Women's Irish Network UK

Delighted to share that Dublin woman, broadcaster and executive producer Claire Solan will be hosting our upcoming creative writing evening with author Kit de Waal on 20 October. Claire brings two decades of experience across radio, television and podcasting — from producing Zoe Ball, Trevor Nelson and Emma Willis at the BBC, to launching Dish with Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett, which became the UK's biggest branded podcast. She's now the voice behind The Claire Solan Podcast — essential listening for any woman, and for the Irish among us, like a warm hug from home every Friday. Kit de Waal is a British author of Irish-Caribbean heritage, best known for her debut novel My Name Is Leon (2016), which won several awards and was widely praised for its portrayal of a mixed-race boy in the foster care system.  Together with Kit de Waal, she'll lead a fireside conversation on something that feels increasingly important: how we write with feeling, find our voice, and stay creative in the age of AI. It promises to be an intimate and genuinely inspiring evening. A few places remain — details and tickets below. 👇 https://lnkd.in/e-w4kfKY #CreativeWriting #Podcasting #KitDeWaal #IrishInLondon #Storytelling

An Evening as Gaeilge brought us together at the London Irish Centre to celebrate the women bringing our language to new audiences, and what a night it turned out to be. Fluent, rusty, or holding on to just a few words from school, everyone belonged in that room. We spoke honestly about the quiet shame so many of us carry around the cúpla focal, and we agreed it is time to let that go. Doireann, who spoke Irish before she ever spoke English, shared her own journey of coming home to the language, and reminded us that reclaiming it is really a journey back to yourself. She was clear too that this is no online trend. The revival was built over decades by grassroots communities, and the diaspora in cities like London are the ones keeping that fire lit. Emily told us how the Gaeltacht changed her life, and how she has built a community that puts Irish to the forefront for the diaspora, because ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine, we live in each other's shadow. And Mollie, who now has students in eighty-five countries, from newborn babies to people over one hundred, showed us that it is never too late and you are never too far away. Start where you are, do what you can, use what you have. The advice was beautifully simple. Do not go back to the classroom and learn things off by heart. Live it instead. Listen, read, watch your programmes as Gaeilge, meet a friend for coffee and chat as Gaeilge. It is a journey, not a marathon you run overnight, and it is worth every stride. If you take one thing from the night, follow Irish with Mollie and pick up her book, The Gaeilge Guide, a best seller and an Irish Book Award nominee. To everyone who travelled, who came solo, who came out on their first night in a long while, and who shared something deeply personal with a room full of strangers, go raibh míle maith agaibh.  Thank you to the London Irish Centre, your supportive team, and the amazing panellists.  #AnEveningAsGaeilge #Gaeilge #WomensIrishNetwork #IrishInLondon #IrishLanguage #LondonIrishCentre #IrishWithMollie #CúplaFocal #IrishAbroad #Diaspora Nuala Ginty Yvonne Maher Emily Shanks Sinead Dineen

Finding Your Spark in Creative Writing — an evening with Kit de Waal We write every day — emails, posts, reports, messages. But how often do we write with feeling? In an age of AI, the ability to express ourselves with genuine voice, emotion and honesty has never been more valuable, or more worth protecting. This October, the Women's Irish Network is delighted to welcome award-winning author and WIN ambassador Kit de Waal for an intimate evening about reconnecting with our creative selves. Kit will lead a short session of writing prompts and explore what "voice" truly means, followed by an open fireside chat — the kind of conversation that starts on the page and ends up somewhere far more interesting, with plenty of time for your questions. It's an evening for anyone who feels they've been writing the same old lines, and wants to find their spark again. The details Tuesday 20 October 2026, Bankside Hotel, Southbank, SE1 Date: Tuesday 20 October 2026 Time: 6.30 pm drinks on arrival · 7.00–9.00 pm event Tickets: Non-member price: £50.00 Members price: £45.00 Book: https://lnkd.in/e-w4kfKY #WomensIrishNetwork #KitDeWaal #CreativeWriting #IrishWomen #FindingYourSpark

Prizes to be won — and a very good cause. 💚 We're delighted to share the raffle line-up for our Summer Drinks on the Terrace, taking place on Friday 11 September at The Rotunda, King's Cross, in support of the Irish Youth Foundation (UK). Every prize has been kindly donated by Irish businesses and friends of the Women's Irish Network, and every ticket sold goes directly towards the Irish Youth Foundation's work supporting children and young people. With enormous thanks to our generous donors: Signed copy of The Irish Mammy Cooks cookbook — Orla D. Sunday roast for two — Kings Arms, Kennington Lunch tasting menu for two — Myrtle Restaurant Anna Haugh £200 voucher — Peachy Parrot @SarahEvans Skincare pack — Nyrah Beauty NYRAH BEAUTY Lorraine Corcoran Free one-hour online physio consultation, specialising in bone health — The Bone Physio Jenni Dowley Complimentary makeover — Sculpted by Aimee Sculpted by Aimee Aimee Connolly Sunday roast for two, worth £100 — The Rotunda John Nugent Join us on the terrace from 5.30pm for summer drinks, good company and a chance to win. We'd love to see you there. #WomensIrishNetwork #IrishYouthFoundation #Community #IrishInLondon #SupportingYoungPeople

