Tag Archive | Donegal

Donegal Women want to be active and connected to their community

Aug6
In this women’s lives, women’s voices feature, the Women’s Collective Ireland- Donegal team share with you our recent research findings on the community needs of women in the Donegal. WCI-Donegal Team; Rhona Hannigan Development Worker, Sinead Doherty Project Worker and Danielle Bonner Project Coordinator. Photos by Tori Tinney

It’s been a busy year for the Women’s Collective Ireland- Donegal team, in between our planning and the delivery of a range of courses, workshops and events, this year we have also been researching the community needs of women in Donegal. This research began in December 2024, when we launched a women’s needs assessment survey which provided an opportunity for women living in Donegal to express their community needs and share life experiences. 

572 women aged 18 and above took part in the assessment which was carried out through an online survey. The findings from this survey now provides us with important insight into the lives of women living in Donegal and highlights the diverse needs of women in rural Ireland. 

Women living across the county took the time to share with WCI-Donegal their experiences with mental health, access to local support services, their views on what’s missing for women in the county and their experiences of gender inequality. They spoke openly about mental health, pressure at home and work, lack of affordable childcare, and gaps in community opportunities for women in the county. More than half (52%) said they experience anxiety. Many also reported loneliness, low mood and feeling overwhelmed, especially those in their 30s and 40s, many of whom are juggling work and caring responsibilities. 

A common theme among the respondents was the need for a welcoming, women-only space in their community where they could drop in for a chat, a class or a cuppa, somewhere safe, informal and friendly to connect, learn or simply take a break. Others expressed a need for better access to local workshops, creative programmes, and everyday practical support. 

While most respondents didn’t know of a Women’s Group in their area, nearly three-quarters said they’d like to join one. Many women also said that gender inequality continues to impact their lives, from taking on more caring responsibilities at home while also working, to facing discrimination at work and feeling unsafe in public spaces.

Women’s Collective Donegal project coordinator Danielle Bonner spoke with Ocean FM about the importance of creating spaces for women, the work WCI-Donegal is planning in response to needs assessment findings and the importance of programme funding to support the community needs of women in Donegal.

Women’s responses also suggest that there are gaps in current community engagement and highlight there is a need to utilise and better connect women to the opportunities that already exist in the community. 

Women’s Collective Donegal project coordinator Danielle Bonner highlights what we can do to address these challenges with Highland Radio

Speaking with Greg Hughes on the Nine til Noon Show on Highland Radio about the survey findings

The survey findings will help shape WCI-Donegal’s work, ensuring that our work is grounded in the lived realities of women in Donegal. While the experiences and information shared by women in the survey provides local community organisations and decision-making bodies valuable insight and data to help inform their work allowing us all to better support women to engage and participate in the community, support their wellbeing and empowerment. 

Women’s Collective Ireland-Donegal would like to thank and acknowledge all the women who took the time to complete our women’s needs assessment. Their time and insightful input are very much appreciated. 

You can read a full copy of the needs assessment report by downloading it here.

womens-collective-donegal-county-needs-assessment-report-2025Download

WCI-Donegal are always looking for women to share their stories and looking for women to write features on topics of their choice which we will profile as part of our Women’s Lives, Women’s Voices’ series.

My Voice, My Words, My Love for Writing

Jul25

This ‘Women’s Lives, Women’s Voices’ feature is written by Nasya Mc Jyn. Nasya is a poet and the upcoming new Welfare and Equality Officer at ATU Donegal. Women’s Collective Donegal first met Nasya last year at the Women of the World Seminar in Letterkenny, where she spoke of her experience of being born in Ireland with Nigerian heritage, her love for Donegal after moving to Letterkenny to study law and her passion for poetry. 

Hello reader,

My name is Nasya Mc Jyn, and I am an Irish-Nigerian writer from County Louth but based in Donegal. A little bit about myself: I have a law degree and will be the Welfare and Equality Officer at ATU Donegal from the years 2025-2026. I have an obsession with vintage paintings, reading, and I got into writing at the age of 16, and have only really come out with my work in 2024. Which was both scary and exciting for me as a young person. 

