Documentary on Land Commission seeks help from Mayo farm families

THE producers of a new TV documentary series for RTÉ on the Irish Land Commission are looking for any Mayo farming families with their own family archives or records to help tell the story of this hugely influential organisation.

Perhaps you have correspondence, letters or records which shine a light on how the organisation engaged with farmers from previous generations?

The ‘span’ of stories the producers are interested in ranges from your grandparents or great-grandparents’ time in the late 19th century to the more recent decades of the 1950s, '60s or '70s.

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.

The producers 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.

“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,” said the veteran documentary maker.

If anyone has an interest and thinks they can contribute to this series , the producers ask them to email info@whitethornfilms.ie in the first instance with an outline of you or your family's story and what archive or records you may have.