Ciara Mageean

Runner 

In 2023 the Portaferry flier set four national records, ran the fifth fastest women’s mile in history and was fourth in the greatest ever 1500m final in World Championship history. At 31 she is running faster than ever, surely inspired by her coach Jo Pavey who won a European 10,000m title at age 40. Mageean’s resilience and consistency make her a serious Olympic medal prospect in Paris.

Claire Walsh

Freediver

An eight time national record holder in freediving, Walsh was in her 30s when she was introduced to the sport. Proving that it is never too late to try something new, the Kildare woman traded in life as she knew it and dove headfirst into her passion. She became the first female to represent Ireland at the Freediving World Championships and published her memoir Under Water: How Holding My Breath Taught Me to Live in 2023.

Ellen Keane

Swimmer

The 28-year-old Dublin swimmer hopes to sign off her stellar career by retaining her SB8 100m breaststroke title at her fifth Paralympics. A strong advocate for those with disabilities, visibility on social media and her recent biography Perfectly Imperfect make Keane a sports star with whom teenage girls really connect.

Eve McMahon

Sailor

The 19-year-old sailing prodigy from Howth won a triple crown of junior world titles before her Leaving Cert. In 2023 she won the World U21 title in ILCA (the new name for Laser Radial) and has just qualified for the Olympics with one race to spare.

Fionnuala McCormack 

Olympian

The Wicklow woman made history in December as the first Irish woman to qualify for a fifth successive Olympics. Her qualification came just months after she gave birth to her third child at 39. McCormack’s four previous Olympic appearances have come in a variety of different events including the 3,000m steeplechase in Beijing 2008, the 5,000m and 10,000m in London 2012, and the marathon in Rio 2016 and Tokyo Olympics in 2021. In Paris 2024, she will compete in the marathon again.

Hannah Tyrrell

Rugby and GAA player

To reach the top of your sport is an incredible accomplishment and Tyrrell has somehow managed to do it twice. The athlete has won titles with the Irish rugby team and Dublin's football team. In between matches, Tyrrell found the time to get married and she and her wife, Sorcha, welcomed their daughter Aoife this year. In one of the most heartwarming and powerful moments we’ve seen on TV last year, she gave a post-match interview while feeding her daughter after winning the All-Ireland title. Tyrrell is also a vocal advocate for mental health and has shared her struggles with disordered eating and self-harm.

Katie McCabe

Captain Republic of Ireland women's national team

In the past year she captained Ireland to their first World Cup and promotion in the Nations League, won Arsenal’s ‘Player of the Year’ and the WSL’s ‘Goal of the Year’ and was the first Irish footballer to be nominated for the prestigious Ballon d’Or.

Katie Taylor

Boxer

The OG of women’s boxing globally. She has lost only one of 23 pro fights and is one of only three boxers in the four-belt era to become a two-weight world champion. Taylor’s comeback to beat Chantelle Cameron last November was as good as the 37-year-old Bray legend has ever been.

Kellie Harrington

Boxer

Wrote herself into the history books with Olympic boxing gold in 2021 and now has a chance of sporting immortality. If Harrington retains her lightweight title in Paris she will become only the second Irish athlete, after hammer thrower Dr Pat O’Callaghan (1928-32), to win consecutive Olympic titles. When not boxing she leads free hikes in the Dublin mountains and advocates for her inner-city community.

Lara Gillespie

Cyclist

If Ireland qualify for the team pursuit track cycling event in Paris expect to see a lot of Gillespie. The 22-year-old from Wicklow was a European Junior champion in 2018, a World junior bronze medallist in 2019 and won European U23 titles in Points and Omnium in 2023.

Leona Maguire

Golfer

A two-time Olympian and two-time LPGA Tour winner Maguire made history as the first Irish woman to win the tour twice in 2023. The Cavan woman also broke the top ten world rankings this year, once again making history in the process.

Lisa Fallon

Pundit, coach and analyst

Fallon, who has a UEFA pro coaching licence, is instantly recognisable as an RTÉ pundit but this very experienced soccer coach and analyst now works fulltime, alongside the likes of Arsene Wenger, in FIFA’s Global Football Development Division. A vocal and realistic advocate for sporting equity.

Mary McAleese

Chair of steering committee on the integration of the GAA, Ladies Gaelic Football Association and Camogie Association

The former President of Ireland is now chairing the steering group on integration for the GAA, LGFA, and the Camogie Association. On her appointment, she said: ’One integrated Association infused with an ethic of equality, that’s the prize’. For female Gaelic players, integration can’t come quick enough.

Mary O’Connor

CEO of the Federation of Irish Sport 

As CEO of the Federation of Irish Sport, the former Cork dual star plays a huge but unseen role by constantly lobbying government and big business for more funding, facilities and recognition of the FIS’ 110 member sports’ contribution to Irish society and the economy.

Mona McSharry

Swimmer

Exceeded even her own expectations by becoming the first Irishwoman in 25 years to qualify for an Olympic swimming final in 2021, then struggled for motivation and form in 2022 but the Sligo breaststroker returned to top form in 2023 when she was fifth, by a fraction, at the 2023 World Championship (behind four Olympic gold medallists) and won three European U23 titles. A huge year for her.

