Irish women in Agriculture have admirably kick-started 2017 on a high note.

Back in 2014, National Rural Network conducted startling research, showing that only 13% of 111,134 Irish farmers were women. It was also identified that these females were slightly older than their male counterparts.

Keeping this in mind, over the past three months, women in farming groups have taken the Irish island by storm.

With numerous highly recognised, well-represented Agricultural organisations established in Ireland for decades, one may question why exactly there are so many groups of this nature making waves.

Irish Women in Farming Join Forces

Identifying females as the evident backbone of Agriculture, Irish ladies have joined forces in order to achieve change and tackle the ongoing issue of the under-representation of females in the currently male-denominated industry.

Closing the gender gap and recognition of women’s core involvement in Agriculture are among the group’s collective objectives.

With an aim to educate, empower and support Agricultural ladies, the first of these groups, ‘South-East Women in Farming Ireland’ hit the ground running in the early New Year.

Two successful meetings have been hosted with a panel of some of the industry’s leading females in the media circles.

In hot pursuit, sister-group ‘West Women in Farming Ireland’ was established. Excitement is building ahead of the group’s first meeting on Saturday 1st of April.

International Women’s Day

Recognising the significance of the inaugural International Women’s Day celebration, which is a highlight in the calendar for many, two further groups have since begun their mission.

Meitheal na mBan, Rural Women Munster and North West Women have joined forces with the other two groups.

The women expressing an interest in these groups are full-time and part-time farmers, farm managers and involved in consultancy, Agricultural advisory, Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Nursing, and agri-business.

The groups have plans for recognition on a local and national stage, but also wish to express their voices on an international stage.

Post by Catherina Cunnane

Hailing from Kilkelly, County Mayo, Catherina comes from a busy and well-established suckler and drystock farm. She also writes for That’s Farming online Agricultural news portal,