MIC FemFest 2026 to celebrate women’s experiences and achievements

MIC FemFest 2026 to celebrate women’s experiences and achievements. Professor Niamh Stack, Head of the Psychology Department; Dr Ailbhe Kenny, Associate Professor of Music Education; Dr Dorothy Morrissey, Lecturer in Arts Education and Physical Education; Dr Fiona McDonagh, Lecturer in Drama & Theatre Studies; Jayde Ryan, President of MISU; Dr Kathryn Laing, Chair of the MIC FemFest and Lecturer in English Language & Literature; Dr Síle Ní Choincheannain, Lecturer in Education with expertise in Irish; and Jude McInerney, Researcher and Postgraduate PhD student in Media and Communications

MIC FemFest 2026 from 3-5 March, bringing together students, staff and the wider community for three days of events

Mary Immaculate College (MIC) will host MIC FemFest 2026 from 3-5 March on its Limerick campus, bringing together students, staff and the wider community for three days of events celebrating the experiences, creativity and achievements of women.

A key fixture in the College calendar, MIC FemFest is a festival led by a committee of academic staff, professional services colleagues and students. This year’s events span diverse topics including girls and sport, feminism and art making, women in radio, women in philosophy and migration. All events are free and open to the public.

The festival opens on Tuesday, 3 March with Feminism, Conflict and Making Art at 1 pm, hosted by Dr Ailbhe McDaid, Assistant Professor in English Language and Literature at MIC, featuring artists and writers. This will be followed by a performance by Deirdre Clare, of classical songs by female artists from both jazz and folk canons. That evening at 6 pm, former Irish international soccer and rugby player and author Jackie McCarthy O’Brien will deliver the opening address, reflecting on her life and memoir, We Made It, Kid: Living Life in Full Colour. Registration is required for this event.

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On Wednesday, 4 March, a special roundtable discussion titled Women in Radio will bring together some of the leading voices in Irish broadcasting to mark 100 years of radio in Ireland. The event will be hosted by media consultant and project director Ness McGann. Taking part in the discussion are Petula Martyn, Mid West Correspondent with RTÉ News; Fiona Stack, CEO of the Radio Kerry Group; and Judy-Meg Ní Chinnéide of Raidió na Life.

The festival concludes on Thursday, 5 March, with a screening of the award-winning documentary Blue Road: The Edna O’Brien Story, directed by Sinéad O’Shea and featuring Golden Globe winner and Oscar nominee Jessie Buckley. The screening will be introduced by Dr Maureen O’Connor, School of English and Digital Humanities, University College Cork, author of Edna O’Brien and the Art of Fiction and a participant in the documentary. This will be followed by a Q&A session with Dr O’Connor and Dr Susan Liddy, Lecturer in Media and Communication Studies. Registration is also required for this screening.

Speaking ahead of the festival, Dr Kathryn Laing, Chair of the MIC FemFest and Lecturer in English Language & Literature, said, “MIC FemFest creates space to celebrate women’s achievements while also opening up honest conversations about the challenges that remain.

“It is a collective effort across the College community and beyond, and we are proud to welcome everyone interested in some or all of these events, men and women, young and old, students at school and in college, and the general public, to join us. Looking forward to International Women’s Day on March 8, we hope the festival sparks connection, reflection, and a renewed commitment to equality in all its forms.”