Kildare County Council celebrates women in business and resilience at St. Brigid’s Day event

A St. Brigid’s Day celebration highlighting women in business, leadership and resilience took place on Friday, January 30 at Kilkea Castle Hotel, bringing together entrepreneurs, business leaders and enterprise stakeholders from across County Kildare. 

Hosted by Kildare County Council’s Local Enterprise Office (LEO), the event marked St. Brigid’s Day by recognising the legacy of St. Brigid as a symbol of strength, compassion and leadership, while showcasing the lived experiences of women in enterprise. 

The event opened with a welcome address from the Cathaoirleach of the County of Kildare, Cllr Carmel Kelly, who spoke about the enduring relevance of St. Brigid’s values in today’s business environment: “St. Brigid’s story reminds us of the power of resilience, leadership and community. Today’s event celebrates the vital contribution women make to enterprise in Kildare and reinforces our commitment to supporting women-led businesses to grow, innovate and succeed." 

Proceedings were facilitated by Jacqui McNabb, Head of Enterprise, Kildare County Council, who formally opened the event and outlined the range of supports available to businesses through the Local Enterprise Office, including mentoring, training and financial supports. 

Ms McNabb highlighted the Council’s ongoing commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive enterprise environment for women-led businesses across the county. 

Guests were welcomed with a musical performance by Eimear Crehan which set an uplifting and reflective tone for the afternoon. Speakers on the day included Magda of Pure Oskar and Geraldine Osborne, author of Somewhere Cold.  

A panel discussion chaired by Amanda Cahir O’Donnell of SkyRed Leadership featured Geraldine Osborne, Aisling O’Toole, Linda Chanders and Lynne Connolly, and explored themes of leadership, resilience and personal development.  The discussion engaged with audience questions in a dynamic and thought-provoking exchange. 

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Closing remarks were delivered by Sonya Kavanagh, Chief Executive, Kildare County Council, who reflected on the impact of the event: “The stories shared today are powerful reminders of the strength, ingenuity and determination of women in business across Ireland. The connections made here will continue to influence our businesses and communities long after today.”