Nora Stapleton

Director with Sport Ireland 

The former Irish rugby and Donegal footballer has led Sports Ireland’s ‘Women in Sport’ policy since 2019. She still retains that role but was noticeably also promoted to their ‘Director of Strategy’ for all national governing bodies in the past year.

Rachael Blackmore

Jockey

Her pioneering victories in racing’s triple crown in 2021-22 means the Tipperary star is now always saddled with huge expectations - but she keeps meeting them. Piloting the legendary Honeysuckle to the Mare’s Hurdle on her Cotswolds’ farewell was her 2023 highlight.

Rhasidat Adeleke

Sprinter

In 2023 the six-footer from Tallaght became the first Irish athlete to win a US collegiate sprint title and was fourth at the World Championship just a week shy of her 21st birthday. Now ‘pro’ and sponsored by Nike, she has already opened her year by breaking the Irish indoor 60m and 200m records. Likely to be the face of ‘Team Ireland’ at the Paris Olympics. A generational talent.

Sarah Keane and Eimear Breathnach

President of The Olympic Federation of Ireland and Paralympics Ireland 

The Olympic Federation of Ireland and Paralympics Ireland both have female presidents so their roles as key sporting diplomats will ramp up in an Olympic/Paralympic year. Keane is a trained solicitor and CEO of Swim Ireland and previously represented Ireland in water polo. Breathnach, with a commerce degree, has worked in insurance and is a two-time Paralympian in table tennis.

Sarah Lavin

Hurdler

Lavin's star is constantly reaching new heights. Having represented Ireland at the European Games and the World Championships, her sights are set on Olympic success. Amid all of her victories, Lavin has had to deal with heartbreaking loss when her boyfriend Craig Breen was killed in a freak rally accident last year. She has spoken openly and admirably about her grief in the aftermath and continues to keep his memory alive.

Sene Naoupu

Pundit and Head of Strategic Projects and Research at International Rugby Players 

A former professional rugby player and Irish international in Sevens, XV’s and Touch, Naoupu now works as a pundit and serves as Head of Strategic Projects and Research at International Rugby Players (the global representative body on issues of importance to professional Rugby players). She has spoken out about her experience of an eating disorder and body image issues in sport. She now serves on BodyWhys, the national voluntary organisation supporting people affected by eating disorders, board of directors.

Thammy Nguyen

Weightlifter

Vietnamese-born Irish weightlifter and entrepreneur, the Dubliner recently added two more European bronze medals (in the 49 kilo weight class) to the historic first she won in 2023 when she became the first Irish power lifter (of either gender) to medal at the European Weightlifting Championships. She can lift twice her own body weight but what makes this 27-year-old such an inspirational triple-threat is her dazzling personality, unashamed ambition and candor (she's spoken openly about wearing a nappy in competitions after her first birth left her vulnerable to leakage on heavy lifts). She was still in her teens when she set up her first company (Thammy Lash) to fund her training but quit competing in her early 20s to have her family and build three businesses. Her next goal is Paris 2024.

Alice Doyle

Deputy president Irish Farmers’ Association 

The Wexford woman made history in December when she was elected as the first-ever female deputy president of the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA). She has served the rural community all her life, as early as her Macra Na Feirme days, where she has served as club secretary, chairperson, county secretary, county chairperson, and national secretary. She also chairs the IFA’s farm family and social affairs committee, which campaigns on farm safety and lobbies for better conditions for farming families, while also helping to run her family’s beef farm.

Alma Jordan

Founder of AgriKids

The Kildare woman set up farm safety campaign group AgriKids in 2014 with the aim of engaging, educating and empowering children. Jordan felt spurred to start her campaigning work after she heard about the deaths of two young children on their family farms within days of each other.

Amanda Coughlan Santry, Una Keightley, Claire Cahill and Michelle Long

Advocates for families affected by spinal surgery scandal

These four women have been at the centre of the recent controversy over spinal surgery in Temple St Hospital, advocating for families directly and indirectly affected. They each have children with either spina bifida or scoliosis but still find time to speak up on behalf of families who find themselves overwhelmed by the pressures of living with a child with disabilities. They are working closely with the hospital to find ways to make these difficult treatments easier for families, including delivering care packages to under-pressure parents.

Anna O’Leary

Head of Meta Ireland 

Former Vodafone Ireland CEO, O’Leary was appointed head of Meta Ireland last year, after joining the company in 2022. During her 14 years with Vodafone, the Cork woman oversaw the rollout of 4G and 5G services and the commencement of fibre broadband services. Under her leadership, the company also became one of the country's first to implement fertility and pregnancy policies which include extended leave for those dealing with fertility treatment and pregnancy loss as well as their partners.

Anne Rabbitte

Junior Minister for Disabilities 

The Fianna Fáil TD has not shied away from expressing her frustration publicly at the HSE by its ongoing delays to provide crucial services to children with additional needs. She made headlines in 2023 after she stormed out of a meeting with senior HSE officials after relations broke down over a lack of delivery on therapists to schools. Some therapists were subsequently put in place.

Annmarie O’Connor

Irish Examiner style editor and Parkinson's advocate

Diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2021, O'Connor uses her platform to spread awareness and bring about positive social change. She does not see herself as a victim and has become an accidental advocate for people with Parkinson's. “I've never seen myself as being an advocate but the personal is political. I don't want people to feel that they have to hide. Why should they have to hide?" she told The Tommy Tiernan Show.

Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh

Human Rights Lawyer 

Ní Ghrálaigh rose to prominence earlier this year as she delivered the closing arguments in the Hague for South Africa’s case that the bombardment of Gaza by Israeli forces in recent months has amounted to genocide against the Palestinian people. The Mayo-born lawyer has previously represented Croatia in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in a case alleging genocide by Serbia and also worked on the Bloody Sunday inquiry.

Briana Fitzsimons

Education Director of Black & Irish

The secondary school teacher last year co-published Black & Irish, a book aimed at the children’s market focusing on the “legends, trailblazers and everyday heroes” that shaped Irish culture for the better — a piece of art sorely needed in these divisive times. Fitzsimons herself is the education director of Black & Irish, the nonprofit organisation looking to advocate for the black community and educate everyone else to adopt an anti-racist mindset.

Caitríona Twomey

Head of Cork Penny Dinners 

The unpaid head of volunteer-run Cork Penny Dinners, a charity that feeds 1,000 people in Cork every day. Twomey has dedicated her life to helping some of Cork’s most vulnerable including setting up educational classes and sourcing apartments for the homeless. She is now trying to set up the country’s first rape crisis centre with Mary Crilly and Lavinia Kerwick for people who are homeless.

Caoilfhionn Gallagher

International human rights lawyer and Barrister 

International human rights lawyer and the current Special Rapporteur on Child Protection. Earlier this year, she received a presidential distinguished service award in recognition of her contribution to charitable works and advocacy. Some of her most prominent work has included acting for bereaved families and survivors of the 7/7 London bombings and the Hillsborough disaster, and advocating for journalists and peaceful protestors who have been arbitrarily detained.

Deborah Somorin

Founder of Empower the Family Ireland 

Homeless at 13 and pregnant at 14, today Somorin is a senior manager at EY and founder of housing body Empower the Family, a non-profit that helps single parents and care-leavers who are pursuing a degree. She sits on the Chartered Accountants Ireland diversity and inclusion committee and has been named on Forbes’ 30 under 30. The author of two books, Somorin is dedicated to empowering young people from disadvantaged backgrounds through education.

Derval O’Rourke

Olympian and Entrepreneur

The Irish Examiner Weekend columnist has held the title of world champion in sprint hurdles and competed for Ireland in three Olympic Games. She has written two cookbooks and launched wellbeing site derval.ie in 2018. Last year she launched SAOL, a new expert programme for the employee space. An entrepreneur, broadcaster and Olympian, Derval also describes herself as a 'world champ mum', the hardest job of all.

Doireann O'Mahony

Barrister 

A Cork-born barrister, O’Mahony works in medical negligence cases and set up a new charity, the Irish Sepsis Foundation, to raise awareness about this common, killer disease after coming across many tragic cases of it in her work. She has also spoken out publicly about being in a violent and controlling relationship in the hopes of helping other young women who may find themselves in a similar situation.

Dr Dearbhaile Collins

Clinical Director of Cancer services at Cork University Hospital

As well as being clinical director of cancer services at Cork University Hospital, Dr Collins is the Irish Principal Investigator of a number of international clinical trials in ovarian, endometrial and cervical cancer. A fierce patient advocate, Collins dedicates herself to identifying new ways to target cancers. She is also involved in studies addressing burnout and gender challenges among doctors in cancer care.

Dr Deirdre Lundy

GP and Head of the Complex Menopause service at the National Maternity Hospital

Dr Lundy was speaking up for women in menopause and perimenopause long before it was widely appreciated. Now head of the complex menopause service at the National Maternity Hospital, she continues to advocate through social media and media appearances for better access to supports and medication. Her book The Menopause: The Essential Guide to Managing Your Health in Mid-Life addresses the questions many might hesitate to ask publicly and guides women and their families to a better understanding.

Dr Katriona O’Sullivan

Psychologist 

A senior lecturer in the Maynooth University’s Department of Psychology, Dr O’Sullivan’s memoir Poor debuted at number 1 on the Irish non-fiction bestseller list and was named Biography of the Year at the An Post Book Awards 2023. O’Sullivan grew up in extreme poverty, in a home shaped by her parents’ addiction to heroin. She is an advocate for equity in education, and the principal investigator on the STEM Passport for Inclusion project.

Dr Michelle Maher & Mairead O’Shea

See Her Elected (SHE) 

Programme manager (Dr Maher) and communications manager (O'Shea) of See Her Elected (SHE), an organisation that has trained hundreds of women to take part in the 2024 local elections, as candidates or as part of a candidate’s team. These two women have co-authored Ireland’s first Guide to Running in Local Elections and have delivered free online training for women all over Ireland to help demystify local government and break down the obstacles to getting into politics.

Dr Monica Peres Oikeh

GP and Women's Health Educator 

Particularly vocal about women’s health issues when it comes to menstrual, sexual and mental health, this Nigerian-born, Cork-based GP gives evidence-based medical advice via her social media channels. Dr Oikeh has amassed a following of over 109k on Instagram and close to 65k on Tiktok, and regularly appears on shows like Ireland AM.

Dr Sheila Gilheany

CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland 

In her role as CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland, Dr Gilheany works tirelessly as an advocate to reduce alcohol harm. Shining a light on matters that many would prefer to turn away from, she is among those leading the way towards Irish people developing a healthier relationship with alcohol. Gilheany is also the chair of Specialisterne Ireland which supports the employment of people on the autism spectrum.

