Join local historian Emma Laffey at 2pm on Saturday, 19 October, for a video presentation and talk on her extensive research project on rural midwives.

Emma’s work has been developed into a new exhibition celebrating the enduring legacy of community midwives in shaping maternity care in Ireland in the early 20^th century.  

For this talk, Emma will present a short video of her interview with the family of Midwife Mary Kate Jennings, which forms part of her research. Mary Kate was the local community midwife in the Ballinasloe area during the 1940s and ‘50s.

This interview documentary looks at the exceptional life of Mary Kate and the many hardships she endured. The Jennings family talk about their memories of their mother and the knowledge she passed down to them. 

Following this presentation, Emma will speak about her research on community midwives and how this led to the Museum’s exhibition Mary Anne Fanning, Remembering our Community Midwives. This will be followed by a questions and answers session with Emma.  

Emma Laffey, local historian, has collected photographs, interviews, documents and old video footage, to create the project An Bhean Ghlúine - Woman of the Knee. Emma's book also titled An Bhean Ghlúine received a Cathaoirleach Galway County Heritage Award in 2022 for best publication. Emma's work on community midwives has now, through the Irish Community Archive Network (iCAN), been developed into an exhibition for the National Museum of Ireland - Country Life, Turlough Park, Castlebar.

This is a free event, suitable for adults. Booking is required. Email BookingsCountryLife@museum.ie or telephone the Bookings Office on +353 94 90 31751.