Factory Girls

Available for over a year

In 1900s Derry, uniform red-brick buildings dominated the skyline, the atmosphere was bustling with the sights and sounds of industry, and each morning the factory horn called the city’s women to the assembly line. Once home to more than 40 shirt factories, Derry was a world-leader in linen production, and the city’s factory girls were the driving force. Decades ahead of their time, most of the 18,000 people employed in the shirt factories were women, their days spent sewing shirts and their nights spent dancing, many grew up in the factories. In Factory Girls, we hear their stories and shine a light on the city's hidden history.