Empower a Girl,
Transform a Community
Heidi Higgins graduated from NCAD in 2008. Just under one year later she proudly introduced her own label to the Irish market in May 2009. Heidi presents a confident contemporary label that is sensitive to emerging trends - with canny detailing that gives a sage nod to the catwalk while remaining fearless in pursuit of [...]
Continue ReadingLeanne Woodfull is a fashion and beauty blogger from Dublin. Leanne runs one of Ireland’s most popular blogs THUNDER + THREADS, and has been featured on everything from Asos, MTV Style, The Last Magazine and more! Because I am a Girl I ask…why are women still oppressed in places such as the work place, in [...]
Continue ReadingOrla Leyden is a County Councillor first elected to Roscommon County Council in 2004 and subsequently in 2009. She has a B.A. International in Italian, Sociology and Politics and an M.Litt in Sociology and Politics from the National University of Ireland, Galway. She works actively with many community organisations including Roscommon Women’s Network. Because [...]
Continue ReadingFounder of the not-for-profit organisation Kanchi and its pioneering social franchise The Ability Awards, serial social entrepreneur Caroline Casey is driving societal change aimed at nothing less than a complete reframing of disability. Central to her and Kanchi’s approach is the idea that as a powerful, all-pervasive influence in society, business can lead this change [...]
Continue ReadingOrla Tinsley is a 25 year old journalist and campaigner. She began campaigning for the rights of people with cystic fibrosis when she was 18. She also has the illness that affects many organs in the body and in 2005 she began writing in The Irish Times to campaign for an isolation unit. At the [...]
Continue ReadingMary Lawlor has a background of over 35 years experience in human rights. She set up Front Line Defenders - the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders - in 2001. Front Line Defenders concentrates all its activities on human rights defenders at risk who work non-violently for the rights of others as [...]
Continue ReadingAn independent consumer expert, Tina Leonard is Ireland’s foremost consumer champion. She dispenses consumer advice and information weekly via her Smart Consumer column in the Irish Independent and on RTE Radio 1’s Today with Pat Kenny programme, and has delivered a consumer segment on RTE’s Four Live (and formerly The Afternoon Show) since 2005. A [...]
Continue ReadingHeidi Rowlands is seven. She was born on Halloween in London, in 2005. She now lives in Wexford with her parents, her brother Finn and Betty the dog. Her interests include Amur leopards, movies, fashion, going to the cinema with her auntie and reading books. Her favourite books are The Hobbit, The Witches and the [...]
Continue ReadingSorcha Heron currently works in Newstalk 106-108fm as acting deputy station editor. She has been working in radio for the past 7 years. After graduating from UCD with a degree in History and Politics, she travelled to Japan to teach English for 3 years. The first word she learnt in Japanese was ‘gokiburi’ which means [...]
Continue ReadingJennie is co-creator of What Will I Wear Today, an Irish fashion website that tackles fashion and lifestyle trends in a cheeky and light-hearted manner. The energetic pace and tone of the site has cemented WWIWT as one of Ireland’s most loved websites and international press has taken note. WWIWT won the European Best Blogger Competition with ONLY Jeans, been [...]
Continue ReadingBorn in 1980, Chloe Early grew up in Cork, Ireland. She graduated from the National College of Art and Design in Dublin in 2003 and moved to London in 2004, where she has lived and worked since. Her paintings have been exhibited in group and she has had solo shows in London, Los Angeles, Miami, [...]
Continue ReadingNATALIEBCOLEMAN studied fashion at Limerick School of Art & Design and on the MA course at Central St. Martins, London. She has worked in Industry for such fashion labels as threeASFOUR, New York and Ragna Frodadottir, textile designer in Iceland before establishing her own Womenswear label in 2010 which has now expanded to Silk Scarves, [...]
Continue ReadingRuth Negga is an Irish actor who was born in Ethiopia to an Irish mother and an Ethiopian father. She was raised between Ethiopia, Ireland and England, finishing her studies at Trinity College Dublin where she trained. Ruth has performed on stage in various productions at Ireland’s National Theatre, the Abbey, the National theatre in England, [...]
