Insíonn an clár faisnéise speisialta seo an scéal dochreidte ag beirt bhan ar leith, Susan (Lily) agus Elizabeth (Lolly) Yeats, a bhí mar chrann taca ag an athbheochan cultúrtha agus liteartha in Éirinn sna 1920í. Téann Imelda May ar thóir an scéil seo i gclár úr faisnéise uair a’chloig, léirithe ag foireann ban agus stiúrtha ag Maggie Breathnach, bean ar bronnadh gradam RTS uirthi dá cumas stiúrthóireachta.
 

Thar tréimhse daichead bliain, d’fhoilsigh an bheirt deirfiúr seo breis is 70 teideal álainn, ina measc seo saothair le cuid de na húdair ba cháiliúla ag an am – W.B. Yeats, J.M. Synge agus Lady Gregory.  I dteanna a gcara, Evelyn Gleeson, bhunaigh na deirfiúracha an t-aon cheardchuallacht dá leithéid, the Dun Emer Guild, gild nár fhostaigh ach mná. Bhí an manna seo mar éiteas ag an ngrúpa ‘faigh obair do lámha Gael i ndéanamh rudaí áille’ agus chuireadar neamhspleáchas eacnamaíoch agus cultúrtha na mban chun cinn. In ainneoin méid a gcuid saothair ar mhaithe le cultúr na hÉireann, murach an sloinne iomráiteach a bhí orthu, is ar éigean an bheadh cuimhne ar bith fágtha sa stair ar Lily agus Lolly Yeats. Tagraíonn an scannán seo don ngaol casta a bhí acu lena ndeartháireacha (agus eatarthu féin) agus breathnaítear ar an teacht aniar a bhí iontu agus iad ag déileáil le drochshláinte, fadhbanna airgeadais agus saothrú mar dhaoine cruthaitheacha.

I gcaitheamh an chláir seo, téann Imelda ar aistear foghlama ó Choláiste na Tríonóide chuig An Músaem Náisiúnta Cló agus go Reilig Naomh Náithi, áit a bhfuil an bheirt curtha. Faighimid léargas ó shaineolaithe mar Lucy Collins (Comh-Ollamh ag Coláiste na hOllscoile, BÁC), An Dr Angela Griffith (Comh-Ollamh & staraí ealaíne ag Coláiste na Tríonóide), agus Mary Plunkett (Oifigeach Oideachais ag an Músaem Náisiúnta Cló). Cabhraíonn Imelda le solas a chaitheamh ar an mbeirt seo a bhí ró-fhada faoi scáth a ndeartháireacha iomráiteacha Jack agus William Butler Yeats.

Lily & Lolly: The Forgotten Yeats Sisters - léirithe i gcomhar le Sky Studios agus Tourism Ireland. Is é Jack Oliver a choimisiúnaigh an clár faisnéise seo do Sky Arts.


This special documentary tells the incredible story of two remarkable women, Susan (Lily) and Elizabeth (Lolly) Yeats who were the backbone of the Irish cultural and literary revival of the 1920s. Imelda May sets out to explore their humble legacy in this brand new one-hour documentary, produced by an all-female team and directed by RTS-award winning Maggie Breathnach.
 

Over the span of four decades, these sisters were responsible for the publishing of over 70 beautiful titles including works by many of the period’s leading Irish authors – W.B. Yeats, J.M. Synge and Lady Gregory. Alongside a friend of theirs, Evelyn Gleeson, the sisters set up the first and only craft guild of its kind, the Dun Emer Guild, which employed only women. The ethos behind the group was to ‘find work for Irish hands in the making of beautiful things’ and to promote women’s economic and cultural independence. Despite this gargantuan contribution to Irish culture, if not for their famous surname, would Lily and Lolly Yeats have been airbrushed out of history entirely? The film touches on their complicated relationships with their brothers (and each other) and explores their resilience in the face of lifelong illness, financial struggles and working as creatives.

Throughout the documentary, Imelda’s journey of discovery and learning takes her to Trinity College Dublin, the National Print Museum, and the sisters’ burial place at St. Nahi’s cemetery. With contributions from experts Lucy Collins (Associate Professor at University College Dublin), Dr Angela Griffith (Associate Professor & art historian at Trinity College), and Mary Plunkett (Education Officer at the National Print Museum), Imelda helps to bring the sisters out of the shadow of their famous brothers Jack and William Butler Yeats.

Lily & Lolly: The Forgotten Yeats Sisters was produced in association with Sky Studios and Tourism Ireland. The documentary was commissioned for Sky Arts by Jack Oliver.