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You are here: Home>Topics>An Bhean Ghlúine

An Bhean Ghlúine

Working as a healthcare assistant in a Maternity Ward in Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe, Galway reminded me of a time when women only birthed their babies at home. I did a little research and discovered that not much had been written about these midwives, both with and without formal midwifery training.

They pushed through the barriers that faced them to get educated, work and continue working after they were married during a time when women didn’t even have a vote.

During this project I will be introducing you to some of the wonderful women during the early part of the 20th century also known as An Bhean Ghluíne – Woman of the Knee - Midwife – Handywoman. They bravely entered into the birthing mother’s homes not knowing what was to face them. Birthing during these times came with tremendous risks and very little medical intervention. The reality of losing a mother, baby or both played a very large part with this role. They worked in the big houses of landlords, the simple homes of rural and urban mothers and the roadside dwellings of the travelling community. All of this was done with great compassion and empathy for all birthing women regardless of their status.

Here on the website you will find a ebook with the midwives stories and photographs, a short film about the life of Mary Kate Jennings who was a midwife serving the Ballinasloe area, some voice recordings from local people and families chatting about their experience with their local midwife, including Kathleen Ward who tells us all about the travelling community and their experience with pregnancy and eventual birth and the old traditions surrounding them. I would like to thank every family member  and the public for their assistance and permissions with the project.

I would also like to thank The Heritage Council for the funding to research and deliver this production, GKMedia for the film and ebook, Lorna Elms and Hassan Dabbagh at the Irish Community Archive Network for their technical support with website uploading and and my colleagues at the Skehana & District Heritage Group for their continued support.

I hope ye enjoy the project and that other local heritage groups will get on board to record their local midwives for future generations.

Emma Laffey

Skehana & District Heritage Group

  • Media Coverage

    Media Coverage

    Local and national coverage of An Bhean Ghluine project.
  • Pull-up Banners.

    Pull-up Banners.

    A selection of pull-up banners for displays and exhibitions.
  • An Bhean Ghlúine Postcards

    An Bhean Ghlúine Postcards

    Selection of postcards with images and details of widwives.
  • An Bhean Ghlúine

    An Bhean Ghlúine

    ebook ‘Woman of the Knee’,Midwife, Handywoman
  • Bina Kelly Kilconnell

    Bina Kelly Kilconnell

    Midwife - Woman of the Knee - Handywoman
  • Patient of Bina Kelly.

    Patient of Bina Kelly.

    An interview with Teresa Cleary, Kilconnell, County Galway.
  • Patient of Anne "Ma" Kilcommins

    Patient of Anne "Ma" Kilcommins

    Interview with Maidie Broderick, Cross, Menlough.
  • Anne "Ma" Kilcommins.

    Anne "Ma" Kilcommins.

    Interview with Gerry Lally, Kilbeg, Monivea.
  • Kathleen Ward, Kilconnell.

    Kathleen Ward, Kilconnell.

    Interview iwth Kathleen Ward of the Travelling Community.
  • Mary Ellen Coppinger

    Mary Ellen Coppinger

    Interview with her daughter, Mary Dolan, Moylough.
  • Bina Kelly, Kilconnell.

    Bina Kelly, Kilconnell.

    Bina's interview with Jim Fahy, RTE - Looking West, from 1983.
  • Bridget Glenane.

    Bridget Glenane.

    Interview with her daughter, Vera Mullins, Brierfield.
  • Mary Kate Jennings.

    Mary Kate Jennings.

    Mary Kate's family chatting about her life in a short film.
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This website is a member of the Irish Community Archive Network and is a joint initiative of Galway County Council Heritage Office and the National Museum of Ireland – Country Life
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