Dr Sinead Kane

Lawyer, Athlete and Keynote Speaker

Dr Sinead Kane is a resilience, mindset, and teamwork keynote speaker. She is a qualified lawyer and has two PhDs, one academic, in disability law and policy and one honorary. Sinead has 5% vision and is registered as legally blind. An exceptional athlete she has competed and
represented Ireland at ultra-distances, holding a double Guinness World Record. She achieved the record for the first blind person to run seven marathons on seven continents within seven days in 2017.

Dr Tara Shine

CEO of Change by Degrees

Dr Shine is an expert in climate change and climate justice, and a co-founder and CEO of the award-winning sustainability business Change by Degrees. She is one of the most vocal and influential commentators on climate change in Ireland and advises governments, businesses and civil society organisations on climate change, environmental policy and development assistance. She has previously served as a climate negotiator at the UN and special adviser to the Mary Robinson Foundation.

Dr Trish Horgan and Dr Mary Favier

GPs and Founding members of START (Southern Taskforce on Abortion & Reproductive Topics)

Founding members of START (Southern Taskforce on Abortion & Reproductive Topics), both Dr Horgan and Dr Favier have been closely involved in supporting hundreds of GPs to offer medical terminations around the country.

Holly Cairns

Leader of the Social Democrats 

In 2023, at just 33-years-old, the Cork South-West TD became the leader of the Social Democrats, her ascension to head of the party having come just four years after she was first elected to office. She remains Cork’s only female TD. In recent months, she has consistently put pressure on the Government to join South Africa’s case accusing Israel of genocide against the Palestinian people at the International Court of Justice and pushed for the imposition of EU-wide economic sanctions on Israel.

Karen Keely and Theresa Byrne

Members of Organisation Anticonvulsant Syndromes Ireland group

Both women are an integral part of the OACS (Organisation Anticonvulsant Syndromes) Ireland group supporting families affected by the misprescribing of sodium valproate in pregnancy. An inquiry into this was recently announced by the Government, inspired by their advocacy and relentless work on behalf of so many families. Both have children directly affected by this but continue to work and support other families.

Krysia Lynch

Chair of Maternity Lobby Group

Association for Improvements in Maternity Services Ireland
Chair of maternity lobby group AIMS Ireland (Association for Improvements in Maternity Services) Lynch is a vocal supporter of women seeking to be heard in the maternity services, working with women, midwives and obstetricians to find solutions. Her background in research is the foundation for much of AIMs’ work, as well as the open support they offer women to share their experiences.

Latisha McCrudden

Activist 

At just 19 years of age, McCrudden has already established herself as a force to be reckoned with. The first in her family to complete the Leaving Certificate and enter third-level education, she serves as a member of the Irish Traveller Movement National Youth Forum, the National Women’s Council of Ireland and Traveller support group: Mincéirs Whiden. She has spoken in the Oireachtas as a climate youth ambassador and worked with Jigsaw as a mental health ambassador for young people. She talks openly about her experience as a survivor of domestic abuse in the home and her own battles with mental health and suicidal ideation.

Lorraine O'Connor

The Muslim Sisters of Eire 

Founded by O'Connor almost 15 years ago, the Muslim Sisters of Éire (MSOÉ) have become a familiar sight around Dublin. Well known for their soup run, homeless support, and advocacy, they have offered help to countless people who felt they had nowhere to turn. While that work is the most high profile, the group does work all over the country and in many different areas. “To me, it’s about what more can be done, not what have we done,” O'Connor says.

Mary Lou McDonald

Leader of Sinn Féin 

As leader of Sinn Féin, the largest opposition party in the Dáil, Mary Lou McDonald has seen her party rise in support to a position where she could become the first female Taoiseach. Alongside her political prowess, last year the 54-year-old received praise for opening up about undergoing a hysterectomy in the summer. “When I was a younger woman, women’s health issues were a kind of taboo,” she told the Business Post. “So I think anything that lifts that and encourages the public conversation is a good thing.”

Mary Robinson

Former President and chair of the Elders 

A former President of Ireland (and the first woman to hold the post), these days Robinson is best known for her role as chair of the Elders, a group founded by Nelson Mandela in 2007 which counts peace, justice, human rights and a sustainable planet among its chief goals. She is a passionate advocate for climate justice and has served as UN Special Envoy on Climate Change.

Michelle Darmody

Food writer and activist 

Entrepreneur, food consultant and social activist, Dr Michelle Darmody recently completed her PhD in Food Literacy. Founder of Dublin’s Cake Café and Slice, the Irish Examiner food writer is an advocate for food education, developing a Food and Biodiversity programme for Green-Schools. She’s currently working on Activating Empathy Through Food with UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre University of Galway.

Michelle O’Neill

First Minister of Northern Ireland

O'Neill made history this year becoming Stormont's first-ever nationalist First Minister. She once said that when she became an unmarried mother at the age of 16 society wrote her off. But with hard work and the support of her family, Cork-born O'Neill proved ignorant notions wrong rising through the political ranks to get where she is today.

Neasa Hourigan

Green Party TD 

Never afraid to speak her mind on housing, health, climate change and other issues, Hourigan has continued to make well-researched and valuable contributions despite being removed as a member of Oireachtas Committees as a punishment for voting against the Government on the eviction ban.

