‘I do believe when women get together, they can create magic’

NUMEROUS local services in Tallaght celebrated International Women’s Day last week, with a variety of well-attended and empowering events.

The services that celebrated the female-focused day included social group the Sister Sheds, education service An Cosán, and the Tallaght Rehabilitation Project.

On Thursday evening, the Sister Sheds group, which holds weekly groups for women to socialise and develop new friendships, held an event in the Belgard Community Centre.

Over 80 people attended the uplifting event which featured a number of guest speakers, including Senator Mary Seery Kearney, business coach Amanda Delaney, and performer Dee Keogh.

Jobstown woman Shereen Hughes, who founded Sister Sheds alongside her cousin Rachel Hughes, told The Echo: “It was a really big night. We were delighted with the turn out – it was fabulous.

“It was electric. It was so beautiful, and there was a real feeling of connection. What we try to do in Sister Sheds is bring connection and support, and I felt very supported in that room.

“I do believe that when women get together, they can create magic. I think International Women’s Day shines a light on equality, and it highlights everything that women do, and it recognises it.”

The event was an emotional one for the women who attended, but many left with a feeling of empowerment and support, according to Ms Hughes.

“It was fantastic,” she said. “Some women were emotional, and it felt like we all had an invisible connection to each other.

“There was just such a nice energy in the room, we spoke about encouraging women to make themselves heard and raise themselves up – it was such an uplifting event.”

On Friday afternoon, Jobstown-based education service An Cosán played host to their own International Women’s Day event in the InterContinental Hotel in Ballsbridge.

Three adult learners from the service, namely Tanya Shields, Sinead Grogan and Aisling Johnston, were interviewed at the event by RTÉ journalist Miriam O’Callaghan.

The three women received a standing ovation after sharing their stories of their journey back into adult education, and how it has enriched their lives.

Timea Maria Comms and Yvonne Flavin in Belgard Community Centre

Anna Durkan, chair of the board of An Cosán, said that providing women with education and opportunity was the way to improve society.

“By educating a woman, you create a ripple effect that spreads out and touches the lives of so many others around her,” she said.

“Through that ripple, you have the key to transformation, the key to active citizenship, to breaking the cycle of disadvantage.”

Over in Jobstown on Friday evening, it was the Tallaght Rehabilitation Project’s turn to mark the occasion with their own female-centred, recovery-focused event.

Pat Daly, manager of the Tallaght Rehabilitation Project, told The Echo: “We had a great turn out, there were 26 women.

“With the event, we were trying to relate International Women’s Day to recovery because, obviously, a lot of the women who came up are involved in recovery.”

Three women who are in long-term recovery, Paula O’Connor, Leona Fennell, and Caroline O’Halloran, spoke at the moving event about their own experiences.

“They have been in recovery for a long time,” added Mr Daly, “and have accessed a lot of academia, they work in the local services and are role models in the area.

“A lot of women in West Tallaght would know them. They gave inspirational speeches, and the women who were there were blown away.”

The event was organised by Tallaght Rehabilitation Project staff members Donna Doyle and Tanya Martin, and was supported by Grace Hill of the Tallaght Drug and Alcohol Task Force.

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