Mary McAleese and Miriam O’Callaghan speak at Soroptimist event in Mayo as female empowerment celebrated
Not even Storm Amy could stop the Soroptimists from celebrating female empowerment, women’s voices, and friendship at Breaffy House Resort last weekend.
The weekend started on Friday, but Storm Amy and a power outage forced a change of plan.
Undeterred, the opening session went ahead by candlelight, with broadcaster Miriam O’Callaghan on hand to welcome 80 women.
Saturday was the highlight, as Soroptimists from across Ireland and Northern Ireland gathered for their national meeting.
The conference opened with a panel discussion, led by Aisling Nolan, the CEO of St James’ Hospital Foundation and SIROI National PR and Communications Officer.
The discussion explored the theme of ‘Remarkable Women, Extraordinary Impact: Stories of Strength and Success’.
Panellists included: Martina Jennings, the CEO of the Mayo Roscommon Hospice; Niamh Ryan, the Co-founder of Ella & Jo; Tereasa McGuire, a counsellor and Death Doula; and Dr Áine Lawlor, former CEO of the Teaching Council of Ireland.
The women shared four different stories of resilience, empowerment, and leadership.
Ms Ryan shared insights on self-confidence and celebrating female achievement, Ms Jennings reflected on the importance of resilience and the emotional journey of leading a charity.
Ms McGuire offered her wisdom on life and mortality, while encouraging women to let go of unnecessary worries and focus on pursuing happiness, and Dr Lawlor brought humour and humility to stories from her career.
The afternoon featured a special in-conversation between Dr Mary McAleese and Miriam O’Callaghan.
Their conversation touched on family, faith, leadership, loss, and hope. It gave the audience a rare glimpse into Dr McAleese’s reflections on life and legacy.
Dr McAleese urged Soroptimists to “never grow complacent on the big issues” and reminded younger women of the importance of pushing forward in the fight against inequality and misogyny.
A particularly inspiring moment came from Ava Jackson, a 22-year-old master’s student and former participant in the Soroptimists’ Girls’ Conference project in Castlebar. She shared how the experience helped shape her confidence, voice, and ambition.
Professor Rose Anne Kenny, Regius Professor of Physic at Trinity College Dublin, delivered the keynote. Speaking on “Ageing Well,” she explored the science of longevity, wellbeing, and the vital role of female friendship in health.
Afterwards, Ms Nolan and Professor Kenny hosted a fireside chat on leadership, resilience, and the science of human connection.
The weekend concluded with a gala dinner, where SIROI Brand Ambassador and Mayo-native, Louise Duffy, led the post-dinner toasts.
Reflecting on the weekend in her hometown, President Anne O’Sullivan said:
“This weekend showed the very best of who we are: adaptable, connected, and full of joy. Despite the storm, we came together by candlelight, in friendship and purpose. The stories, conversations, and laughter shared in Breaffy will stay with us for a long time.”
Ms Nolan, who helped curate the conference programme, added:
“Every woman who spoke this weekend brought her own extraordinary energy and truth. From the national to the personal, the message was the same: women’s voices matter, friendship sustains us, and our impact grows when we lift each other up.”
The article has been funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.