Niamh Smyth

Chair of Oireachtas media committee

As chair of the Oireachtas committee on Media, the Fianna Fáil TD has risen to prominence amid the ongoing RTÉ scandals. Most recently, she has called for the end of confidentiality clauses in exit packages. Speaking on RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland, Smyth said "it appears we’re not out of the woods with these issues yet" and has vowed to keep pressing ahead for full transparency.

Nicola Hanney

Coercive control survivor 

Few people embody strength like this Dublin woman who eschewed anonymity throughout her coercive control court case to shed light on the growing issue in Ireland. A mother-of-one and cancer survivor, she was subjected to a four-year campaign of abuse by former garda Paul Moody, who was sentenced to three years and three months in July 2022. Following a lengthy court battle, Hanney gained sole custody of her young son after the family court took away all guardianship rights from Moody.

Orla Guerin

International correspondent with BBC 

A veteran journalist, Guerin worked as a foreign correspondent with RTÉ before moving to the BBC in 1995. For almost 30 years, she has fearlessly headed into the most dangerous parts of the world reporting from conflict zones including Kosovo, Jerusalem and Egypt. More recently, she has offered an unflinching look at the devastating toll of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war.

Orla O’Connor

Director of the National Women's Council

As Director of the National Women’s Council (NWC), the leading national women’s membership organisation in Ireland, O’Connor is a leading voice in Ireland when it comes to the female agenda. She was Co-Director of Together For Yes, the national campaign to remove the 8th Amendment in the referendum. She is currently campaigning for a Yes vote in the upcoming referenda on the women’s role in the home and adding a line recognising family carers in the Constitution.

Saoirse Mackin

Politician and activist

A 25-year-old Community Engagement Officer, Cork’s Saoirse Mackin envisions a better Ireland for us all. Running as a candidate for the Social Democrats in the upcoming local elections, she will become the first transgender candidate to run for public office in Ireland. Mackin is already very active in the community as the co-founder of Trans+ Pride Cork.

Sinéad Burke

CEO of Tilting the Lens 

One of Ireland’s most extraordinary exports, Burke is a writer, academic, influencer and disability activist. A trained teacher and regular FROW (the row of sets closest to the catwalk at a fashion show) attendee, her main role is as director of consulting organisation Tilting the Lens, which works to raise the baseline standards in accessibility and to design an equitable and accessible world. In 2019, she was appointed to the Council of State by President of Ireland Michael Higgins and has recently edited the May 2023 edition of British Vogue.

Sonya Lennon

Entrepreneur and founder WorkEqual, LIFT Ireland and LennonCourtney 

Designer, broadcaster, social entrepreneur and champion of women. Lennon founded global not for profit initiative Dress for Success in Ireland in 2011 which has successfully supported over 3,000 women into employment and economic independence. She has also campaigned at European level for gender equality in the workplace. Since 2016, Lennon has led the #WorkEqual campaign in Ireland, spearheading public awareness, highlighting legacy and cultural issues which prevent workplace equality, and driving forward solutions to address them.

Tammy Darcy

Founder of the Shona Project

The year Darcy turned 14, everything changed. Her parents went through a messy separation, she was the victim of bullying at school, and her older sister, Shona was diagnosed with an acquired brain injury that rendered her physically and mentally disabled. As a result of all these experiences, Darcy went from an A student to a fail student, her self-esteem and self-confidence destroyed. Looking back, she felt with the right support, she may have been better equipped to overcome the challenges she encountered as a teen. This led to the founding of The Shona Project, named in honour of her sister who sadly passed away last year, and is dedicated to educating and empowering today’s Irish girls and teens through workshops, handbooks and most recently, a podcast.

Vanda Marie Macion Brady

Journalist and Manager of Cavan Volunteer Centre 

The manager of Cavan Volunteer Centre, radio presenter of migrant show 'My Journey Home' on Shannonside Northernsound FM, a freelance news correspondent of The Filipino Channel (TFC News) in Europe and an advocate for diversity and inclusion. Macion Brady has received multiple awards for her volunteer work in community development and assistance to migrants and marginalised communities in Ireland.

Aimee Connolly

Make-up Artist and Founder of Sculpted by Aimee

One of Ireland's top makeup artists and creator of the award-winning makeup brand Sculpted By Aimee and founder of Sculpted: The Academy. In 2016, at just 23, Connolly self-funded the business which recorded accumulated pre-tax profits of €6.55 million in 2022. Her e-commerce platform is now joined by brick-and-mortar stores on Dublin’s Grafton Street; Victoria Square, Belfast; Carnaby Street, London; Dubai; and an outlet at Kildare Village.

Aishling Moore

Head Chef Goldie 

Head chef and owner of Goldie restaurant in Cork, Moore is a pioneer of gill-to-fin cookery. A graduate of MTU, her inventive ‘whole catch’ approach to seafood cooking saw her recognised as Food & Wine Magazine’s Young Chef of the Year 2023. Goldie holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand since 2021 with Moore's first cookery book, Whole Catch, being published by Blasta Books in April.

Alisha Weir

Actor

At just 14 years of age, Weir has already shown the world just what she can do. From finding fame on TheLate Late Toy Show, Weir has starred in the lead in smash hit Matilda The Musical, Wicked Little Letters alongside Jessie Buckley and will return to the role of leading lady in Abigail, a horror set for release in April. All of this and the Dubliner still manages to fit in her schoolwork.

