'A truly special opportunity' - Two Offaly winners among Ireland's 'Breastfeeding Champions'

There were two Offaly winners among Ireland’s heroes of breastfeeding support, at a gala awards ceremony in the Tullamore Court Hotel on March 29.

Over 200 people attended the Friends of Breastfeeding Awards gala lunch and awards presentation ceremony to recognise and celebrate excellence in breastfeeding promotion, advocacy, and support across both the professional and voluntary sectors on the island of Ireland.

More than 1,300 nominations submitted from the public were narrowed down to just 72 shortlisted nominees in thirteen categories.

Offaly based nominees lactation consultant Patricia Marteinsson, Cuidiú Offaly breastfeeding group, Banagher Breastfeeding Group, Tullamore Library, Tullamore Lions Club and Tullamore woman Niamh Ní Dhomhnaill were all in contention for trophies at the landmark event, which was held in the midlands for the first time this year.

Speaking at the gala lunch, Chairperson of Friends of Breastfeeding, Edel Quirke said,

“The Friends of Breastfeeding Awards are a truly special opportunity to celebrate all of the positive things happening in the breastfeeding promotion and support space in Ireland, and to recognise and reward all of the many unsung individuals, businesses and groups going above and beyond to ensure breastfeeding is valued, welcomed, and supported.”

Offaly took home two trophies, with Patricia Marteinsson winning ‘Lactation Consultant of the Year 'and the Niamh Ní Dhomhnaill of Cuidiú Offaly and breastfeeding counsellor Breda Cooney together collecting the trophy for ‘Breastfeeding Friendly Media Feature of the Year 'for their article in the Tullamore Lions Annual 2024 for grandparents on supporting their breastfed grandchild.

Patricia Marteinsson accepts her award from FOBF CEO Edel Quirke

The award for Lactation Consultant of the Year rewards an individual delivering excellent specialist care in breastfeeding and lactation. Patricia Marteinsson is the Public Health Nurse Breastfeeding Support for Offaly.

Patricia runs the Banagher Breastfeeding Support Group and supports Cuidiú Offaly breastfeeding support group. Prior to becoming a HSE IBCLC, Patricia worked as a lactation consultant in private practice.

Today, she provides a consultancy breastfeeding support service to all the women in Offaly, working with individual mums in their own home at their own pace, seeing hundreds of women in person and supporting over a thousand by telephone annually. 

Patricia works with local organisations like Parents First Laois/Offaly to support parents, create groups for mums and help them find their tribe, while networking with many other voluntary organisations to create support for all the women of the region.

Testimonials received by Friends of Breastfeeding about Patricia included one person who said “she is so passionate about breastfeeding and really kind, builds you up when you are at your most vulnerable as a new mam and tells you what an amazing job you are doing, she facilitates the Banagher breastfeeding group and makes every lady tea or coffee each week so we can get a break, she is one in a million.”

Another described how “Patricia saved my second breastfeeding journey. One year later, I am still feeding my baby and a huge part of that is down to the great start I got from Patricia”.

The award for Breastfeeding Media Feature of the Year commends a high quality media feature, event or artwork with a focus on stories, topics or issues in, or related to, breastfeeding in Ireland.

In 2024 Cuidiú Offaly organised for the publication of an article on ‘What to Expect When You’re Expecting - a New Grandchild!’ to be published in the 2025 Tullamore Lions Annual.

Written by Niamh Ní Dhomhnaill, the article was presented as an interview with breastfeeding counsellor Breda Cooney and provided practical advice for parents on talking to grandparents about breastfeeding and how they can support breastfeeding. The group intend to host an in person event in 2025 on the topic.

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