Local Sheela-na-Gigs are focus of new documentary
A documentary about Ireland’s Sheela-na-Gigs 'Exposing Sheela', will premiere on Athlone Community Radio on Sheelagh Day, Bank Holiday Monday, March 18 at 6pm.
These small medieval stone statues of women exposing their vulva and breasts are located all over Ireland. Many have survived strict Christian periods of Irish history and are located on churches and castles.
The existence of these carvings known as Sheela-na -Gigs have a forgotten female narrative. This captivating documentary explores the ancient female wisdom, the female spirit of the past, and past repression, and celebrates womanhood and female sexuality.
Stories of folklore and fact are combined and interwoven to create a one-hour documentary on Sheela-na-Gigs located in Westmeath and Roscommon. Through the depiction of these iconic ancestral female images and the repression, celebration and idolatry of females in the past, the programme aims to evoke a true celebration of Irish womanhood both of today and yesterday.
The documentary will feature Melanie McQuaid, Heritage Officer with Westmeath County Council, Ruth Illingworth, historian, Joanna Grobosz from Athlone Castle and Gary Dempsey, lecturer in heritage at GMIT and co-founder of the Digital Heritage Age speak, who will talk about the statues from a historical and scholarly perspective.
Producer Catherine Ivers will also be accompanied on location by Dr Caroline Coyle, Erica Follows-Smith, and sound engineer Philomena Murphy. Together they will view, and be awed by, various Sheelas around the two counties, including a pair of Sheela-Na-Gigs located on the coach house wall at Skregg House in Roscommon, where they will speak to the owner, Peter Kelly, and the Sheela-Na-Gig at Moate Castle where they will meet and speak with owner Reggie Mitchell.
The underlying audio landscape, setting the scene for these powerful conversations, will include an original poem by Philomena Murphy, written especially for this programme, original music by Declan Hayes, with 'Sheela na Gig' by PJ Harvey also weaving though the narrative.
The additional contributors are Aisling Kenny, Shay Grey, Olivia Sheikh, Kuxi Ghai, and Kara Richards.
Production team: Catherine Ivers, Producer, Script Writer, Editor and Sound Engineer; Philomena Murphy, Sound Engineer. Mastered by Swell Audio Mixing & Mastering.
Exposing Sheela is funded by Coimisiún na Meán, Ireland’s media regulator, with the television licence fee.
You can listen to the documentary on Athlone Community Radio at 88.4fm, online at athlonecommunityradio.ie, and through the tunein app.
It airs on Bank Holiday Monday, March 18 at 6pm.