Castlebar ICA celebrates significant milestone

THE Irish Countrywomen’s Association (ICA), Castlebar, has celebrated its 75th anniversary.

The milestone was a time to look back and remember those early members whose vision, courage, determination and faith led them to lay the foundations of a great organisation.

A notice appeared in The Connaught Telegraph on October 28, 1950, that a meeting, with a view to setting up a guild of the ICA, would be held on November 1.

A total of 160 members were enrolled, with the late Joan O’Malley elected as the association’s first president, Kay Duffy as vice-president, Margaret McGuinness, secretary, and Mrs. M. Greene as treasurer.

In attendance was Miss Phyllis O’Connell, national organiser, who addressed those present at great length and outlined the objectives of the association. The meeting was held in the Green Bay Café.

The aims and objectives of the association were to bring women together in fellowship and through cooperative effort, to develop and improve the standard of rural and urban life in Ireland by educating women, having due regard to our Irish culture and to encourage the use of the Irish language in the affairs of Bantracht na Tuaithe.

The ICA has played a major role in Irish society since its foundation. It has brought a sense of direction and purpose to every community in which a guild was established over the years.

The association has had an enriching influence on communities the length and breadth of the country. It is still by far the largest organisation for women in Ireland with a membership of over 20,000.

There are few people in Ireland without a rural connection and a rural affinity, be they city or town dwellers. The ICA epitomises the interface between all things urban and rural. This has been personified by past presidents from outside the farming community and the association’s involvement in issues relevant to rural and urban women alike.

An Grianan, the ICA's adult education college in Co. Louth, was purchased by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation of America and entrusted to the ICA in 1954 for the health, education and welfare of the people of Ireland.

An Grianan belongs in a very real way to each member of the association as it is by their contributions that expenses are met. They in turn get the benefit and inspiration from the many varied activities, from attending a course in literature, art or drama, or demonstration sessions in the kitchen, the craft rooms, weaving shed or the pottery room.

For seven decades now, the ICA has been an integral part of community life in and around Castlebar. It is still a great social outlet for women with its monthly business meetings, social events and its weekly worknights. At the worknights, those in attendance learn from each other as skills are passed on and demonstrations are given by experts.

Although the ICA is non-party political, it has sometimes acted as a pressure group when it felt the cause was relevant to its members. The ICA initiated and supported many campaigns over the years such as rural electrification and the water scheme, lobbied for the establishment of the Ban Garda, and supported the Credit Union movement. At guild level these issues had to be voted on.

The Castlebar Guild is deeply involved in community affairs and features strongly in fundraising for charitable organisations.

The Castlebar branch has represented the federation at competitive level on numerous occasions. Members have taken part in the national finals of golf, pitch and putt, table quizzes, creative writing and various cookery competitions.

The guild is still in great shape, and that is a credit to the ladies who put faith in the association all those years ago. A special word of thanks must go to the members who served the guild so diligently over the decades, as well as those who guide the association today.

Membership is open to the Castlebar ICA Guild for women over the age of 16 and new members are always welcome.