What got me into the world of literature would have probably been my father if I am being completely honest. He played a HUGE role in why I like reading and writing. When I was younger, I was quite literally forced to tag along and go to the library with my father and my sister; that was our weekly thing, which to me at the time was weekly torture, but alas, it slowly started to grow on me. We would have to choose a book and then we were given a week to read it and every now and then he would ask us what we were reading, what it was about, and what we had learned from it. At the time, it might have been annoying for me, but it has been a habit that I never really grew out of. 

I continued reading by myself as I got older, entered every spelling bee as a child, read every required reading in class, and much more. My love for writing started to grow in secondary school when we were put into a position where we had to read something, but it did not just stop there; we had to analyse it, critique it, and think for ourselves. And that was when writing became a possibility for me. Inspired by the likes of Kate Mosse, Maya Angelou, Shakespeare, and Taylor Jenkins Reid, I decided to get on my school laptop and start writing. 

The first draft I ever wrote was for my English teacher, and she gave me corrections that to this day I never let go of. I am currently writing a poetry book as well as my first novel, which sounds like mission impossible, but I am getting through it and learning so much as I go. Here I share with you two poems I have written.

The Tree

When I look out my window, I see a tree.

This tree is not a tree that commands attention,

She does not bear any fruit or flowers, but she is many shades of green.

She is tall in height, and her branches expand to a wide length.

And yet she is still a tree I walk past every day, a tree that I don’t notice,

A tree that I don’t bat an eye at,

Then one day, she managed to lure my eyes.

Colours of olive, sage, and forest green adorned the leaves that were attached to the branches that adorned her like clothing would a woman’s body.

The leaves her clothes,

The branches her bones,

The trunk her waist,

The roots, her legs.

At first glance, she blended in with her green counterparts,

Showing no signs of individuality until I fixed my gaze upon her,

And started to notice the radiant beauty of this tree.

Her beauty may be hidden and unnoticeable upon first glance, but upon further looking, she possesses a certain charm.

Vines climb up her body, 

Crooked, parallel-shaped lines design her trunk, and leaves of all colours coat her branches like wings.

She stands in the way of the fields behind her,

Taking up as much space as she can so that when you look out the window,

Hers is the first face you see.

She is not a tree that commands attention but rather pleads for it.

When I look out my window, I see a tree, and when she looks through the window, she sees me.

Similar in spirit and yet physically different

When we look out the window, whether it be outside or in,

We see each other.

The Tree: Read by Nasya Mc Jyn at the 2024 Women of the World Seminar in Letterkenny

I Am Changing The Things I Cannot Accept 

I’ve been told to accept the things I cannot change, 

And have the courage to change things that I can,

But I choose to change the things I cannot accept.

Footprints of all those who chose to change what they could not accept

They are etched onto the ground, lying before me, grueling in nature and yet revolutionary.

The footprints of women who raised their arms to hold posters in protest

Beckoning to the ears of those who had chosen ignorance over equality.

Under the heel of the oppressor is a woman, 

Defying the very heel intended to hold her down, and rising with double the strength.

Making her own mark and treads, shaping her own destiny, pushing her own rights

And owning her inheritance.

If not a heel, then a muzzle, used to silence her voice,

Intended to keep her quiet and still her dreams, wants, and desires,

Bring her most brightest of ideas to a halt.

Draining her of her light, bottling it, and shining it onto the opposite counterpart,

Her light, her glory, her right robbed.

But her hope is like a bird with feathers,

Ready to soar at any moment, if given a chance.

Her hope is not reliant on man,

It’s born from the twinkling look in her little one’s eye,

And her response is simply wanting more for her.

It’s born from the need to have her voice be heard regardless of whether she dwells in a world that doesn’t want to hear it.

It’s born from a yearning heart, for a foreign start.

A start which could bring prosperity, love, and joy.

It’s born from the longing to be seen and acknowledged

Considered an equal, considered a counterpart, and considered a worthy rival.

I choose to change the things I cannot accept,

I choose to tear the muzzle from my lips if it means the ends of the earth will hear me,

I choose to shine my light on others, not allowing anyone to steal it from me,

I choose to own the rights which are mine to begin with, and not allow the world to tell me otherwise,

I choose to make my own marks and treads in history, so that those in the future can follow.

Those who choose to change what they deem unacceptable know that their hearts are perfectly aligned.