Continue ReadingNicola Byrne is CEO & founder of 11890 & Stenics Media. She is also a board member of Ireland US Council, on Fingal County Enterprise Board evaluation committee and a board member British Irish Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, Nicola is Chairperson of the Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards 2012, Advisory Board Member of Ryan Academy for [...]
Continue ReadingLaura Fletcher is a journalist and documentary film maker. She currently works for RTE News, and began her career at the public service broadcaster in 2002. This year Laura returned to RTE following a two-year career break, during which she moved to South Africa to work for a media ethics and human rights organisation, Media [...]
Continue ReadingJewellery designer Merle O’Grady trained in Fashion Design in her native Ireland before relocating to London in 2004. After specialising in Accessory Design at the world-renowned Cordwainers College, her journey into jewellery design began upon stumbling across a bucket of 18th Century chandelier crystal by chance in a dark corner of an architectural salvage yard. [...]
Continue ReadingLynne is based in South Africa and is a photographer and blogger. She has a keen interest in Corporate Social Responsibility volunteering. Prior to moving to South Africa she worked in Business in the Community on a Social Inclusion Programme called “Ready for Work”. In the past she has worked in the UK on a [...]
Continue ReadingSarah Finlay is a theatre director and founding member of the theatre company Fast Intent. Based in Dublin, she is a recent graduate of UCD’s Directing for Theatre MA, and previously completed the Gaiety School of Acting’s two year full time actor training course. Recent productions with Fast Intent include ‘The Lark’ at Smock Alley [...]
Continue ReadingNatasha Duffy is festival coordinator for the Spirit of Folk Festival, a three-day, family friendly festival running from 21st - 23rd September in Dunderry Park, Co Meath. Shortlisted in 2011 for ‘Best New Festival’ in the European Festival awards, Spirit of Folk returns next weekend with a unique slant on the traditional Irish camping festival. The [...]
Continue ReadingRóise Goan is the Director of Dublin Fringe Festival. Dublin Fringe Festival (DFF) is a curated multi-disciplinary festival and year-round organisation focusing on new and innovative approaches to the arts. DFF supports the development and presentation of new work by Irish and international artists of vision, nurturing artistic ambition and excellence across a range of art forms. [...]
Continue ReadingRadio presenter Jenny Huston presents weeknights on 2fm (Monday - Thursday 9pm - 11pm) and has extensive radio and TV experience, from daytime talk radio to global music events. The Sunday Times referred to her show as “a comprehensive snapshot of what’s hip and happening in domestic and international alt-rock scenes” (March 2011). Jenny has been [...]
Continue ReadingShauna comes from Firhouse in Dublin and has just completed her Leaving Cert at Sancta Maria College. At school, she took part in the ‘Schools Across Borders’ programme, which brings young people together from Ireland, Israel and Palestine, as well as organising the school talent show. Shauna spent three weeks of work experience with Plan Ireland where she worked on the [...]
Continue ReadingAlison Curtis presents Phantom 105.2 talk show weekdays from 2PM. Originally from Canada she moved to Dublin in 1999 starting her radio career as a researcher on the Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show on Today FM. A few short years later she was producing the breakfast show along with presenting her own long standing music show on Sunday nights on [...]
Continue ReadingLisa McInerney is an Irish writer, editor and columnist. She is co-owner of Irish magazine site Ramp.ie, writes regularly for The Journal.ie, and has appeared at literary festivals both at home and in the US discussing new media and its literary possibilities. She studied English in UCC and as such has a terrible habit of littering her prose [...]
Continue ReadingKitty is a Dublin-based graphic designer and blogger, originally from Waterford. She runs her own blog, Red Lemonade, where she rambles excitedly about various bits and pieces of pop culture that catch her eye, as well as lovingly making fun of Sweet Valley High books. She is also a contributor to popular sites such as Beaut.ie, Ramp.ie and Where’s Grandad? and [...]
Continue ReadingRachel Madden currently works in Google as an Online Media Associate. Rachel graduated from UCD in 2010 after studying Business and Legal Studies for four years. After graduating, Rachel spent 6 months as a marketing intern for an Irish online gifts company located in Dublin which sparked her interest in online marketing. Because I am a Girl I ask…that [...]
