Saturday 11th April 2026
Location: The Parade TowerKilkenny, Kilkenny
Professor Mary E. Daly presents a discussion on ‘Irish women’s working lives in town and country from the 1930s’.

Join Professor Mary E. Daly for her presentation ‘Irish women’s working lives in town and country from the 1930s’, in response to artist Pauline O’Connell’s artwork From Hide to Heel, a socially engaged public art film project that explores and celebrates the intertwined industrial, agricultural, and craft histories through the story of a single, everyday object – the shoe.

Tracing a journey from raw animal hide to finished footwear, the project brings together local histories of farming, tanning, and shoemaking, connecting Kilkenny City, County and region through a collaborative and participatory artistic process. The project is rooted in two historically linked sites in Kilkenny city: Padmore & Barnes, ‘The Boot Factory’ on Wolfe Tone Street and the former neighbouring Cattle Mart on Barrack Street. Together, these sites anchor a shared story of labour, industrial production, and skilled handcraft, revealing how local lives were shaped by global systems of trade, materials, and movement.

From Hide to Heel invites audiences to reflect on the relationship between past and present, labour and land, people and place. The project aims to deepen public understanding of Kilkenny’s living heritage while highlighting the importance of safeguarding social history, cultural and environmental knowledge.

From Hide to Heel creates space for shared storytelling. We encourage audiences to take part by contributing personal stories, shared memories, and family experiences, helping to build a collective community dialogue around the work.
Organisers Website

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