With women from the past.

I Am Changing The Things I Cannot Accept: Read by Nasya Mc Jyn at the 2024 Women of the World Seminar in Letterkenny

WCI-Donegal are always looking for women to share their stories and looking for women to write features on topics of their choice which we will profile as part of our Women’s Lives, Women’s Voices’ series.

Supporting Women 40+ Through Change, One Honest Talk at a Time

Jun12
Jacqueline Toner yoga

When I first began teaching yoga, I knew I wanted to help people feel better in their bodies, but over the years, that calling has grown into something far deeper. As a woman in midlife myself, I’ve seen how this stage of life can feel like a storm and a sunrise all at once.

So many of the women I work with—whether in yoga classes, workshops, or private sessions—are quietly navigating a thousand tiny shifts: sleep disruption, changing hormones, body aches, weight gain, brain fog, burnout, anxiety, mood swings, ageing parents, empty nests, and career transitions. It’s no wonder we’re tired.

That’s why I decided to create a new space for conversation, community, and compassionate education—and so my Mindful Natters podcast was born, with the first series, Sweet Dreams, Strong Women. These talks aren’t polished, perfect, or preachy. They’re real, heartfelt chats with wise people who have something valuable to share. Each one is designed to empower, inform, and gently remind you that you’re not alone, and you don’t have to do it all on your own.

🌿The Power of Honest Conversation

The idea for this series came from the mat—from hearing time and time again that “I didn’t sleep well again last night,” or “I can’t shift this tiredness,” or “I don’t feel like myself anymore.”

Yoga offers so much, but I know we also need support off the mat—in our kitchens, bedrooms, workplaces, and hearts. We need trustworthy, down-to-earth advice from people who understand midlife not just academically, but personally. So, I reached out to some incredible health professionals in my wider circle, and together we began weaving the threads of a supportive tapestry—one conversation at a time.

🎧 In Case You Missed Them: Sweet Dreams, Strong Women: The First 4 Conversations

Here are a few highlights from the series so far—each one focused on a key area that many of us struggle with in midlife.

💬 #1 Sleep Struggles & Solutions: with Reflexologist Joanne Gillen
Joanne and I talked about why sleep becomes so tricky after 40, and how reflexology can help reset the nervous system. She also shared practical tips for creating a wind-down ritual, plus self-massage points you can try at home.
👉 Listen to the talk with Joanne

🥗 #2 Nourishing Food for Fatigue with Laura Fergus, Inner Harmony Health
Laura and I explored the link between nutrition and hormones, why protein and magnesium are key in midlife, and how to eat for energy, not exhaustion. Her advice is sensible, kind, and doable.
👉 Listen to the talk with Laura

💪 #3 Strength Training for Midlife Women with Emmet and Maria Rushe from Rushe Fitness
We discuss why lifting weights is vital after 40, especially for maintaining bone health, regulating metabolism, and improving mood, and how to get started safely and confidently.
👉 Listen to the talk with Rushe Fitness

🧘‍♀️# 4 Mindfulness for Sleep with Mary Kara, from Angels Cove and Donegal Mindfulness
Mary talks about how mindfulness calms the busy mind at bedtime, lowers stress, and helps you feel more present in your day-to-day life.
👉 Listen to the talk with Mary

There’s something powerful about hearing another woman say, “Me too.” These episodes are short, insightful, and full of grace, just like the women (and man) who joined me.

✨Why This Series Matters

I believe we all need permission to pause. To rest. To be soft and strong. These conversations are an invitation to come home to yourself, to honour your body as it changes, and to lean into support when you need it.

They’re also part of a bigger picture—one where we create spaces for midlife women to gather, grow, grieve and glow. Whether that’s in a yoga class, an online circle, a podcast chat, or something even more special…

🌸 Join Me in Person: Journey to the Heart Retreat in September at Lough Mardal Lodge, Co. Donegal
If you’ve felt the call to step away, to unplug and reconnect with yourself more deeply, I’d love to invite you to my upcoming Journey to the Heart retreat this September.

