During our visit to Navan Port I was surprised to learn that women of Gaelic societies had the same rights and privileges as a man. Irish women lost their power after the ideals of Catholicism and English practices of marriage were adopted. It was intriguing to learn that an early society could offer the opportunity for a woman to become a ruling Queen or a warrior, and that leaders were chosen based on their merit and not by their sex. Gaelic women also had a choice of who they would marry. They could easily divorce and had control over their dowries.

This piece of women’s history resonated with me because in a typical story about women leaders or women with equal rights, there is also an overwhelmingly sad story encompassing struggle and heartache caused by society, simply because of their sex. The privileges of these Gaelic women were direct inspiration for my script for the Armagh Project. It has been a journey to learn more about these women and the power they wield.