In association with the landmark exhibition now at EPIC “Look Back to Look Forward: 50 Years of the Irish in Britain”
Did you know that Irish emigrants were instrumental in forming one of the UK’s most emblematic institutions, the NHS? Whether for opportunity, extra training, or recruitment drives, thousands of women and men, especially teenage girls, signed up for work that would shape their lives and support the NHS for decades.
About Our Speakers
To mark the 75th anniversary of the NHS in 2023, researchers Louise Ryan and Neha Doshi, director Mohamed Ali Elota, film professor Tom McGorrian, and former nurse-turned-radio producer Gráinne McPolin, have created a podcast series, photographic exhibition, and documentary film, inspired and informed by 45 in-depth interviews with current and former Irish nurses in the NHS. Tying into EPIC’s latest temporary exhibition “Look Back to Look Forward: 50 years of Irish in Britain,” the museum will offer a public screening of the documentary film and discussion panel with its creators.
Join us for an evening exploring and celebrating the contributions of Irish people to the National Health Service and hear, from their own words, their experiences of hope, labour, and prejudice as they worked to create a new home and hone a new profession.
Date: May 11, 17.30
Location: EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum
Price: €7.50
About the exhibition
Opening on 18th April, our new landmark exhibition explores the personal stories, the struggles and the triumphs that have shaped the Irish community in Great Britain over the last 50 years. The stories featured within the exhibition are as inspirational as they are heart-breaking, and most importantly, will never be forgotten. Volunteers from the Irish community in Britain received special training to help them capture at-risk testimonies from the last half century which speak of the sacrifice, joy, challenges, and crucial role the Irish have played in modern Britain.
The exhibition also features contributions from notable Irish cultural figures, actors Siobhán McSweeney, Adrian Dunbar and Aisling Bea, broadcaster Terry Christian, musician Jah Wobble and Moth Poetry Prize Winner Laurie Bolger, who has composed a bespoke poem.