Welcome to Mná Feasa, a podcast series featuring the stories of dozens of older women from County Kilkenny, produced by Helena Byrne, in collaboration with Kilkenny County Council Library Services and Kilkenny Heritage.
My name is Helena Byrne and I’m a storyteller from the village of Ballyhale in south Kilkenny. I want to explore the experiences of older women across the county.
Welcome to Mná Feasa, a podcast series featuring the stories of dozens of older women from County Kilkenny, produced by Helena Byrne, in collaboration with Kilkenny County Council Library Services and Kilkenny Heritage.In this episode, you’re in for a treat. The Mna Feasa project has encompassed much more than my interviews with older women from county Kilkenny. A group of wonderful Transition year students from Loreto secondary school in Kilkenny have also helped to bring this project to life. These students worked with me over several months, honing their storytelling skills and their performance styles, and then interviewing the older women in their lives that have stories to tell.What has come from the students’ work, the fruits of their labour, is a beautiful assortment of stories, covering a variety of themes, life lessons and experiences from a diverse group of women connected with county Kilkenny. Some of these stories are set within the county of Kilkenny, while some have come from as far-reaching places as Spain and Tanzania. What connects these stories to Kilkenny is the new generation of young Kilkenny women, these transition year students, who have brilliantly crafted and curated them, creating the next chapter in the Kilkenny woman’s folklore.***On November 3rd 1324 in Kilkenny City, Petronilla of Meath became the first woman to be burned at the stake for witchcraft in the British Isles. As maid to Dame Alice Kyteler, she was found guilty of heretical sorcery, having been tortured to illicit a confession. We can be thankful that the murmurs of witchcraft accusations have long faded from the streets of Kilkenny. The experiences of Kilkenny women in recent decades are far removed from the challenges faced by women of the 14th century. It’s time to give the women of Kilkenny the voice that Petronilla of Meath was not afforded.
7 Jan 2025
Mná Feasa Episode 9 ~ Beliefs & Traditions
Helen Byrnes interviews Kilkenny's older women as they share traditions and superstitions that shaped their lives, offering a glimpse into the county's cultural heritage.
7 Jan 2025
Mná Feasa Episode 8 ~ Faith & the Church
The religious landscape of Ireland has undoubtedly seen dramatic change in recent years, and Kilkenny is no exception.
In episode eight, older women of Kilkenny reflect on their own personal faith, life in a predominantly Catholic society and how the Catholic church’s stronghold on the community impacted not only how we saw others, but how we saw ourselves.
This collaboration is kindly funded by commemorative initiatives under the department of tourism, culture, arts, Gaeltacht, sport and media. To find out more, visit https://helenabyrne.com/ (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbUszZ1djQm4xWUUzTDJlRDVORW9pNDF6b2drd3xBQ3Jtc0trNHVPZW5NUHFfN1BZQkFKa3J3bWdQQ01EazhEU0cyQjJMY002Z2lMN1Byd05uNDJnNGlqMG05NWVROTJldmYtQjZCdl9PTG9qLWJ2RVhkRVUtMHhoT0V3OGJxcUIweVpJOXVBcjJTc3JTSjRxRE94bw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fhelenabyrne.com%2F&v=hNxnCfz82YM)
7 Jan 2025
Mná Feasa Episode 7 ~ Worklife
In episode seven, older women of Kilkenny share their experience of the workplace, what professional ambitions they held for themselves, how young they truly were when setting out on their career paths, and what was expected of them as wives and mothers.
This collaboration is kindly funded by Commemorative Initiatives under the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. To find out more, visit https://helenabyrne.com/ (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbkZqOTkwZTJ1WkpmaUNRNmVadEV1S3lkcWlnd3xBQ3Jtc0ttc2IybnR0cGcyT0xFTF96LXJKTXBNY3VNcjllaExyblBacWdzWXNiR09hRnJiVHlDNjZ0emxpT2Jtc05QNHB4YnlEdTlaOVNYTnBfMldMRlRMYlVEMlYwZHNTQmwwajhyWnVmLXdyeUt3cno4OTZaYw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fhelenabyrne.com%2F&v=-aC0MqDWpTM)
7 Jan 2025
Mná Feasa Episode 6 ~ Dancing, Dating & Drinks
In episode six, I talk to local Kilkenny women about dancehalls, dates and drinks. The vibrant social scene that played out in venues such as the Mayfair in Kilkenny, the absence of alcohol and the many romances that sprung from the dancefloor.
This collaboration is kindly funded by Commemorative Initiatives under the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. To find out more, visit https://helenabyrne.com/
7 Jan 2025
Mná Feasa Episode 5 ~ Rural Electrification & the Simple Luxury of Bathrooms
Today, Kilkenny residents wake up each morning to the luxury of electricity. We can switch on the telly, do our laundry in the washing machine, we even have bathrooms with running water and a flushing toilet! Basic amenities that nowadays, we see more as a necessity than a luxury. But we don’t need to venture very far back in history to conceive of a world where these creature comforts were very rare indeed.
In episode five, older women of Kilkenny reflect on their memories of rural electrification and how it transformed the household, and of course, the simple pleasure of having a toilet and running water.
This collaboration is kindly funded by Commemorative Initiatives under the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. To find out more, visit https://helenabyrne.com/ (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa2pJUjZBWmFIdDNyZ1ZuRDlnbTU0TTc3Rkw4QXxBQ3Jtc0trZFZ2X1RPNlQ0OGF1X0JYWEZkWDNQNFVIRzYwNDBYYkc0T0x1dDNfWW5wUE5kd09VZXQta3VDeUp6bHpKYWtycThGZ1R6Y2doa1RmY2RYNU15d3NQYlZNODhnazB2c2ZxeTNTeWtLRWpDZUlvMmZQSQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fhelenabyrne.com%2F&v=Y2JG4JQSsvo)
7 Jan 2025
Mná Feasa Episode 4 ~ Shops, Pubs & More
Kilkenny locals share stories of their cherished shops, pubs, and community hubs, revealing how shopping has evolved from social gathering to online convenience.
7 Jan 2025
Mná Feasa Episode 3 ~ Farmlife
Wise women from County Kilkenny share their stories of rural life, revealing the challenges and joys of growing up on a farm in Ireland, where tradition meets modernity.
7 Jan 2025
Mná Feasa Episode 2 ~ Schooldays
Local women share their candid stories about schooldays in 20th-century Kilkenny, shedding light on the challenges and triumphs of education in a bygone era.
Helena Byrne, producer of Mná Feasa, shares stories of Kilkenny women's childhood adventures, exploring the freedom and creativity of play in times gone by.
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5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 39 / 100
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YouTube
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