Alison Oliver

Actor

The Cork native has enjoyed huge success this year thanks to her fantastic performance in the critically acclaimed film, Saltburn. It was her first film role (you might have seen her previously in the TV adaption of Sally Rooney’s Conversations with Friends), and if it's anything to go by, Oliver will be one to watch over the coming months.

Aoife Dooley

Writer and Illustrator

A freelance illustrator, graphic designer, author and comedian from Dublin. Dooley published her first book How to be Massive in 2016 and her second How to Deal with Poxes in 2017, all the while gigging as an award-winning comedian. Her most important role, however, is perhaps that of autism campaigner. Diagnosed at 27, Dooley has since spent her time trying to create a world where those with the disorder feel safe and heard, including through her latest series Frankie’s World, a graphic novel based on her own real-life experiences of autism.

Aoife McNamara

Designer

Based in a thatched shop studio on Adare’s Main Street, McNamara creates unique garments inspired by nature. Launched in 2019, the LSAD graduate’s eponymous slow-fashion brand has become a fashion favourite both for its innovative practices and breezy colourful aesthetic. The brand was recently awarded B Corp status – a third-party standard for meeting high criteria of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.

Claire Fullam

Trichologist 

Trichologist, mother, and owner of leading online Trichology clinic Trua, Fullam went viral several years ago with her no-holds-barred content about her experience with alopecia areata and has since made it her mission to create a community for those losing their hair via her Instagram, @claire_balding, where she posts to some 77.8K followers. She has spoken publicly about her issues with alcohol and giving it up in 2023. She has since released a line of hair loss products under the brand name Remi.

Claire Keegan

Author

Following on from the success of Small Things Like These , the film-adaption of which had its world premiere at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival in February 2024, the whole world now knows just how singular Keegan’s talent is. Having quietly consolidated her status as one of the best writers in the world with a body of work that includes Foster (which was made into the Oscar-nominated An Cailín Ciúin) and two collections of short stories, as well as her latest short novella, 2023’s So Late In The Day. Keegan is a definitive voice in Irish culture, making sense of both Irishness and human behaviour through her writing.

CMAT (Claire Mary-Alice Thompson)

Musician

Ciara Mary Alice Thompson, also known as CMAT, is becoming a powerful world player in the music industry. Totally herself, outspoken on the issues that face young LGBTQ+ people and tangible in her reclaiming of narratives, in 2022 her debut album If My Wife New I’d Be Dead took home Album of the Year at the RTÉ Choice Music Prize. In 2023, she sold out four nights at the Olympia Theatre with her follow-up Crazymad, For Me. She has just been nominated for a BRIT Award for 'Best International Artist' too.

Elaine Feeney

Longlisted for the Booker Prize 

The Galway author and poet was long listed for the Booker Prize last year for her second novel, How To Build A Boat. Feeney has been making waves in literature since her award-winning debut novel, As You Were, and has also published three collections of poetry. A new collection, All The Good Things You Deserve, will be published in April. Feeney’s work is suffused with social commentary on the changing Ireland we live in. She is creative director for the Tuam Oral History project and is a lecturer at NUIG.

Fiona Shaw

Actor 

The Cork woman has become a familiar face on screens big and small over the course of her decades-long career. With roles in the Harry Potter franchise and Killing Eve, Shaw's career has seen her go from comedy to tragedy. This year, she appears alongside Hollywood icon Jodie Foster in the latest instalment of True Detective

Jazzy (Yasmine Byrne)

Musician 

In 2023, the Irish-Jamaican singer became the first Irish female to reach number one in the official Irish singles chart in 14 years with her hit 'Giving Me'. The 26-year old from Crumlin has gone from strength-to-strength since then, including getting a nod from the BRITs in the International Song of the Year category. Jazzy credits her start in music to The Music Project at St Agnes' Primary School where she received free violin lessons. She has just released her debut EP, Constellations, and is embarking on a headline tour this month.

Jennifer Rock

Founder and CEO of The Skin Nerd and Skingredients

A dermal facialist turned entrepreneur and Irish Examiner columnist. Her online consultation business, The Skin Nerd, provides personalized advice, and she is the founder of Skingredients, a brand that prides itself on its commitment to science-driven skincare and is leading the way in taking sustainability in skincare seriously. She is also the author of two books that serve as bibles for taking care of your skin and is currently working on Dancing with the Stars taking care of the celebrities' skin backstage.

Jenny Keane

Sex Educator

Keane could well be the reason that your local supermarket is out of cucumbers/grapefruits, by way of her myriad of sell-out sex workshops ranging from tantra yoga to self-pleasure. Providing genuine joy, research and sensitivity, Keane is wholly responsible for breaking through the final glass ceiling of women’s sexuality and for that, we are entirely grateful.

Jess Colivet

Stylist 

Stylist, influencer and Kildare Village personal shopper, Colivet has redefined middle age, thanks to her incredible personal style. Documenting outfit posts to her 21k Instagram followers, the mother-of-five and breast cancer survivor is equal parts relatable and aspirational.

