The ICA is the largest women’s association in Ireland, with circa 6,000 members and over 440 Guilds across the Country. We cook, travel, craft and socialise!
The aims of the ICA is to provide a welcoming and fun organisation which offers support, friendship, personal development, education and life long learning.
Our members regularly learn new skills, participate in local charity initiatives and get involved in their local communities. As a member of the ICA our structure means that your voice is heard locally, in your county and nationally as we work to ensure that women’s interests, family policies and community values are at the forefront of Government policy both nationally and in county councils locally. We build on 110 years of nurturing the Irish Language and culture and we ensure that through teaching and practicing that we preserve the long tradition of heritage crafts that we are so proud of in this country.
ICA is a charity and the Charity Number is RCN 20006730
Mission
The objectives of the Association are to bring women together in fellowship and through co-operative effort, to develop and improve the standard of rural and urban life in Ireland having due regard for our Irish culture and to encourage the use of the Irish language in the affairs of Bantracht na Tuaithe.
THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE BOARD 2024 -2027
National President Mary D’Arcy
National Secretary June Lawless
National Treasurer Mairead Phelan
Chair of the National Advisory Committee Irene O’Brien
Regional President South East Liz Dermody
Regional President South West Ena Howell
Regional President North West Maura McGuinness
Regional President North East Catherine O’Dowd
Cavan Federation President Rosemary Murphy
Galway Federation President Mai Connole
Kerry Federation President Mary Connolly Kenny
Longford Federation President Margo Ward
Mayo Federation President Margaret Moran
Offaly Federation President Carmel McConigley
Tipperary South President Anne Devitt
Waterford Federation President Mary Birney
The National Advisory Committee 2024-2027
Chair of the National Advisory Committee Irene O’Brien
National President Mary D’Arcy
National Secretary June Lawless
National Treasurer Mairead Phelan
Regional President South East Liz Dermody
Regional President South West Ena Howell
Regional President North West Maura McGuinness
Regional President North East Catherine O’Dowd
CARLOW Federation President Mary Dunphy
CAVAN Federation President Rosemary Murphy
CLARE Federation President Mary O’Halloran
CORK Federation President Deirdre Hickey
DONEGAL Federation President Leona Hutchinson
DUBLIN Federation President Antoinette Rae
GALWAY Federation President Mai Connole
KERRY Federation President Mary Connolly Kenny
KILDARE Federation President Mary MacNamara
KILKENNY Federation President Shirley Power
LAOIS Federation President Deirdre Dunne
LEITRIM Federation President Pamela Rowley
LIMERICK Federation President Carol O’Keefe
LONGFORD Federation President Margo Ward
LOUTH Federation President Anne Stacey Coburn
MAYO Federation President Margaret Moran
MEATH Federation President Phillis Roe
MONAGHAN Federation President Irene O’Brien
OFFALY Federation President Carmel McConigley
ROSCOMMON Federation President Marie Gorman
SLIGO Federation President Mary Harkin
TIPPERARY NORTH Federation President Marie O’Toole
TIPPERARY SOUTH Federation President Anne Devitt
WATERFORD Federation President Mary Birney
WESTMEATH Federation President Rosaleen Madden
WEXFORD Federation President Breda Cahill
WICKLOW Federation President Margaret Stephens
NATIONAL COMMITTEES:
The Governance Review Committee: Mary D’Arcy Chair, Mairead Phelan, Mary O’Gorman and Eufemia Solinas.
The Finance Committee: Mary O’ Halloran Chair, Mary Harkin, Marie Gorman, Mairead Phelan, Heather Evans. and Eufemia Solinas.
The Procedures Committee: Mary McCarthy Chair, Marion Lyon Secretary, Barbara Meer, Joan Canning and Áine Burge
The Handcraft Committee: Bronwyn Murray Chair, Mary O’Gorman, Eleanor Calnan, Ethel Patterson, Breda Bohan and Nora Keady.
The Arts Committee: Ena Howell, Carol O’Keeffe, Mary Moloney, Margaret Smith, Una O’Reilly, and Kathleen Gallagher.
The Produce Committee: Patricia Madden Chair and Elizabeth Brookes Secretary.
The Climate Action and Sustainability Committee: Susanna Braswell, Eithne Phelan, Kathleen Farrelly, Maureen McLaughlin, Breda Cahill, and Jane Jackson.
Coiste na Gaeilge: Mary Neylon, Helen Ui Mhuineachain, Maura McGuinness and Mary McNamara.