Set in the wild, soulful landscape of Lough Mardal Lodge, this weekend is your chance to slow down, listen inward, and reconnect with what truly matters. This retreat is especially for women over 40 who are craving rest, reflection, and reconnection. Over three nourishing days, we’ll explore gentle yoga, guided meditations, restful rituals, and honest conversations—just like the ones in the podcast, but held in person and presence.

📅12–14 September 2025
📅 📍 Location: Lough Mardal Lodge, Co. Donegal

🌿For more information:
🔗 BOOK YOUR SPOT HERE: subscribepage.io/SMoexo
Spots are limited and do tend to fill quickly. If your heart is whispering yes, I’d be honoured to hold space for you.
You’ll leave feeling grounded, energised, and deeply supported.

💖 A Final Word

This season of life is not a problem to be fixed—it’s a transition to be honoured. My hope is that these podcast conversations and the work I continue to share offer you companionship on the path. Whether you’re sleeping poorly, feeling unsteady, trying to build strength, or just trying to remember who you are, please know this: you’re not broken. You’re becoming.

I’d love for you to listen in, share with a friend, or reach out if a topic resonates. And if you’re feeling the nudge to dive deeper, join me this September in Donegal. We’ll move, breathe, and root into our radiance together.

With warmth, gratitude, and strength,
Jacqueline

www.healingflowyoga.ie | Healing Flow Yoga Instagram & Facebook
Email: jacqueline@healingflowyoga.ie

About Jacqueline
CEO, Healing Flow Yoga / Yoga Teacher & Yoga Therapist | Calm Cultivator | Midlife Mentor
Jacqueline Toner is an experienced yoga therapist and mental health facilitator based in Donegal, Ireland. She teaches weekly yoga and wellbeing classes both in person and online, specialising in supporting women over 40 through life’s transitions—helping them find calm amidst the chaos, build strength gently, and reclaim their energy. Her classes combine mindful movement, breathwork, restorative yoga, and deep relaxation, all designed to leave you feeling grounded, nourished, and empowered. She’s the creator of the Sweet Dreams, Strong Women talk series and will host her upcoming retreat, Journey to the Heart, at Lough Mardal Lodge in September 2025.
When she’s not teaching, you’ll find her singing with her ukulele orchestra, playing guitar, or walking barefoot in nature.

AIB Community Fund 2025

May26

Help Us Empower More Women in Donegal – Nominate Us for the AIB Community Fund 2025

At Women’s Collective Ireland – Donegal, we’re here to support women. We bring women together to learn, build confidence, and feel part of a community — and we want to keep growing that work across Donegal.

That’s why we’re asking for your support.

We’ve Been Nominated for the 2025 AIB Community Fund – and We Need Your Help

The AIB Community Fund supports local charities making a real impact. With your nomination, we could receive vital funding that would allow us to expand the range of programmes and supports we offer — from community wellbeing events to personal development workshops, from upskilling courses to social inclusion initiatives.

What We Do

In the past year alone, Women’s Collective Ireland – Donegal has:
* Delivered a range of courses and training to women across the county
* Created safe spaces for conversation, creativity, and connection
* Advocated for women’s voices to be heard in their communities
* Built a strong network where every woman is welcome

We know from the feedback we receive just how meaningful these opportunities are — they help women return to education, find employment, build friendships, and rediscover their sense of purpose and power.

But demand for our services is growing. With additional funding, we can reach more women in more communities, with more diverse and inclusive programmes.

How You Can Help

AIB is asking the public to nominate local charities they’d like to support. If we receive enough nominations, we’ll be in with a chance of securing a share of the fund.

It only takes a minute to submit a nomination — and every single one counts!

🔗 Nominate us here:
https://aib.ie/personal-forms/community-fund

What You’ll Need to Fill Out the Form:

Charity Name: Womens Collective Ireland Donegal
(Note: please enter this exactly as shown — no apostrophes or hyphens)

Charity Number: 20060688
(Make sure there’s no space at the end when you copy/paste it!)

Charity Location: Ulster

Social Theme: Education & Opportunities

Your own Name and Email Address

🗓 Deadline: 25th June 2025

Why Your Nomination Matters

Every nomination tells AIB that the work we do matters — and that people in Donegal believe in it. If you’ve ever taken part in one of our programmes, come along to an event, or simply believe in the power of community-led women’s support, this is your chance to make a real impact.

Thank you so much for your support