Jessie Buckley

Actor

The Killarney woman's showbiz journey started with TV show contest I’d Do Anything, and has expanded into TV, film, stage and musical highlights. In 2022, she released For All Our Days That Tear The Heart, her first album with British musician and producer Bernard Butler, and scored an Oscar nomination for her role in The Lost Daughter. Her latest film release is Wicked Little Letters, a comedy-drama in which Buckley stars alongside Olivia Coleman, in cinemas now.

Joanne McNally and Vogue Williams

Businesswomen and Podcasters 

The runaway success of McNally and Williams’ podcast, My Therapist Ghosted Me, has tapped into the zeitgeist of Irish women all over the globe. 2023 saw the pair embark in a series of live events across Ireland, the UK and Australia, as well as launch businesses in their own right – Williams now has a fitness app, Flexy Fit, alongside her widely successful tanning brand Bare by Vogue, and McNally has a fashion brand Anxious Preoccupied. McNally’s Prosecco Express tour, meanwhile, finished its run in Vicar St last year with over 70 sold-out shows in that venue alone, with 100s more across Ireland, the UK, Australia, the United States, Canada and the United Arab Emirates.

Karen O’Reilly

Accountant and Founder of Employmum 

O’Reilly is an accountant who returned to Ireland after being abroad running her own businesses for nearly 20 years. With her husband continuing to work abroad for 9 months of the year, she wanted to be there for her two small children. When she couldn’t find flexible work, she set up Employmum to help others like her find flexible work. Karen is passionate about an equitable workplace and has just concluded studying for a masters in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

Katja Mia

The Six O'Clock Show Presenter 

Presenter of The Six O’Clock Show and current Dancing with the Stars Ireland contestant. The former economics student pivoted to media back in 2022 when she entered a competition for ambassadors for Love Island host Maya Jama’s brand of skincare masks, MIJ. From there, she gained the entertainment reporter slot on Ireland AM, becoming one of Ireland’s first Black television presenters. She has used her platform to speak up about racism in Ireland and managing body dysmorphia and negative comments online.

Keilidh Cashell

Make-up Artist and Founder of KASH Beauty 

With 2.7 million followers on TikTok and a whole host of celebrities who rave about her make-up line, KASH Beauty, it can be hard to remember that Cashell is just 24-years-old. The Monaghan woman is one of the hardest-working and most down-to-earth women in the influencer business too. We can't wait to see what's next for her.

Laura Dowling

Pharmacist and Businesswoman 

A passionate advocate for women, the pharmacist and scientist, better known as The Fabulous Pharmacist, is a safe pair of hands on social media where she offers medical-based advice to her 111k Instagram followers. In 2022 she launched her own range of supplements, fabÜ and that same year was awarded the Community Pharmacist Of The Year award at The Irish Pharmacy Awards. She also hosts a podcast, The Laura Dowling Experience and this year added Irish Examiner columnist to her list of accolades.

Linda Coogan Byrne

Music Industry Consultant and Founder of Good Seed PR and Why Not Her?

The founder of Good Seed PR and the Why Not Her? campaign, Coogan Byrne is a speaker, activist and campaigner for gender diversity and equality in the music industry. Her Gender Disparity Data Reports focus on the lack of diversity and gender parity across radio in the UK and Ireland, and her work has contributed to one of the biggest equality movements in the music industry garnering over 220 million+ in audience reach.

Lisa Dwan

Actor, Writer and Director

A triple-threat, you may recognise actress, writer and director Lisa Dwan from Netflix series Top Boy or, more recently, Blackshore. The Athlone woman is also known for wowing audiences on the West End in her acclaimed Samuel Beckett trilogy, and has lectured in some of the most prestigious universities in the world including Princeton and Columbia.

Lynn Hunter

Founder of Hunter Communications and The Collaborations Agency 

The woman behind one of Ireland's most successful PR agencies, Hunter Communications, this Dubliner has her finger on the pulse at all times and identified the growing power of influencer marketing all the way back in 2017 when she founded Ireland’s first agency specialising in bringing influencers, top-tier talent, sports people, and brands together.

Marian Keyes and Tara Flynn

Writers and Podcaster

Marian Keyes and Tara Flynn had already earned their place in our hearts for a variety of reasons, but in 2022, they cemented that spot with the launch of their agony aunt podcast Now You’re Asking. Separately, Keyes continues to inspire readers thirty years on from the publication of her debut novel, Watermelon, with her take on serious subjects like depression and addiction, but always through the lens of humour. Her latest novel is set for release in April. Actress, comedian and writer Flynn, meanwhile, has been busy keeping us entertained with one woman plays and bizarre films like Apocalypse Clown. We’ll never forget her courage and tenacity in fighting for the repeal of the 8th amendment, and her openness to this day in talking about being child free by choice.

Marina Carr

Playwright

One of Ireland's most lauded playwrights, Marina Carr will celebrate her 60th birthday this year. She wrote her first play 35 years ago but Carr's talents are as bright as ever. The award-winning playwright will release not one but two world premieres this year. Carr is also in her third year as the Abbey Theatre's Senior Associate Playwright.

Niamh Donnelly

Co-Founder of Akara 

A mechanical engineer with a Masters in computer science and AI, a robot designed to help those in long-term care that was developed by Donnelly and the Akara team was recently featured on the cover of TIME magazine. She has also been recognised personally at the EU's Prize for Women Innovators where she was named a Rising Innovator.

