Changing faces and lives of women in Westmeath over the last 40/50 years
Helping women develop literacy skills through creative writing and poetry
)
The project partners were
Womens community projects association, Mullingar
Mullingar library
Women's collective Ireland - Mullingar
About this project
This project helped learners develop a broad-range of skills in a creative and fun learning environment, including
writing skills,
communication skills,
public speaking,
project management,
digital skills,
numeracy, and
advertising and media skills.
The course produced a booklet called ‘Storytelling Through the Years Gone By'. This historical resource documents the faces, identities, and lives of women in the region over the past 40 or 50 years.
More about this project
Eight classes took place during the course, along with a library tour. Minister Marian Harkin launched the booklet at a public event in December 2025.
Learners researched and created content for the booklet, a podcast, and showcase event. The course provided a unique opportunity to develop a broad range of skills.
The booklet contains a collection of stories, poetry, and recipes representing the lives of women living in the region. It is an archive that celebrates women's past and present contributions to the rich history of Westmeath.
The booklet keeps Irish storytelling traditions alive and can be shared with organisations throughout the country.
“In true community education style, the project evolved based on the ideas and input of the participants. They felt that culture, poetry, and food have played a huge role in women's lives and local history. Because of this, the final publication includes a collection of stories, poems and traditional recipes especially older recipes that might otherwise be forgotten.” - quote from a facilitator