Sitting in a crowded room in Edgeworthstown, Co Longford, on International Women’s Day on Saturday, more than 50 women from both sides of the Border gave living proof of John Hume’s adage that one cannot eat a flag.
Brought together by a group of academics to offer “visions from the grassroots” about future constitutional options on the island, the debate, spirited often, was absent discussion about flags, anthems, or the trappings of office.
Throughout, the conversations centred on the challenges facing women today – from domestic violence, to the lack of childcare and job opportunities, or the lack of services for the elderly – all of which impact on women’s ability to play a full role in public life.
Frequently, the conversations between the women centred on the lack of voice given to women in the politics of today north and south of the Border, rather than focusing on overly optimistic predictions about the future
‘It’s about women North and South learning about each other, learning about the grassroots issues in their communities’
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“These are not conversations about flags and anthems, no, no, no, no,” says Kathleen Dowd of Longford Women’s Link. “This is about everyday living. It’s about women having to get up in the morning, having to rear the families, bring the children to school.”
Women from Longford, Mayo, Monaghan, and a cross-community group from Derry and Tyrone, gathered in the CoWorx community hub on the main street in Edgeworthstown for the day-long discussion, which heard, too, from Frances Ruane from the Economic and Social Research Institute.
Professor Joanne McEvoy from the University of Aberdeen told The Irish Times, “What we want to do is to bring women together from different locations across the island to deliberate on the key policy and political problems that they identify as shared problems.
In the long term, if we move into an all-Ireland, we would need to reach a point where it doesn’t matter if you’re Catholic, Presbyterian, Church of Ireland, or anything else
— Padraigin Uí Raifeartaigh
“So, it’s about what people want to see discussed, what’s the agenda, what are the issues. How can they frame those issues in any constitutional discussion that takes place, without imposing a pre-defined choice.”
Louise Taylor, from Cookstown, Co Tyrone, pulled no punches: “I’m proud to be here on International Women’s Day and I’m delighted to have seen so many in the room, but, too often, there’s great pressure to keep us down and silent.
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“Just look, really, at the lengths that men go to keep those voices silent and to keep us oppressed. Yes, we’re brought into the room, but actually, they just go, ‘There, there, love,’” she said.
“In a way, a lot of people often talk as if things work. If you do this, it’s supposed to work, but it doesn’t. They talk as if our services work, as if our government’s functional. But we have had too much evidence that is not the case.”
People must listen to each other, really listen, said Fianna Fáil councillor Uruemu Adejinmi, who chaired Longford Co Council in 2021/21 when she became the first African-born woman to lead an Irish local authority.
“We are from different places. Without getting the support to make change, we’re still going to be here in a year’s time talking about the exact same things. Be brave enough to support an individual you feel has the right message,” she said.
“Someone who has demonstrated that they are able and willing to solve problems. Maybe that’s the stick that political parties need to face, to encourage them to listen more and put forward representatives that will listen.”
Padraigin Uí Raifeartaigh from Draperstown in Ballinascreen, Co Derry, said she had travelled because she is “interested in moving forward into a more positive, inclusive environment here, and in the North”.
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“It’s about women North and South learning about each other, learning about the grassroots issues in their communities that affect the people. Because that’s what politics is about,” she said.
Her ideal is simply expressed, Uí Raifeartaigh said, citing the example of West Donegal where she holidays each summer and where so many “Presbyterians, Church of Ireland, Methodists, Catholics all speak Irish and English”.
“Everybody interacts and engages, and none of that comes into consideration. That’s exactly where I would like to get to be, even in the North,” says Uí Raifeartaigh, a member of Aontú.
“There’s still a lot of work to be done in the North. In the long term, if we move into an all-Ireland, we would need to reach a point where it doesn’t matter if you’re Catholic, Presbyterian, Church of Ireland, or anything else.”
Too often, strongly pro-unity Northern voices fail to heed opinion in the Republic, she said: “Some of the Donegal people say that the South can’t afford us, and they don’t want to inherit the crap that goes on up there. Those are exactly the words used to me.”
