Speaker Series - 7 Talks for €10

The Speaker Series at Feile na mBan has been announced. Our presenters cover a range of topics, from the personal, to the historic, to contemporary.

Saturday Speakers:

12 Noon Tara Louise McCaughey ‘Ten Minutes that changed my life’ – Rediscovering yourself through small daily steps.

2pm Yuliia Melnyk ‘Women in Ukrainian Mythology and Reality: Symbols through time

3:30pm Bronagh Gallagher ‘Fire Source: A history of Sauna and Sweating in Ireland’

Sunday Speakers

10am Dr. Niamh Hamill ‘The Cult of Brigid : from Goddess to Favourite Saint’

12pm Dr. Sonja Tiernan ‘Two Girls in silk kimonos: the revolutionary sisters of Lissadell House’

2pm Eunan McKinney ‘Neglected Reputations: The Yeats Sisters Susan and Elizabeth’

3:30pm Dr. Agnieszka Piwowarczyk ‘Soil: the Black Magic Woman’

Bios & info

Saturday January 31

12 Noon Tara Louise McCaughey ‘Ten Minutes that changed my life’ – Rediscovering yourself through small daily steps.

Tara Louise McCaughey is an entrepreneur, businesswoman, busy Mum and creative. In this talk she will discuss

How she is rebuilding my confidence from burnout using tiny daily habits

Why women often lose themselves trying to hold everything together, mental load gets too heavy and finding no time for ourselves.

How movement, mindset, and self-connection are linked and how it took her 9 years to finally realise that!

Simple practices women can use to reconnect with themselves

How showing up for yourself helps you show up in your life, your work, and your truth

2pm Yuliia Melnyk ‘Women in Ukrainian Mythology and Reality: Symbols through time

Yuliia Melnyk is originally from Ukraine and spent over 15 years working in higher education before moving to Ireland in 2022. She is now engaged in community development and volunteer initiatives, currently working with Donegal Youth Service. Her presentation is inspired by the cultural identity, strength and resilience of Ukrainian women.

3:30pm Bronagh Gallagher ‘Fire Source: A history of Sauna and Sweating in Ireland’

Bronagh Gallagher is an artists, researcher and sauna practitioner. Her current research focuses on the Teach Allais (Traditional Irish Sweat House), beehive-shaped stone structures once used as saunas.

Sunday February 1

10am Dr. Niamh Hamill ‘The Cult of Brigid : from Goddess to Favourite Saint’

Dr. Niamh Hamill is a cultural historian, and Director of the Institute of Study Abroad Ireland. In this talk, she explores how Brigid was transformed from mythical Goddess to beloved Irish Saint, and the many folkloric traditions that still prevail around this enigmatic character.

12noon Dr. Sonja Tiernan ‘Two Girls in silk kimonos: the revolutionary sisters of Lissadell House’

Dr. Sonja Tiernan is Coordinator of the Irish Humanities Alliance at the Royal Irish Academy, and a renowned academic and author of a range of books, including Eva Gore-Booth: An Image of Such Politics (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2012). Sonja will talk about Eva Gore-Booth and her sister, Constance Markiewicz, two Sligo women who would have a profound effect on Irish and British history.

2pm Eunan McKinney ‘Neglected Reputations: The Yeats Sisters Susan and Elizabeth’

Eunan McKinney is the Director of The Yeats Sisters’ Project, designed to celebrate the aesthetic and cultural portfolio of the Yeats sisters, their entrepreneurship and contribution to female empowerment. Susan and Elizabeth Yeats, fondly known within the family as ‘Lily & Lollie’, respectively, were notable artists, skilled crafts people and courageous cultural and entrepreneurial innovators, who advanced the emancipation of women through training and education.

3:30pm Dr. Agnieszka Piwowarczyk ‘Soil: The Black Magic Woman’

A participatory talk about soil, the unloved dark matter, the buzzing yet unheard and unseen living system we put our feet on every day but don't really want to connect with. The source of life, the hidden world waiting to be understood but first it must be loved, waiting patiently to be seen and heard, like the inner child inside each of us. Soil is a home to water, fire, air and earth through which combination and balance it welcomes many spirits to reside. Soil is an Alchemist, a Magic Woman with transformative and healing powers, not only to herself but to us - humans who have not treated her too well. Now, she is coming back with rage, this rage is not a punishment but a wise move of her, a loving message only to save us. The dark side of Gaia era has just begun, are you ready?

The conversation will be led by Soil scientist, Dr Agnieszka Piwowarczyk.

All talks €5 or Weekend wristband for all talks €10.