The producers of a new TV documentary series for RTÉ on the Irish Land Commission are looking for any West Cork farming families with their own family archives or records to help tell the story of this hugely influential organisation.
They are looking for stories, correspondence, letters or records that may have been handed down through generations of West Cork families which shine a light on how the Land Commission engaged with farmers over the years.
The span of stories the producers are interested in ranges from the late 19th Century to the more recent decades of the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s.
They are interested in hearing from people who have strong stories to tell with an ultimate view to filming or profiling part of their family or community history.
Producer Brian Gray is particularly interested in maps or drawings from previous centuries relating to land still being farmed by the same family or other plots that would have been re-allocated by the Land Commission.
‘You may also have records or correspondence from your or your parents’ engagement with the Land Commission from 1950s onwards. You might be involved with a historical group or association in your area who is working locally to help preserve and record the stories of how the Land Commission influenced the development of your community.’ noted Mr Gray. ‘This was – and to an extent still is – a huge part of the story of the emergence of Ireland’s family farm system and we want to tell that hugely unreported story but by reference to the farm families involved and their own experiences and engagements.’
If anyone has an interest and thinks they can contribute to this series, the producers are asking them to email [email protected] in the first instance with an outline of you or your family’s story and what archive or records you may have.