Continue ReadingRosie Hand is Programme Co-ordinator of the M.Sc. Advertising and Postgraduate Diploma in Advertising and Digital Communication at the Dublin Institute of Technology. She lectures in Marketing, Marketing Communications, Digital Communications and International Business at undergraduate and postgraduate level. Her industry experience includes areas as diverse as international marketing of textiles and luxury consumer goods; sales [...]
Continue ReadingMany people assume I’m a girlie girl yet I love to surprise people by doing things like sky-diving, trekking in glaciers and backpacking for 6 months with the bare minimum (well; 2 pairs of shoes; flipflops and hiking boots). An only girl with three brothers there was never any discrimination in our household regarding chores; [...]
Continue ReadingSarah Harte is Media & Communications Officer with Plan Ireland. Sarah went to DCU to study International Business & Languages (German and French) and spent her Erasmus year in northern Germany. In 2005, Sarah took up a marketing position in Tourism Ireland’s Brussels office, a highlight (!) being an appearance on the Belgian equivalent of MTV for St Patrick’s Day and [...]
Continue ReadingThree time IFTA award winner, Keelin Shanley works as a journalist in RTE Television and Radio. She currently presents The Consumer Show. Working with RTÉ’s flagship current affairs television programme, Prime Time, she has made a number of landmark documentaries including Sex Traffic, Cocaine and Saturday Night, Sunday Morning which showed the impact of Irish [...]
Continue ReadingIfrah Ahmed is originally from Somalia in East Africa and has been living in Ireland for the past six years. Ifrah is a social and community worker and has worked on many different projects involving organisations such as Unicef, Amnesty International, Irish Refugee Council, Cairde, The Africa Centre, Spirasi, Somali Community in Ireland, Integration of African Children [...]
Continue ReadingDiana Bunici can be found in the elev8 loft, weekdays on RTÉ Two along with her co-presenters Sean Regan and Ivan Minnock. Presenting the daily live children’s programme is her first venture into television, having graduated from DIT with a BA in Journalism with French in 2010. Born in Moldova, Diana moved to Ireland with her [...]
Continue ReadingA northside girl through & true, Trish Fallon’s idol has always been her big sis Jules, who, to Trish, was one of the most beautiful models/people in Ireland when she was growing up. Jules opened the doors of 1st Option Models Management & Production in 1997 and 6 months in asked Trish to join her team. Trish was over the moon [...]
Continue ReadingSiobhan Ryan is a Meteorologist with Met Eireann, and has been forecasting since 2006. Before this she worked both in Dublin Airport and Met Eireann Head Quarters as a Meteorological Officer. Since August 2010 she has appeared on our screens come rain or shine as part of RTE’s Weather Team. Born in Dublin, she studied [...]
Continue ReadingAnita Reilly, originally from Co Mayo, currently works for Plan as Grants Officer in Guinea Bissau. Her background is in education and she has worked as a teacher and teacher trainer. She has worked in Mexico, India and Ethiopia and is soon to start a new position as Education advisor for Plan UK. Because I am [...]
Continue ReadingMargaret Mansfield, mother of Mike, our Head of Marketing and Sponsorship, describes herself as a feminist. Born in Portumna, Co. Galway, and married to Gerry with three children, Petra, Morgan, “baby” Mike, Margaret is acutely aware of the importance of education. Instrumental in the creation of the transition year programme for secondary schools in the [...]
Continue ReadingHazel Katherine Larkin started working for children when she was 18 and was a full-time volunteer with the CARI Foundation, which was in its infancy at the time. Since then, she has campaigned for children’s rights, mental health rights and women’s rights both in Ireland and in Asia, where she lived for 10 years. At the [...]
Continue ReadingHaving worked in event management for years Suzanne Murray bowed out of the working world to travel and have her kids - Daniel and Laura. She spent 7 years in Barcelona enjoying the sunshine, the cultural differences and struggling to learn the language. Now back in Ireland, and getting used to carrying an umbrella again, she [...]
