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Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson Councillor Cathy Mason and International Women’s Day panel of guest speakers (L to R) Motivational Speaker Breda McCague; Newry Mourne and Down District Council Deputy Chief Executive, Dorinnia Carville, First Female Baptist Minister, Reverend Karen Sethuraman, BBC Radio Ulster, Lynette Faye and Anti-Racist Activist Coumilah Manjoo.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson Councillor Cathy Mason and International Women’s Day panel of guest speakers (L to R) Motivational Speaker Breda McCague; Newry Mourne and Down District Council Deputy Chief Executive, Dorinnia Carville, First Female Baptist Minister, Reverend Karen Sethuraman, BBC Radio Ulster, Lynette Faye and Anti-Racist Activist Coumilah Manjoo.

Tomorrow is International Women's Day and on Friday past Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Cathy Mason hosted an afternoon event in the Slieve Donard Hotel Newcastle to celebrate and promote local women.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson Councillor Cathy Mason and Regen Waste Limited Commercial Director, Celine Grant.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson Councillor Cathy Mason and Regen Waste Limited Commercial Director, Celine Grant.

International Women’s Day is an event that is celebrated globally to recognise, commemorate, and promote women’s achievements in our society. This year’s theme of #BreakTheBias, promotes diversity and inclusivity, celebrating difference. 

The afternoon event provided a great opportunity for guests to catch-up with friends and fellow colleagues while connecting with new faces – something that everyone has missed over the past few years.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson Councillor Cathy Mason and representatives from Mourne Community First Responders (L to R) Roisin Ni Ruanaidh, Helene Grant, Kathleen Sloan, Patricia Toft and Newry, Mourne and Down Deputy Chairperson, Councillor Oonagh Magennis.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson Councillor Cathy Mason and representatives from Mourne Community First Responders, from left:  Roisin Ni Ruanaidh, Helene Grant, Kathleen Sloan, Patricia Toft and Newry, Mourne and Down Deputy Chairperson, Councillor Oonagh Magennis.

Breda McCague, Co-Founder of Lean-In Ireland delivered a motivational speech to guests on the role emotional intelligence plays in our success, discussing how to go from being ‘Average to Awesome’! BBC Radio Ulster, Lynette Faye then hosted discussions with our inspirational panel of speakers Alison Morris, Crime Correspondent for the Belfast Telegraph; Karen Sethuraman, First Female Baptist Minister in Ireland, Dorinnia Carville, Deputy Chief Executive Newry, Mourne and Down and Coumilah Manjoo, Anti-Racist Activist. Each shared their journey and experiences with guests, giving insights into how they have been able to #BreakTheBias in their professional and personal lives. Shane Todd then kept everyone entertained with his hilarious stand-up comedy performance.

The event was supported by Regen Waste limited and the proceeds raised through raffling  prizes donated from local companies, will be donated to Women’s Aid, which offers a range of specialist services to women, children and young people who have experienced domestic abuse.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson Councillor Cathy Mason and (L to R) Minister Of Finance Conor Murphy, Cllr Aoife Finnegan, Cllr Declan Murphy, Cllr Liz Kimmins and Newry, Mourne and Down Deputy Chairperson, Councillor Oonagh Magennis.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson Councillor Cathy Mason and from left: Minister Of Finance Conor Murphy, Cllr Aoife Finnegan, Cllr Declan Murphy, Cllr Liz Kimmins and Newry, Mourne and Down Deputy Chairperson, Councillor Oonagh Magennis.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Chairperson, Councillor Cathy Mason said, “I was delighted to host this in-person event to celebrate International Women’s Day and to welcome so many inspirational women. Our fantastic range of guest speakers shared empowering insights into how they continue to break the bias, to promote diversity and inclusivity while celebrating difference in their lives.”

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson Councillor Cathy Mason and (L to R) Cllr Gerry O’Hare, Cllr Roisin Mulgrew, Cllr Valerie Harte and Cllr Aoife Finnegan.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson Councillor Cathy Mason and from left: Cllr Gerry O’Hare, Cllr Roisin Mulgrew, Cllr Valerie Harte and Cllr Aoife Finnegan.

Cllr Mason continued, “I would like to extend my sincere thanks to our primary sponsors  Re-Gen Waste limited for their invaluable contribution to our International Women’s Day Event, to all the staff at the Slieve Donard Hotel for looking after us so well and to all the companies which donated raffle prizes and gifts; AJC Electrical, The Slieve Donard Hotel, Killeavey Castle Estate, The Canal Court Hotel, Finnebrogue Woods, Freedom Cosmetics, Drop Hopper Coffee, Mourne Mountain Brewery, White Mountain Brewery, BPerfect and the Bolster Community.”

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson Councillor Cathy Mason and Deputy Chairperson, Councillor Oonagh Magennis and (L to R) representatives from The Bolster Community Jena Henning, Noreen McConville, Kathy Wilson, Tara Ruane, Aoife Kearney, Donna Clarke, Olivia Hassan and Lisa McNulty
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson Councillor Cathy Mason and Deputy Chairperson, Councillor Oonagh Magennis and from left: representatives from Bolster Community Jena Henning, Noreen McConville, Kathy Wilson, Tara Ruane, Aoife Kearney, Donna Clarke, Olivia Hassan and Lisa McNulty

Regen Waste Limited Commercial Director, Celine Grant said, “Regen Waste Limited are delighted to offer our support to International Women’s Day and are proud to be associated with this fantastic event celebrating the many inspirational women in our society.”

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