Successful Leitrim event looks to close gender gap in local decision making

The ‘Connecting Women to Local Decision-Making in Leitrim’ seminar, hosted by Leitrim Public Participation Network (PPN) in association with the North Leitrim Women’s Centre and See Her Elected, took place in Carrick-on-Shannon on Friday, June 13. The event proved to be inspiring, uplifting, and empowering.

The opening address was delivered by Assumpta Kelly of the North Leitrim Women’s Centre. The Centre supports the holistic needs of women of all ages, cultures, and religions through information, education, healthcare screening, and social networking. Her address was followed by Dr Michelle Maher, Programme Manager for See Her Elected – a community-led initiative supporting women in rural areas to become county councillors.

Dr Maher presented a historical overview of women in local politics in Leitrim. She highlighted a stark imbalance in representation.

“To date, there have only been eight women elected to Leitrim County Council in its entire history, which isn’t even a football team,” noted Dr Maher.

“And over the same period over 160 different men have taken seats in the chamber, clearly not a level playing field.”

READ MORE: Over €114,000 in Local Enhancement Funding announced for Leitrim community groups

She encouraged women to recognise the value of their work in their communities and to engage with Leitrim’s Public Participation Network. Up to 40 seats on council committees, boards, and forums are reserved for PPN Representatives.

Attendees were informed about the many benefits of PPN membership, including access to funding updates, networking opportunities at biannual plenaries, and eligibility to serve as a PPN representative on council structures – ensuring community voices are heard where decisions are made.

Dr Maher also noted a positive trend: the number of women running in local elections in Leitrim rose from nine in 2019 to 13 in 2024. Nationwide, 27 percent of county councillors are now female, while Leitrim currently has five women among its 18 councillors. The discussion consistently emphasised the many avenues through which women can contribute to local leadership and decision-making.

Among the audience was Kathleen Coleman, who, alongside Cllr Mary Bohan, became one of the first women elected to Leitrim County Council in 1979. Dr Maher also acknowledged Cllr Bohan’s mother, Alice McTiernan – the first woman to contest a local election in Leitrim in 1967 and again in 1974. Though unsuccessful, her pioneering role paved the way for her daughter to ultimately be elected.

Stepping in last-minute for Senator Nikki Bradley, who was unable to attend due to unforeseen circumstances, RTÉ journalist Carole Coleman – Kathleen Coleman’s daughter – gave an engaging talk about her mother’s political journey, the importance of political dialogue in the home and women in politics.

“If you look at the global situation, there are 18 female heads of Government around the world out of 200 countries.

“It’s still quite low and two of them are in Northern Ireland,” Ms Coleman said.

“But the UN itself says that in order for parity to be achieved it will take another 163 years,” she added.

“In Leitrim, it’s slightly above average but there’s still a long way to go.”

The panel discussion featured Cllr Mary Bohan, who offered this simple advice to women in Leitrim: “Just go for it.”

She was joined on the panel by Bláithín Gallagher, Lola Gonzalez, and Bernie Mulligan Dolan – three Leitrim women who shared their personal experiences in community leadership. Interviewed by Megan Flynn Dixon, Communications and Development Manager for See Her Elected, they reflected on the transformative impact of their involvement and the challenges they faced in local decision-making. 

The morning concluded with a humorous and engaging performance written specially for the event by Leitrim playwright Treasa Nealon.

Bringing the event to a close, Mary McKeon, Co-Ordinator of Leitrim PPN, thanked everyone for attending and supporting the inspirational women who are shaping their communities. She encouraged attendees to consider applying for PPN Representative roles as vacancies arise.

Speaking after the event to the Leitrim Observer, Dr Michelle Maher highlighted that one of the most important outcomes of hosting events like this is increasing visibility.

“People get to know about us and see there’s an organisation that’s solely focused on getting women into county councils.

“We understand rural Ireland. We understand how local politics work, and what we’re really trying to do is get the information that’s held by people in political parties out and make it accessible so every woman has the information at her fingertips,” she explained.

Attendees were reminded that the PPN offers numerous opportunities for representation across all sectors in the county – a perfect entry point to understanding and participating in local decision-making. 

Any member of a registered community or not-for-profit group can attend Linkage Group meetings, participate in plenary sessions twice a year, and avail of free training for groups.

For more information, contact Mary McKeon at mary@leitrimppn.ie or visit www.leitrimppn.ie.