The Herstory Light Festival, which takes place on the weekend of Brigid's Day (Friday 31st January – Monday 3rd February 2020), will be marked with a series of illuminations projected onto public buildings around the country, along with an array of story-telling events, guided walks and artistic performances - see the full programme here.
Herstory, is a movement which seeks to tell the stories of modern, mythic and historic women, and the 2020 Herstory Light Festival aims to shine a light, both literally and metaphorically on these oft- unsung women. Additional events will also spotlight the unsung heroines, migrant women, trans women and non-binary femme people, Northern Irish peace heroines and legendary figures in the arts, sport, science, politics and activism.
in collaboration with Herstory. Illustration by NCAD student Kelly O'Dowd
For the 2020 installment, the Herstory Light Festival is going global. On Brigid's Day, 90 'Moon Mná' facilitators around the globe will hold women’s Celtic Circles and light Brigid’s Flame in a worldwide spiral from Dublin to Mexico, Iceland, Newfoundland, America, Canada, Europe and Australia,
Elsewhere, light shows in New York and Dublin on Friday 31st January will feature migrant portraits by Rory O' Neill and Catherine Young to explore the fact that immigration and emigration are two sides of the same story.
In New York, the IBO (Irish Business Women’s Organisation) are curating a month-long programme of Brigid inspired events in support of Herstory’s ongoing campaign to see Brigid celebrated equally to Saint Patrick.
Across Ireland, participating institutions include The GPO, National Museum of Ireland, National Library of Ireland, Smock Alley Theatre, Ulster Museum, Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, Uisneach, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, Belfast City Hall, Kerry Writer's Museum, James Joyce Centre, Queen's University Belfast, Derry Tower Museum, The Giants Causeway, Belfast School of Art, Shankill and Falls Roads Womens’ Centres and many more.
Find a Herstory Light Festival event near you here, and find out more about Herstory on RTÉ here.
