Last Thursday, 6 March saw almost 150 inspirational women (and a few lucky men) gather in Lawlor’s Hotel Naas for the second annual Macra and ASA International Women’s Day event, in aid of Breast Cancer Ireland, and proudly supported by FBD.

Guests were treated to a delicious three-course lunch, during which they heard from five incredible women who are making waves in the agri-food sector.

The event was opened with an address from Minister for Agriculture, Martin Heydon and an introduction from ASA president, Susan Maher.

The theme of the discussion was Bridging Gaps: Turning Challenges into Opportunities, and the four panellists shared their insights and experiences of working in the agri-food industry.

The panel discussion was chaired by Tara McCarthy, global vice president of ESG at Alltech Ireland.

First up was Karen Brosnan, a leadership expert with over 25 years of experience in strategy, governance and executive coaching.

Karen chatted about how personal circumstances changed during COVID-19, how regular walks with a friend and life coach reminded her of her value, and the pact she made with the other founding members of Ceres, a women-in-leadership network, to mentor one aspiring young female leader each year.

Next was Ursula Kelly, managing director of Cormac Tagging.

Ursula spoke about how she grew the family business from strength to strength. On the topic of ‘mom guilt’ she shared some excellent advice to not treat herself any differently to a man in her shoes.

Farming roots

Kate Fitzgerald talked about leaving her career in childcare to return to her farming roots alongside her husband Shane and father-in-law John on their dairy farm in Portlaw Co Waterford.

She praised the support she received from her family and highlighted how all you need is a little confidence to shine bright.

Finally, guests heard from Úna Sinnott, a proud Wexford woman, award-winning entrepreneur, PhD researcher, a passionate advocate for Irish agriculture and founder of Nutorious. Úna chatted about not believing in failure, instead viewing it as another opportunity to learn and grow.

Panel chair Tara McCarthy summed up the sentiment of the day with her final remarks. “The only options are to make progress or make excuses. We’re done with excuses, so let’s make progress!”

The event raised over €5,000 for Breast Cancer Ireland.

Speaking after the event, Macra president Elaine Houlihan reiterated the importance of supporting such a worthy cause.

“I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, no family in this country escapes without being touched by breast cancer in some way, shape or form.

“We are delighted to have been able to support Breast Cancer Ireland with this event again this year, and would like to thank all of those who supported the event, particularly our kind sponsor FBD.”