Tag Archive | women

Women in the Home

Jul13

This feature is part of the ‘Women’s Lives, Women’s Voices’ series. A reflective and powerful poem by Lorraine Doherty a former 2022 WITH (Women in the Home, New Beginnings) course participant.

Women in the home

No time for your phone.

So much to do,

No peace to go to the loo.

Nursing, chauffeuring, cooking, cleaning

Trying to stop the kids kicking and screaming.

Always in demand

Could do with an extra hand.

When you feel like you are going to

Blow your top

Remember to breathe, and then

You will stop.

Life can be tough

But it’s okay to say no

When You’ve had enough.

It’s important to enjoy

Having the craic

And remember your friends

Will always have your back.

By Lorraine Doherty

Women’s Collective Ireland-Donegal ( formally NCCWN Donegal Women’s Network) have been offering the WITH course to women in Donegal for over 4 years through the funding support of DLDC under the SICAP programme. The aim of this 8 week course is to support women in life-long learning opportunities. Promoting personal development, well-being and positive mental health.

The course is facilitated by Personal Development Coach & Speaker Emily Whelan. The course is designed with the view “It is important for women to feel valued, to recognise the transferable skills they already possess, and to realise their potential. When we believe in ourselves anything is possible.”

This course will be running again in September in Pettigo, starting Monday 19th September, 10am-1pm in the Termon Complex. If you are interested in participating in this programme please fill in our form here and we will get in contact with you.

Women’s Collective Ireland- 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.

Women your lived experience matters

Jun5

In June 2020, Donegal Women’s Network conducted a Covid-19 impact survey with 832 women living across Donegal taking part.  These survey results provided a snapshot into the lived experiences of women during the March-June 2020 restriction period.

The data gathered identified a series of issues impacting women across the county. The data further highlighted that the pandemic had created additional stresses for women in the County and added pressure to existing gender inequalities and gender stereotypes. The 2020 impact report findings can be read here.


The survey findings helped in the planning of our 2021 working areas and the development of courses and workshops for women. While as an organisation that promotes and supports women’s equality we shared our research report to all the Donegal political representatives, to highlight and ensure they recognise the issues women in the county are facing. In January 2021, Thomas Pringle TD highlighted our research findings to the Minister for Social Protection on Covid-19 during a Dáil Éireann sitting. 

A year on Donegal Women’s Network wants to hear from women living in Donegal again. We have developed a follow up survey and we are inviting women to share with us their experiences of life through the pandemic over the last year. Collecting this information from you will help inform our future work and allow us to document and bring a local gender lens to the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s lives and feed into local post-pandemic strategies to support women.

Take part in this survey* HERE

The information gathered in this survey will be stored anonymously (unless you have agreed to be contacted for a follow-up with a member of staff) and securely. It will not be possible to identify you in any of the publications that may result from this survey.  

*All fully completed surveys (approx.15 mins to complete) will be entered into a draw with the chance to win one of a number of prizes that have been kindly sponsored, these include; a €200 Luxury Items Hamper from Cara Pharmacy, Tea for Two at Harvey’s Point Hotel and a lunch and dessert for two at Simple Simon’s in Donegal Town.

If you require a printed copy please email us at donegalwomensnetwork@gmail.com or text your details to 087 7981330 and we will send you one out along with a stamped addressed envelope for return.  If anyone would like to complete the survey over the phone please text Finola at 087 7981330 and we can arrange a time to do this.

Donegal Women’s Network is part of the umbrella organisation, the National Collective of Community-Based Women’s Networks (NCCWN). We support women who experience disadvantage and marginalisation as a result of barriers and lack of opportunities.

The information collected on this form will be held by NCCWN – The National Collective of Community Based Women’s Networks in manual and in electronic format. The information will be processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act, 1988, the Data Protection (Amendment) Act, 2003, and the Data Protection Act 2018 and your details will not be made public.

Saturday Drama

Jan19

NCCWN-Donegal Women’s Network invites you to join us in celebrating St Brigid’s Day and women’s stories. On Saturday, 30th January and 6th February, 11am-2pm, we are hosting two creative drama workshops via Zoom.

These will be fun, energetic, creative and participatory workshops and will be facilitated by Sinead O’Donnell-Carey, a theatre maker, visual artist and drama facilitator.

If you would like to sign up for these creative workshops please fill in the online form here https://forms.gle/M16L6o3UsnDiqLii6 and Donegal Women’s Network will be in contact with you to confirm your place.

*If you have a disability which you think may impact your participation, please just let us know in advance to allow the facilitator to support any participation needs.

These workshops are funded through DLDC

Do you know about the COVID-19 Restrictions in Maternity Services?

Sep21

Maternity services in Ireland should matter, please get involved and show your support.

NCCWN Donegal Women’s Network as a project of The National Collective of Community based Women’s Networks (NCCWN) are calling on the Government to ease COVID-19 restrictions in maternity services and allow birthing partners to support pregnant people and be present at all pregnancy related appointments, scans, full labour and birth as soon as possible.

As part of this call, we are also asking members of the public to let Government representatives know that you are not happy with the current measures or treatment of pregnant people and you want restrictions in maternity services to ease.

To make it as easy as possible for you to contact your local TD we have drafted a letter you can use to express your concerns and support every pregnant person across the country. You can find who your local TD is and how they can be contacted at: https://www.whoismytd.com/.

If you are part of a women’s group and would like to draft your own letter, please feel free to contact your nearest NCCWN project for support. You can find where all of our projects are located here. Or, if you would like your nearest project to send the letter on your behalf please contact us and let us know. Your personal details will only be used for this campaign unless you indicate that you want us to retain your details.

Download the letter template