The Housewife of the Year competition ran for almost three decades, from 1969 to 1995. Thousands of women from all around Ireland entered, hoping to win a cash prize along with some home appliances, such as a luxury gas cooker. In later years, the competition was broadcast on RTÉ, featuring footage of contestants taking part in domestic duties at home, followed by a glitzy finale where the finalists were interviewed by Gay Byrne. Last month, the Housewife of the Year documentary was released in Irish cinemas. In the film, former contestants share their (mostly positive) experiences of taking part in the contest and speak about what Irish society was like for women during that time. In this episode, Róisín Ingle is joined by two former winners, Ena Howell (1992) and Margaret Carmody (1978). The pair share their own personal stories and reflect on what it was like to take part and eventually win.

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