My Glasgow Granny from Donegal

Is there a woman from your past who made the journey to Scotland from Ireland?

Why not come along to one of three sessions at the library on Thursday 15th March 2012 to share stories about the tales of your female relatives who came over to Glasgow from Ireland.

These sessions are an opportunity to meet Rachael Flynn, the artist-researcher running this project in a relaxed spaces with tea, coffee and chatter.

Rachael is working as part of the Scottish Centre for Island Studies. Her current research is a response to the narrative of her grandmother who left Donegal in the 1930’s to find work in Glasgow. The work she makes is a response to the written letters between her grandmother and the family she left behind, the fables, anecdotes and memories weaved by family members, and the social histories of the various women who made similar journeys.

My Glasgow Granny from Donegal project will give the public an opportunity to recognize and pay honor to such women who faced vast challenges and obstacles in order to shape their own futures.

There will be 3 sessions on Thursday 15th March:

3pm to 4pm, or 4.15pm to 5.15pm, or 5.30pm to 6.30pm

Spaces are limited but we would love to accommodate everyone so please register your interest so we can plan for this. If you are interested in coming along and taking part please contact us on 0141 248 9969 or fill out a booking form here. You are also most welcome to forward any thoughts or questions to Rachael directly, her email address is Rachael.flynn@uws.ac.uk.

Rachael is also launching a project in which women will be able to add the names of these ancestors to an artist’s book which will start to build up a collection that seeks to move beyond formal data to create a human and embodied document. By adding the names of their Irish mothers, grandmothers, great grandmothers, aunts, cousins… the women who visit the book in the library will have the chance to effectively ‘light a candle’ in memory of these relatives.

In creating this work she is hoping to raise awareness of such women, but also to open up the opportunity for people to share the stories that are part of their personal histories. By acknowledging these accounts there is the opportunity to become empowered by the perseverance, strength and spirit of our female ancestors.

All of the activities and experiences of this process will culminate and build towards a developed exhibition of this material which reflects the subject matter of the women who originally made such a brave journey. Hopefully weaved through this will be the ‘journeys’ made by the women involved in this project as we share stories and pass these books between each other.

Rachael Flynn is an artist and PhD Research student currently working as part of the Scottish Centre for Island Studies, University of the West of Scotland. Rachael completed her Undergraduate degree from the School of Fine Art, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, and went on to study and be awarded her MA at Goldsmiths, University of London.

During her time studying Rachael received various opportunities through awards from The Scottish Sculpture Workshops (Residency award 2006), The Angus Memorial Sculpture Prize, The Hunting Art Prize Competition (Young Artist of the Year runner up, Royal College of Art 2004), Carnegie Undergraduate traveling Scholarship (Australia 2004), and Outstanding Film Achievement Award by Honorable Goldsmiths Society, Creation II (London).

Within the creative industries Rachael has worked with independent film-makers, artists, research groups and production companies. These include Paul Watson (Bafta Lifetime Achievement winner), Juniper Television (productions – The Indian Miracle? [Channel 4] & Battle for the Holy Land, Love Thy Neighbor [Channel 4]), Generator Projects (artist-run space), Wendy Ramshaw OBE, Professor David Watkins (RCA), and BBC London (Watchdog, BBC Politics Show).