Continue ReadingElsa Jones is a Nutritional Therapist and Health Journalist. Elsa runs a private practice in Dublin where she offers one-to-one consultations to treat individual health concerns. Elsa has recently teamed up with Dubliner Cheese to launch their new-look Dubliner Cheese light. Elsa also works hard to bring health issues to Irish consciousness in her capacity [...]
Continue ReadingRiona Judge McCormack is the Regional Communications Officer with an African NGO (www.repssi.org), a job which sees her living in Johannesburg and traveling all over Southern Africa. She loves design, writing and photography, and recently produced a series of short video documentaries based on filming she conducted with community members in Zimbabwe, Malawi, Kenya, Tanzania [...]
Continue ReadingDeirdre Foley is a 22 year old blogger at www.vivaadonis.com, francophile and student of Trinity College. She is from Clontarf in Dublin but Paris is her favourite city in the world. Her interests include history, Morrissey, and 80′s movies. Deirdre collects lipstick and metro tickets from every city that she visits and hopes to work anywhere that my voice will be heard [...]
Continue ReadingMary Carroll is a freelance trainer and Director of ‘The Succession Conversation’ which is aimed at assisting people in planning succession for their family businesses, with special focus on farming families. She also works part time in the Tralee International Resource Centre helping to promote integration in the community. As a farmer’s daughter (only girl) [...]
Continue ReadingClaire Finnan is Managing Director of Huggy Bloom Enterprises Ltd, an event and exhibition Management Company. Together with her business partner Jennifer Shaw, the girls are the brains behind the hugely successful Pregnancy & Baby Fair. Claire and Jennifer first came to national attention on Dragons Den, where they went down in history as the [...]
Continue ReadingJennifer Shaw is Managing Director of Huggy Bloom Enterprises Ltd, an event and exhibition Management Company. Together with her business partner Claire Finnan, the girls are the brains behind the hugely successful Pregnancy & Baby Fair. Jennifer and Claire first came to national attention on Dragons Den, where they went down in history as the [...]
Continue ReadingDeirdre Foley is a 22-year-old beauty blogger at www.vivaadonis.com, francophile and student of Trinity College. She is from Clontarf in Dublin but Paris is her favourite city in the world. Her interests include history, Morrissey, and 80′s movies. Deirdre collects lipstick and metro tickets from every city that she visits and hopes to work anywhere that her voice will be heard after college. [...]
Continue ReadingFionnuala Britton is a distance runner from Wicklow and hopes to become a double Olympian this summer in London. Fionnuala is currently training at altitude in Albuquerque New Mexico, enjoying the hard training and the good weather but missing her family who are the most important people in Fionnuala’s life. Fionnuala studied Sports Science and Health in DCU [...]
Continue ReadingGeraldine Harte is wife to her loving husband Brian and mum to four amazing grown up children, Sarah, Karen, Emma, and Conor (Sarah is Plan Ireland’s Media & Communications Officer and is pictured with Geraldine on the left!). Her 30 year background in recruitment consultancy gave her the inspiration to become an entrepreneur and Life Coach. She is currently in the [...]
Continue ReadingAnn Magee lives in Celbridge, Co. Kildare with her husband John. They have six children, four girls: Fiona, Aine (who works with Plan as Monitoring & Evaluation Officer, hence this blog, thanks Aine!) Sinead, Aoife and two boys, Sean and Brian. They are also the proud grandparents of Conor, twin girls Ciara and Doireann, and Gael [...]
Continue ReadingBorn before 60 “golden” years, Ljubica Lugaric, now retired, graduated as an ‘Organisation engineer’. She dedicated her whole working career to banking. Married to the best husband and father, Branko, and enjoying his company for 31 years and counting, she has 2 lovely kids, a son Luka and a daughter Dunja. Dunja is a long time Plan [...]
Continue ReadingTo celebrate Mother’s Day (18th March 2012), we are delighted to present a daily series of ‘Because I am a Girl’ blogs written by the wonderful mothers of Plan Ireland staff, we hope you enjoy this week’s special edition of the blog! With an Irish mother and a Nigerian father, Joy Majekodunmi, grew up between Ireland, [...]
