Each year between 10-12 local women — unsung heroes — are chosen for their various contributions to the area, with large posters of the women hung outdoors and an award ceremony on the day.

Eibhlín Harrington is the Project Leader at SWAN Youth Service, a community-led youth service focused on 10-24 year olds in St. Agatha’s Hall, North Wall and North Strand areas. Eibhlín has worked at SWAN since it was founded in 2004, supporting young people who experience marginalisation and inequality to achieve positive outcomes through a range of innovative partnerships and services. In Eibhlín’s own words, “We need to be celebrating young people, not demonising them.”

Maeve Foreman has lived in the North Strand since 1986 and is one of the founding members of the multi award-winning Mud Island Community Garden. She was a senior medical social worker in the HIV Clinic in St. James’s Hospital for 15 years and subsequently taught social work in Trinity College until her retirement in 2017. She now sits on the board of the Irish Refugee Council in Killarney Street, as well as on the boards of the Five Lamps Arts Festival and Sunflower Recycling, and remains a committee member of Mud Island Community Garden.

Jean Denner has had various voluntary roles within the parish of Drumcondra, North Strand and St Barnabas for almost 50 years including church warden, parish treasurer, branch leader and treasurer of Mothers’ Union branch. She has also had multiple roles in St Columba’s National School. Jean is a keen crafting, knitting, cross stitch, sewing and baking enthusiast. Jean uses her skills to raise money for the parish and fundraises for the people of Gaza. Jean has been married to Mervyn for over 50 years and enjoys spending time with their nine grandchildren.

Kathleen Walker who sadly passed away three years ago always went out of her way to help people in the local community of Ballybough. She worked as a home help for over 40 years, often running errands for the elderly outside of her working hours. Kathleen really enjoyed her work and it suited her kind, generous and thoughtful personality. She was a beautiful person inside and out. She idolised her three daughters. Family meant the world to her. Kathleen would have been very proud to receive this award.

Anne Gannon recently retired as Librarian in Charleville Mall Library, North Strand. Her favourite thing is sharing stories, whether with children just beginning to read, adults recalling events of the past, or anyone with a story to tell. Anne will be sadly missed in the library and was always a firm supporter of cultural events, history, theatre and art in the local area.

Róisín Lonergan is the founder of the Five Lamps Arts Festival which is now in its 18th year and is a teacher in Marino College of Further Education. Róisín is motivated by a conviction that the arts should be accessible to everyone: whether it’s people with disabilities whom she worked with as part of a drama group at the Central Remedial Clinic (CRC), or those who grow up removed from the arts, despite living a strikingly short physical distance from Ireland’s national cultural institutions. The Five Lamps Arts Festival features strong involvement from local schools and Róisín believes engaging children at an early age is key: “If you have the children wanting it then the parents will want it.”

Anna Quigley has been involved in community activism in the North Inner City since the 1980s and during that time says she has had the privilege of being part of amazing projects set up by inspirational leaders from the local community that respond to key issues that impact on our community life; in particular issues around opportunities for young people, local employment initiatives and responses to drugs and addiction. Over the years this has included LYCS, Sunflower Recycling, Swan Youth Services, ICON and Citywide Drugs Crisis Campaign.

Kirsty Fitzsimons has spent her working life in the music business and started a radio show on Anna Livia Radio, now Dublin City FM, when she found a place to call home on the North Strand in 1995. She has always been passionate about music and independent radio and loved blending the two. Kirsty retired from radio this year and says she now spends time with her dogs and her dahlias. She loves the North Strand, its community and her friends and neighbours, including, she says, “past neighbours whom we all loved, like Rita Drumm and the much missed spark of Mae Prunty. There’s no community like the North Inner City for welcoming people, no matter where they originate from, long may we continue to show that welcome.”

Aideen Leonard has always been a believer in community volunteering and is convinced of its benefits both on a personal level and in its power to transform communities. Aideen worked as a Special Needs Assistant in several local schools: St. Mary’s in Fairview, St. Vincent de Paul on Griffith Avenue and Pobalscoil Rosmini on Gracepark Road. This allowed her to see first-hand the benefits of additional support for children with disabilities and special needs. She has been an active member of Ballybough Pride of Place for the last four years, beginning as a volunteer and progressing to become a committee member. For six years she served on the committee in Mud Island Community Garden and has also volunteered with The Royal Canal Clean up group. She believes that being a volunteer is a worthwhile and valuable way of becoming more invested in the area where you live: “It’s enriching and enjoyable!” she says.

Kellie Harrington is a double Olympic gold medalist as an amateur boxer, winning at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, making her the first Irish boxer to win consecutive Olympic gold medals. She also won gold at the 2018 Women’s World Boxing Championships, 2023 European Games and 2022 European Championships, among many other accolades. An Post launched a stamp collection which featured Kellie for International Women’s Day in 2022 and she was joint Grand Marshal with Ellen Keane at Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade that same year. Kellie was awarded the Freedom of Dublin City in 2022 and released her autobiography Kellie which was written with Roddy Doyle. Kellie was born and reared in the north inner city and is an inspirational sports star to many.

We can't wait for the 2026 festival

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Latest News

Nominate your Heroes for 2026

We are on the lookout for nominations for the 2026 Nollaig Na Mban festival for the unsung heroes of Dublin's North East Inner City Community. We are looking for local women who inspire. The Festival takes place every 6th January. We still have a large list of...

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Thanks very much, Dublin City Council, for showcasing our Dames on Dame Street for the Nolliag na mBan festival. They looked fantastic!

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Paul Reardon Photography captured the Nollaig na mBan events extremely well. Thanks Paul and everyone who participated in the Nollaig na MBan Festival Dublin IE#NEIC If you would like to nominate anyone for 2026 please email nollaignambanireland@gmail.com