Seventeen nominees for Mayo Inspirational Woman Award 2018

THE Mayo Inspirational Woman Award will be presented next Sunday at Mayo Rape Crisis Centre’s annual Nollaig na mBan lunch in the Westport Country Lodge Hotel.

This year 17 women were nominated from all over the county by sons, daughters, mothers, nieces, friends and colleagues.

The nominees are Caroline McMenamin, Newport, Breege O'Donnell, Newport, Fiona Gannon, Castlebar, Ciara Heneghan, Westport, Angela Faul, Castlebar, Karan Flannery, Porturlin, Therese Ruane, Castlebar, Huma Tofique, Castlebar, Louise Swift, Castlebar, Hannah Moran, Tiernaur, Mary Conlon, Foxford, Brenda Quigg, Balla, Tina Tuohy, Swinford, Beebee Shakila Sahaboolea, Ballyhaunis, Christine Green, Bofeenaun, Elaine Browne, Claremorris, and Kathy Doherty, Kiltimagh.

The award and event was established to celebrate the bravery and courage of those members of the community who have used Mayo Rape Crisis Centre’s service over the last 24 years - often through difficult circumstances, facing down the societal silencing, so present in the past, but still so difficult to overcome.

It is as difficult today as it was 24 years ago to walk into a Rape Crisis Centre but daily survivors present themselves. They change their lives but also the lives of their children, families and communities.

This award is to celebrate their unseen generosity to Mayo and is generously sponsored for the fifth year by Paul and Therese O'Grady of Sports Clinic West, Castlebar.

The wonderful 17 nominated women join the previous 24 nominees so this is a celebration beyond expectation for MRCC and the organising committee of the Nollaig na Ban event.

All have been nominated by others whom they have inspired in their own circle. There are a number who have helped others through fighting for their own children’s needs or through their own personal and health struggles or through seeing the needs of others. A number have created successful businesses, written books, fought for services, or fought for a new way of seeing those in need.

There are women who have reached out to the elderly, to the young, to foster children and some have been the centre of gentle persistence, support and love for family members. There are women who in their workplaces have inspired others through their standards of work, support and care.

All nominees are worthy to be the award recipient and whoever is the award recipient is representing all the nominees.

The judges have a very difficult job as always this year but MRCC is looking forward to a celebration of women that will be truly awesome and celebratory this year as MRCC heads into its 25th year in Mayo.