Speaker spotlight: Emily De Búrca 🌱 Is mór an pléisiúr é — it's a real pleasure — to welcome Emily de Búrca to the London Irish Centre on Wednesday 16 September for our evening of Gaeilge, identity and belonging. A London-based, Tipperary-born multidisciplinary artist and designer — working across textiles, print, graphic design, radio and community-led projects — Emily is the founder of Croí na Gaeilge. Founded in 2023 as a creative passion project and a way to improve her own Irish, Croí na Gaeilge has grown into one of London's most vibrant Irish-language communities, creating spaces for connection across the Irish diaspora and beyond. It is also a platform for social action, having raised vital funds for Palestinian aid and other social justice and mental health initiatives, placing solidarity and collective action at the heart of its work. Emily will join our conversation on the revival of Gaeilge, building pobal (community) and what it means to belong — at home and abroad. Whether you're fluent, rusty or know just a few words, beidh fáilte romhat — you're welcome. 🗓 Wednesday 16 September 📍 The London Irish Centre, Camden 🎟 £35 — tickets are limited, so please book early to avoid disappointment. Link to tickets: https://lnkd.in/es9Vn9b6 Feicimid ann sibh — we hope to see you there. #Gaeilge #IrishLanguage #IrishInLondon #WomensIrishNetwork #LondonIrishCentre #Community

Speaker spotlight: Mollie Guidera 📖 Tá áthas orainn — we're delighted — to welcome Mollie Guidera — Irish with Mollie — to the London Irish Centre on Wednesday 16 September for our evening of Gaeilge, identity and belonging. An educator, bestselling author and language activist, Mollie brings depth, clarity, joy and creativity to language learning, weaving storytelling and etymology into her innovative teaching methods and celebrating identity and heritage connections along the way. She offers accessible, relatable resources on her website (irishwithmollie.com), on Instagram and TikTok (@irishwithmollie), in her newsletter, through her podcast Irish with Mollie, and in her first book, the best-selling The Gaeilge Guide. Her uplifting workshops, retreats and courses demystify the language and explore the effective, soulful path of learning — with a global student community of over 13,000 students in 85+ countries. Mollie will join our conversation on the revival of Gaeilge, modern Irish identity and what it means to belong — at home and abroad. Whether you're fluent, rusty or know just a few words, beidh fáilte romhat — you're welcome. 🗓 Wednesday 16 September 📍 The London Irish Centre, Camden 🎟 £35 — tickets are limited, so please book early to avoid disappointment. Link to tickets: https://lnkd.in/es9Vn9b6 Feicimid ann sibh — we hope to see you there. #Gaeilge #IrishLanguage #IrishInLondon #WomensIrishNetwork #LondonIrishCentre #Community

Speaker spotlight: Dr. Doireann Ní Ghlacáin 🎻 We're delighted to welcome Dr Doireann Ní Ghlacáin to the London Irish Centre on Wednesday 16 September for our evening of Gaeilge, identity and belonging. A fiddle player, sean-nós singer, academic and broadcaster from Dublin's north side, Doireann has traditional music and the Irish language woven through her family story — from learning the fiddle at age three under her father Kevin Glackin, to the sean-nós tradition of her mother's family, the Ó Riada's of Cúil Aodha. In 2024 she completed a PhD in oral poetry at the University of Galway. She now works full-time as a broadcaster with TG4 and RTÉ, and is one third of the popular How To Gael podcast. Doireann will lead our conversation on the revival of Gaeilge, modern Irish identity and what it means to belong — at home and abroad. Whether you're fluent, rusty or know just a few words, you're welcome. 🗓 Wednesday 16 September 📍 The London Irish Centre, Camden 🎟 £35 — tickets are limited, so please book early to avoid disappointment. Link to tickets: https://lnkd.in/es9Vn9b6 #Gaeilge #IrishLanguage #IrishInLondon #WomensIrishNetwork #LondonIrishCentre #Community

Irish is having a moment - Bualadh bos a chara 💚 From social media and podcasts to music, television and everyday conversation, a new generation is rediscovering the language and reimagining what it means to be Irish. On Wednesday 16 September, the Women's Irish Network and the London Irish Centre are hosting an evening with three women bringing Gaeilge to new audiences. We'll be in conversation with: Dr. Doireann Ní Ghlacáin — musician, presenter and academic, best known for her cultural programming on TG4 and RTÉ @Emily De Búrca — founder of Croí Na Gaeilge, who has helped build one of London's most vibrant Irish-language communities Mollie Guidera (Irish with Mollie) — creator of an online platform that has helped thousands reconnect with the language, and author of the best-selling The Gaeilge Guide. Whether you're fluent, rusty or know just a handful of words, you're welcome. The discussion will be followed by traditional music, with time to stay on and continue the conversation as Gaeilge. This event is open to everyone — not only WIN members — so please share with anyone who has an interest in Irish language and culture. 📍 The London Irish Centre, 50–52 Camden Square, London NW1 9XB 🗓 Wednesday 16 September, 19.30 🎟 £35 · Book here: https://lnkd.in/es9Vn9b6 #Gaeilge #IrishLanguage #IrishInLondon #WomensIrishNetwork #LondonIrishCentre #Community

Summer Drinks on the Terrace 🌿 The Women's Irish Network invites you to an evening of relaxed networking and connection as we welcome the last of the summer sun. Whether you're building your network, catching up with familiar faces, or new to the community, this is the perfect setting to connect over drinks and share ideas. 📅 Friday 11th September | 5.30pm til late 📍 The Rotunda, King's Cross, London Included: sharing platters & canapés and two drinks vouchers — £35 per person. Proudly supporting the Irish Youth Foundation (UK). Places are limited — comment or message us to reserve yours Book - https://lnkd.in/epRuUHZ7 Sinead Dineen Emily Shanks Andrea Willoughby Christine Bane Christine Frith Yvonne Maher Nuala Ginty #WomensIrishNetwork #Networking #IrishInLondon #IrishYouthFoundation