6 Incredible Irish Women You Should Know
“I have lost the sister I thought I would share my life with. By naming this organisation “The Shona Project” I feel like she is, in spite of her illness, creating an impact on the world, and people will know who she was. The Shona Project is her legacy, and we will continue to do this important work in her name.” -Tammy Darcy, Founder, The Shona Project
To celebrate the work The Shona Project has done to date we encourage others to get involved in #ShineForShona. To take part share a photo of a woman who inspires you, tag The Shona Project and two friends, and share the donation link.
As part of our commitment to the project, we have compiled a list of six remarkable women who inspire the Beat team.
Vicky Phelan
At this point, you must all be aware of the Kilkenny activist and writer's legacy. After receiving an incorrect smear test result, Vicky Phelan was diagnosed with cancer in 2014. She devoted the last years of her life to campaigning for healthcare reform in Ireland. Phelan never set out to be an activist, but once she began her courage and resilience shone through. Phelan died on 14 November 2022, at the age of 48.
Rachael Blackmore
Rachael Blackmore is a Tipperary native, best known for her outstanding achievements in the world of horse sport. Most notably, she became the first female jockey to win the Grand National. In April 2021 she won the Aintree Grand National, on the Henry de Bromhead-trained Minella Times.
Yasmine Byrne (Jazzy)
Jazzy is a favourite artist here at Beat. Yasmine's feel-good soul-pop can be heard regularly on our playlists. She is a testament to hard work paying off.
‘I went from working in a bakery in Tesco to a number-one song’ - Jazzy Irish examiner/ 2023
Through her perseverance, she became the first Irish female solo artist to top the charts in 14 years. You might know her best for her song Make Me Feel Good with Belters Only.
Sinéad Burke
Sinéad Burke is an inspiring disability activist, writer and academic. She champions inclusive design and looks amazing while doing it. At 16 she ran a fashion blog, sick of limited clothing choices as a little person. She often felt excluded from the fashion world due to her disability. She is well known for her TED talk 'Why design should include everyone'. In 2023, Sinead was on the cover of British Vogue along with other disability activists, entitled "Reframing Fashion: Dynamic, Daring, & Disabled."
Dr. Lydia Foy
Emma Dabiri
Best known for her book 'Don't Touch My Hair' Emma is a strong voice in academia, journalism and activism in Ireland. 'Don't Touch My Hair' chronicles the history of black hair as a lens to understand the world around us. She is open about her personal experiences and passionate about dismantling harmful beauty standards for women.
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Shine For Shona
To support The Shona Project in their amazing work please consider donating here. Find out more at Shona.ie
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