Influential women in society lauded by female students
INTERNATIONAL Women’s Day was marked on Thursday, March 8 in Millstreet as IRD Duhallow visited the community School.
The seminar was organised by members of the Millstreet Community College Transition Year Development Education Group, as part of a series of events celebrating gender equality.
School Chaplain, John Magee spoke to students on “the meaning of gender equality and its importance. Meanwhile, IRD Duhallow Development Officer Jacinta Carroll, spoke to students on the part IRD Duhallow and the Duhallow Women’s Forum has played in promoting the role of women in society, over the past 18 years.
To mark the celebration, the students had made a display of pictures and information on public figures that they thought were the most influential women in society. These included Katie Taylor, Grace O’Malley, Rena Buckley and Maeve Binchy.
Jacinta spoke to the students on how the Women’s Forum have honoured several of the most notable women from the Duhallow area in the past through the publication of the Mná Dhuthalla calendar, erection of monuments and conferences in honour of these woman.
She also spoke about IRD Duhallow’s most recent achievements in relation to gender equality, having secured funding from the Department of Justice and Equality supporting ESF PEIL Gender Equality – Women Returning to the Workforce. This funding provides women with a great opportunity to support women who may want to increase their self-confidence and assertiveness skills whilst also having the opportunity to take part in a series of training programmes, both accredited and non-accredited which will enhance women’s access to employment.
The Transition Year group have also organised a coffee morning to mark International Women’s Day to give people a chance to come together and have a chat about changes in society through the years and how they have affected women.