Dublin, four centuries ago, had a fascinating yet underappreciated figure known as the city scavenger. Tasked with maintaining the cleanliness of the streets, this individual ran sanitation teams to clear away human and animal waste, earning tolls from shopkeepers and traders in return. However, a cost-cutting maneuver resulted in a dire situation as the contractor decided to deploy only two carts instead of the necessary six. As dung piled up and the city stank, one person remained unfazed – the scavenger herself, Catherine Strong. Seizing the opportunity, she pocketed enough money to establish herself as a moneylender before being fired by the city in 1635.
Sadly, Strong’s entrepreneurial spirit and extraordinary journey have been mostly forgotten, as women’s experiences from 1500 to 1700 have often been overlooked in historical narratives. However, Trinity College Dublin is determined to rectify this through an innovative research project titled Voices. Led by history professor Jane Ohlmeyer, this ambitious endeavor will employ artificial intelligence (AI) and other digital technologies to uncover and highlight the lives of women in Ireland during that period.
Ohlmeyer emphasizes the lack of ordinary women’s presence in historical records, as they have been overshadowed by the perspectives of elites, particularly elite men. Yet, fragments and passing mentions of these women can be found throughout a multitude of historic records, such as wills, maps, surveys, records of debt, and legal depositions. To shed light on these hidden stories, historians, literary scholars, data analysts, and computer scientists will collaborate on this groundbreaking project. Moreover, Ohlmeyer believes their approach can be applied to other overlooked narratives worldwide, including the experiences of women in colonial-era Latin America.
Funded by a generous €2.5m (£2.1m) European Research Council grant, this five-year study will document the roles women played during periods of significant social and political upheaval. These turbulent times included instances of massacres, sexual violence, and extreme trauma. Using AI and other tools, the research team will extract names from various sources, such as legal records, inquisitions, censuses, and lending and borrowing records. The amassed material will be organized in a “knowledge graph,” an online resource accessible to both researchers and the public free of charge.
Through the integration of AI models like GPT-4 and the text recognition tool Transkribus, researchers will be able to search and summarize vast amounts of material. However, human oversight will ensure that accuracy is maintained. Professor Declan O’Sullivan, from Trinity’s school of computer science, expresses confidence in his department’s ability to transform the collected data into accessible knowledge for all.
The chosen time frame of 1500 to 1700 marked a transition from the medieval to the modern era, coinciding with the expansion of the English empire. Ohlmeyer, author of “Making Empire: Ireland, Imperialism, and the Early Modern World,” notes that this period witnessed a surge in colonialism, particularly through plantations, leading to increased English influence manifested in language, law, and socioeconomic infrastructure.
While civil wars created opportunities for women to emerge as breadwinners and entrepreneurs, the conflicts also brought forth unimaginable horrors. Depositions taken after a Catholic uprising in 1641 uncovered instances of widespread robbery, assault, and rape euphemistically referred to as “stripping.” For instance, Amy Manfin, a Protestant settler, conveyed the gruesome ordeal of standing in her husband’s blood before being forcibly stripped and dragged through thorns by her hair. These atrocities were committed not only by rebels but also by English government forces.
Other documents reveal women’s pursuit of justice through legal cases. In 1599, Joan Flynn allegedly tricked Dublin’s probate court into granting her power over her late husband’s estate amidst a contested will. These stories, along with countless others, will be unearthed through the Voices project, shining a light on the forgotten voices of women in Ireland’s history.
FAQ
1. What is the Voices project?
The Voices project is an innovative research endeavor led by Trinity College Dublin, aiming to uncover and highlight the experiences of women in Ireland from 1500 to 1700. Employing artificial intelligence and other digital technologies, the project seeks to shed light on the lives of ordinary women often overshadowed in historical narratives.
2. How will the project use AI?
AI will play a crucial role in the Voices project by utilizing tools such as GPT-4 and Transkribus for data analysis. These AI models will help search, summarize, and connect relevant information from various historical records, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of women’s experiences during this period.
3. Can the research methodology be applied to other regions?
Yes, the research methodology employed in the Voices project is believed to be transferable and applicable to other countries and regions. By uncovering overlooked narratives, such as the experiences of women in colonial-era Latin America, this project sets an example for future research endeavors worldwide.
4. How will the collected data be made accessible?
The amassed data will be organized in a “knowledge graph,” which will serve as an online resource freely available to researchers and the public. Trinity College Dublin aims to make the knowledge obtained from this project easily accessible and comprehensive for everyone interested in women’s history in Ireland.
5. What significant events occurred during the chosen time frame (1500-1700)?
The period from 1500 to 1700 marked a transition from the medieval to the modern era and witnessed the expansion of the English empire. Colonialism gained momentum during this time, particularly through plantations, leading to Ireland’s increasing Anglicization through language, law, and socioeconomic structure. Furthermore, civil wars created opportunities for women to step into roles as breadwinners and entrepreneurs. However, these conflicts also brought forth instances of violence, such as massacres, sexual violence, and extreme trauma.
The Voices project is shedding light on the forgotten experiences of women in Ireland from 1500 to 1700, a period that witnessed significant social and political upheaval. The project, led by Trinity College Dublin, is funded by a €2.5m European Research Council grant and aims to uncover these hidden stories through the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and other digital technologies.
During this time frame, Ireland experienced the expansion of the English empire, with colonialism becoming more prominent through plantations. As a result, the English influence grew, permeating the language, law, and socioeconomic infrastructure of Ireland. The project seeks to document the roles women played during this period, including instances of women emerging as breadwinners and entrepreneurs amidst civil wars.
However, the conflicts also brought unimaginable horrors, as evidenced by depositions taken after the 1641 Catholic uprising. These documents reveal instances of robbery, assault, and rape, euphemistically referred to as “stripping.” It is important to note that these atrocities were not only committed by rebels but also by English government forces.
The Voices project utilizes AI models like GPT-4 and the text recognition tool Transkribus to search and summarize vast amounts of historical material. These AI tools, along with the expertise of researchers, ensure accurate analysis and interpretation of the collected data. The project aims to create a comprehensive online resource, known as a “knowledge graph,” that will be freely accessible to both researchers and the general public.
While the focus of the project is on women in Ireland, the methodology employed can be applied to other regions as well. By uncovering overlooked narratives, the Voices project paves the way for future research endeavors worldwide, including the exploration of women’s experiences in colonial-era Latin America.
For more information on the project and its findings, you can visit Trinity College Dublin’s website: Trinity College Dublin.