is an evocative remembrance of powerful women’s stories from a unique period in history including women who campaigned for the right to vote. The exhibition will be accessible through the Smashing Times International (online) Centre for the Arts and Human Rights at www.smashingtimes.ie

The above event is held as part of Smashing Times: A Creative Celebration of the Centenary Vote for Women which uses creative processes of theatre, film and online digital resources to celebrate the centenary vote for women and to reflect on the experiences of women today in relation to gender equality, human rights and diversity.

The lead artist is Mary Moynihan working with Róisín McAtamney, actor, director and facilitator; Megan O’Malley, actor; Niamh Clowry, Researcher; Freda Manweiler, Producer; and Dr Eric Weitz, Adjunct Professor of Drama, Trinity College, Dublin. The partners are St Paul’s CBS Secondary School; Stanhope Street Secondary School; HACE, Henrietta Adult and Community Education and Mount Temple Comprehensive School. The project is supported by ‘ . . . the lives we live’ Grangegorman Public Art; the Grangegorman Development Agency; Dublin City Council; and the Creative Ireland Dublin City Programme 2018 and Dublin City Public Library Archive.

The Creative Ireland programme is an all-of-Government five-year initiative from 2017 to 2022, which places creativity at the centre of public policy. Further information from creativeireland.ie and ireland.ie.

For further information please visit the Smashing Times website or contact the Smashing Times office on info@smashingtimes.ie or call us on +353 (0) 1 865 6613

‘Fantastic performance which really brought the character to life and was a reminder of the significant role women have played in forming the Ireland of today’. Fidelma Keogh, audience member

‘I absolutely adored the performance. Megan was wonderful and I loved hearing about the history of such incredible Irish women’. Margaret Toomey, audience and company member

‘Thanks so much for joining us yesterday, I really enjoyed the panel discussion and Megan’s performance and the audience did too, we had great feedback!’ Aine Beamish, Leargas

‘Excellent and so informative’ Betty Quirk, audience member

‘Excellent acting and the research is superb’ K.G. Doyle, audience member

‘Superb acting and singing, very powerful portrayal of women in history. Love to see more’ A. Dillon, audience member

‘I have found their performances to be of a very high standard and well researched. Their performances have also always encouraged conversation and debate amongst our audiences and have played an important role in highlighting relevant issues and events from the past and present’, Ronan O’Donnell, Senior Community Officer, Dublin City Council