Mná na hÉireann

Mná na hÉireann - Women of Ireland: This podcast celebrates Irish women at home and abroad.BBC Journalist and presenter Ciara Riordan interviews one Irish woman per episode.Three defining moments, what being an Irish woman means to them, Irish women they look up to, best advice they got from an Irish woman, their favourite Irish saying, and a quick-fire at the end Taytos or King crisps, Lyons or Barrys tea.This week's guest is Donna Gartland, CEO of Dublin's Energy Agency – Codema. Codema is a not-for-profit social enterprise and was established in 1997. Its mission is to accelerate the low-carbon transition in an innovative and inclusive way. Her journey to CEO was not a straight line - she tried art college first, then did an Arts Degree at UCD, then qualified as an electricianbefore returning to college to study engineering at TU Dublin. She then moved to Denmark to complete a master’sdegree in Energy planning and management. She returned to Dublin and started as an intern at Codema before working her way up to CEO. She has won several awards for her leadership and is currently shortlisted for the EU Women in Energy Award 2026, with the winner decided by public vote in June. She is from Dublin, and lives in Dublin. www.mnanaheireann.iewww.ciarariordan.com

Mna na hEireann - Women of Ireland. Celebrating Irish women at home and abroad. BBC Journalist and presenter Ciara Riordan interviews one Irish woman per episode. Three defining moments, what being an Irish woman means to them, Irish women they look up to, best advice they got from an Irish woman, their favourite Irish saying, and a quickfire at the end Taytos or King crisps, Lyons or Barrys tea. This week's guest Kathy McLoughlin is an Irish educator who career has been defined by resilience, international experience, and a deep commitment to literacy. She taught English and religion at secondary school level in Ireland before spending two years in the UK, and then moving to Sudan where she lived for twelve years working across primary and secondary school settings before the war broke out in April 2023 and she and her family had to escape. She is from Mayo and lives in Mayo.www.mnanaheireann.iewww.ciarariordan.com

Celebrating Irish women at home and abroad. BBC Journalist Ciara Riordan interviews the founder of Black & Beech, a feminist fashion brand built on the belief that clothes aren’t neutral, and neither is business.Stacey Grant-Canham is originally from Limerick and is based in Cardiff. She has spent the past decade building a brand worn by over 40,000 people who see fashion as a form of expression, resistance and solidarity. Black & Beech produces its collections in women-ownedfactories across Portugal, and works with heritage makers in the UK, with screen printing or embroidery done locally in Cardiff. The brand has donated over £25,000 to feminist causes, including abortion access, domestic violence support and migrant women’s advocacy. Inspiring women. Inspiring Irish women. Women of Ireland. Mna na hEireann. We all have a story to tell. For more information: www.mnanaheireann.iewww.ciarariordan.com

Celebrating Irish women at home and abroad. A fabulous colleague of mine at the BBC, she has worked for the UK’s top media companies for the past 30 years. Claudia Redmond has a master’s graduate from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama at the university of London. Claudia is also a theatre reviewer, and writes for the Irish post. Born in London to Irish parents, she grew up in Albert road in Cork City. Website: www.mnanaheireann.ieFounder and Host: Ciara Riordan - www.ciarariordan.com

Celebrating Irish women at home and abroad. Edel Howlin is a seasoned communications professional, who set up her own company ‘Untapped Communications’ 5 years ago. I met Edel when we both worked at Newstalk radio a long time ago! She specialises in helping nonprofits and women-owned businesses thrive. Edel has her own podcast called The Mediocre Gardener.Edel is from Kildare and lives in Pennsylvania in the US.Website: www.mnanaheireann.ieFounder and Host: Ciara Riordan - www.ciarariordan.com