Nicola Coughlan

Actor

Actress, style icon and all-round sound Galway woman, Coughlan has been a welcome presence on our screens since Derry Girls. Fans of Bridgerton will be thrilled to know that the upcoming third season will centre around Coughlan’s character Penelope Featherington.

Peigín Crowley

Spa Consultant and Creative Brand Strategist 

With over 25 years of industry experience, Crowley has stood at the forefront of the wellness evolution for the majority of her career with a portfolio of five-star, award-winning properties including Adare Manor and The Merrion. In 2020, she pivoted her passion in a bid to make well-being products more accessible and inclusive with Ground, which develops treatments and products to address a range of issues including insomnia and cancer care. She has partnered with Little Kneaders to develop sensory dough for kids with additional needs and is researching and creating wellbeing treatments for Loveday, a company of care homes in the UK looking after those suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's.

Rozanna Purcell

Content Creator and Radio DJ

A model, author, radio DJ, and founder of The Hike Life. With 576K followers on Instagram, Purcell's reach is wide — and she always puts it to good use. Whether it's bringing women together for hikes in the outdoors, showing the reality behind filtered shots, or sharing openly about her own battles with hair loss, the Clonmel woman is a refreshing and honest voice on the platform. Last year, she added RTÉ 2FM DJ to her list of accomplishments and took home An Post Lifestyle Book of the Year award for The Hike Life, which compiles 50 of the best hikes to do on the island of Ireland.

Sarah Breen and Emer McLysaght

Authors

Friends, journalists, and co-authors Sarah Breen and Emer McLysaght wrapped up their popular heroine Aisling’s adventures in their fifth book, Aisling Ever After, last August, with the series selling over 400,000 copies. They use their platforms to speak about mental health, parenting, and women’s health, including taking part in the Irish Examiner’s recent Read My Lips call-to-action campaign promoting cervical screening in memory of the late Vicky Phelan.

Sharon Horgan

Actor, Writer, Producer and Director 

Horgan is a BAFTA award-winning Irish actor, writer, producer, and director, whose internationally-recognised work — Catastrophe, This Way Up, Pulling — centres around complex, compelling, and messy characters. Recently, Horgan co-wrote, executive produced, and starred in the outstanding black comedy series Bad Sisters on Apple TV+, a piece that received critical acclaim, including winning Best Drama at the 2023 Television BAFTAS. The series was recently green-lit for a second season.

Sinéad Gleeson

Author

Sinéad Gleeson is a writer and editor who has worked to highlight often-forgotten female writers in Ireland. She has edited anthologies of Irish women writers including The Long Gaze Back. Her eagerly anticipated debut novel Hagstone is set for release in April.

Siobhán McSweeney

Actor 

The Aherla native completed a science degree at University College Cork, before heading to London to study at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama to pursue her dream. And oh are we glad she did. As Sister Michael in Derry Girls, Siobhán McSweeney carved out a permanent place in Irish hearts — and took home a BAFTA for her performance in 2023. Since the show has come to an end, she’s been found on stage in Beckett’s Happy Days and Brian Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa, on TV screens as the presenter of The Great Pottery Throwdown and online always speaking her mind. With her directorial debut on the horizon with a comedy short for BBC, we can’t wait to see what’s next.

Trisha Lewis

Chef and Influencer

Lewis’ enthusiasm is infectious. She’s the chef on Instagram who delivers upbeat instalments on her journey to better health. To spread the word and help others do the same, she has already written two bestselling books and launched her own cooking courses and range of knifes. The positive ripple effect of all of that is impressive. But Lewis' contribution to the world goes beyond that; in speaking so openly about her own gambling addiction, she has also given hope to so many.

Siobhán McSweeney

Actor 

The Aherla native completed a science degree at University College Cork, before heading to London to study at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama to pursue her dream. And oh are we glad she did. As Sister Michael in Derry Girls, Siobhán McSweeney carved out a permanent place in Irish hearts — and took home a BAFTA for her performance in 2023. Since the show has come to an end, she’s been found on stage in Beckett’s Happy Days and Brian Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa, on TV screens as the presenter of The Great Pottery Throwdown and online always speaking her mind. With her directorial debut on the horizon with a comedy short for BBC, we can’t wait to see what’s next.

Siobhán McSweeney

Actor 

The Aherla native completed a science degree at University College Cork, before heading to London to study at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama to pursue her dream. And oh are we glad she did. As Sister Michael in Derry Girls, Siobhán McSweeney carved out a permanent place in Irish hearts — and took home a BAFTA for her performance in 2023. Since the show has come to an end, she’s been found on stage in Beckett’s Happy Days and Brian Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa, on TV screens as the presenter of The Great Pottery Throwdown and online always speaking her mind. With her directorial debut on the horizon with a comedy short for BBC, we can’t wait to see what’s next.

Siobhán McSweeney

Actor 

The Aherla native completed a science degree at University College Cork, before heading to London to study at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama to pursue her dream. And oh are we glad she did. As Sister Michael in Derry Girls, Siobhán McSweeney carved out a permanent place in Irish hearts — and took home a BAFTA for her performance in 2023. Since the show has come to an end, she’s been found on stage in Beckett’s Happy Days and Brian Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa, on TV screens as the presenter of The Great Pottery Throwdown and online always speaking her mind. With her directorial debut on the horizon with a comedy short for BBC, we can’t wait to see what’s next.