Continue ReadingSheila O’Flanagan is an international bestselling author of sixteen novels and 3 short story collections. Her novels, including All For You, Stand By Me and Suddenly Single, have been translated into over twenty languages. The former financial services executive has won the Irish Tatler Woman of the Year for Literature award and currently is a director of [...]
Continue ReadingEithne Nic Enrí plays Bríd De Faoite in Ros na Rún, the TG4 drama which airs on Tuesday and Thursdays at 8.30pm. Eithne hails from the gaeltacht of Conamara, Co Galway. She is mother to Anna, Fionn and Jeaic. Her interests include dining out and spending time by the sea. Páirt Bhríd de Faoite atá [...]
Continue ReadingPatricia Murray is Organisational Psychologist at the Health and Safety Authority, where she manages the agency’s mental health at work programme nationally. This means developing and promoting tools – Codes of Practice, reports, research and guidance - to be used within Irish organisations to promote healthier and safer workplaces and hopefully happier and higher performing people. [...]
Continue ReadingOrla Walsh is a Pop Artist and proud Mum to three girls. She is inspired by family life and the nostalgia of everyday items. Her first set of Ketchup bottles were bought by the Heinz HQ in Pittsburg. Her other images capture the emotional history of irish products. Her depictions of the iconic Irish brands [...]
Continue ReadingSharon Tinkler is the founder of the Stepping Out Dance company which provide dance and dance exercise classes in up to 100 venues around Ireland. Having been made redundant by Aer Lingus and being a seperated mother of a young son, Sharon started Stepping Out initially as a way she could spend time with her [...]
Continue ReadingMegan comes from Rathfarnham in Dublin and attends Loreto High School Beaufort, Rathfarnham. Megan is currently in Transition year and spent a week of work experience with Plan Ireland late last year as she has always had a keen interest in the issues of the third world and doesn’t agree with injustice and inequality. Megan is a complete [...]
Continue ReadingSince 1974 Emer has been involved with the Irish Girl Guides (IGG). She started out at the age of 10 in her local Guide Unit in Ballina. Since the age of 17 she has volunteered as a Leader with the local Guide Unit. Since 1999 Emer has been playing a part on IGG’s National Executive [...]
Continue ReadingAfter studying Social Sciences in UCD, Olivia went travelling around East Africa and got bitten by the travelling bug. Olivia returned a different person with a whole new outlook on life and having developed a passion for the developing world, she began volunteering with Plan Ireland. In October 2011, Olivia spent a week in Haiti just [...]
Continue ReadingAoife Barry is a print and broadcast freelance journalist who writes for TheJournal.ie, The Irish Independent, the Irish Times (The Ticket), State.ie, the Kildare Nationalist and others. She contributes reviews and features to RTE Radio 1’s arts show Arena and presents and produces the music show Sweet Oblivion for the digital station RTE 2XM. In [...]
Continue ReadingBrenda Thoms is Marketing Manager for NIVEA in Ireland since 2001. She began working with Plan Ireland in 2011 and hopes to collaborate on further projects in 2012. Previously, she ran her own communications company followed by a Marketing role in Pepsico Ireland. She studied modern languages in Trinity College and also completed a Business [...]
Continue ReadingJane Gilheaney Barry is a writer, pr and lifestyle blogger at www.thatcuriousloveofgreen.com Between 2000 and 2010 Jane established and ran the Shaylyn Traditional Performing Arts Centre, Shaylyn Irish Dance Company and Gilheaney PR Consulting from her base in Ballinamore, Co Leitrim. The aim of the Shaylyn Group was to generate social, cultural and economic development [...]
Continue ReadingTell us what it means
to you to be a girl
I can vote and be myself and be successful. If you educate a man you educate a man if you educate a woman you educate a generation.
all boys and men appear to be more important, know more, and have to have needs sorted, first- food, washing, the basics - loo cleaning, etc. We must stop doing it, full stop. I bet Orla Leyden still does all her family housework (no offence at all - just making a point) x
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