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May, 2018 I www.irishecho.com.au
A U S TRA L IA’S IRIS H N EWS PAPER
local BRIGID AWARDS HONOUR IRISH AUSTRALIAN WOMEN
Celebrating Irish women who make a difference Judith Crosbie FIVE Irish-Australian women have been honoured at a ceremony in Sydney, including a Cork nun who is chaplain at Port Botany, and the former president of the trade union umbrella group. The annual Brigid Awards, named after St Brigid, recognise the contributions of women with Irish heritage to Australian society. Senator Deborah O’Neill, patron of the Irish Friends of Labor, which organises the awards, said the occasion was “an important way of recognising the work and commitment that Irish and Irish-Australian women do in many parts of our community”. Sister Mary Leahy, who received a community hero award, has for more than 25 years provided care and support to seafarers at Sydney’s Port Botany, who are often away from their homes and families for months. Born in Fermoy and living in Australia since 1979, she met Pope Francis in December to receive a Papal honour, the Croce Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice, for the dedication she has shown in ministering to seafarers. Sister Mary presented the Pope with a high-visibility vest in case, as she remarked afterwards, “he wants to visit a ship”. Gerardine “Ged” Kearney, recently elected to the Australian federal House of Representatives and a former president of the Australia Council of Trade Unions, received the Bridget Whelan award. A former nurse, Ms
Kearney spearheaded the push among the trade union movement to make paid domestic violence leave an entitlement in all workplace agreements. She has been an outspoken critic of Australia’s policy on refugees and attempts to strip away protections and conditions for workers. Ms Kearney has strong links to Ireland through her parents, whose ancestors emigrated to Australia in the 19th century. The Bridget Whelan award is named after the late government adviser who became an advocate for charities and cancer awareness organisations. Other award recipients include Tina King Garde, from Dún Laoghaire, who has supported the Irish in Sydney through her work in community radio, the Gaelic Club and the Irish Echo. She raised one of the highest amounts of funding for the Dry July campaign in 2014, which helped support work carried out by the Royal North Shore Hospital Cancer Unit, where her late husband Phil was receiving treatment at the time. Another well-known Dubliner, Georgina Finn, received a contribution to small business award for her role in setting up Celtic Travel and for her support to the Irish community. Niamh Fitzsimons, also from Dublin, received an award for her contribution towards the trade union movement. She has worked on highprofile campaigns to eliminate lower rates of pay for young people in the retail and fast-food sectors.
BRIGID AWARDS: Receiving their Bridig Awards from Senator Deborah O’Neill are (clockwise from above) Georgina Finn of Celtic Travel; Ged Kearney MP, Tina King-Garde and Sister Mary Leahy.
ABORTION REFERENDUM CAMPAIGN REACHES AUSTRALIA
Excluded voters keen to be heard
Supporting a ‘yes’ vote: Christine Howell, Shauna Stanley, Gary Hansell, Pam Lowe, Jimmy Yan and Grace Carroll at Melbourne’s Drunken Poet.
IRISH citizens living in Australia are not allowed to vote in the referendum on abortion. The vote will ask people to consider repealling the 8th amendment, which prohibits abor tion in almost all circumstances. A series of events have been held in Sydney and Melbourne advocating for a ‘yes’ vote. Diaspora Downunder Dollars for Choice (#ddd4c) is a campaign aiming for 30 events around Australia to fundraise for Together for Yes. Convenor of the Irish Pro Choice group Shauna Stanley said it was frustrating that expats “cannot get our voices heard at the ballot box” but “we
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can contribute some of our hardearned Australian dollars to give the Together for Yes campaign ever y chance for success”. DDD4C has received pledges from all around Australia, including themed par ties, events and a pub quiz at Melbourne’s Drunken Poet pub. “We have had an amazing response, with lots of creative ideas from supporters all over the country. “It’s been hugely inspiring to see this kind of grassroots organising. “Irish people always love good craic, but have shown themselves to be extra keen to get on board for this cause,” Stanley said. “This has a movement led by women
organising to demand their rights, against a well-funded anti-choice lobby. We may be 20,000 kilometres away, but we can feel the international reach of the sisterhood,” said Stanley. Fellow campaigner Elaine Arnold said “We wanted to [find] a way of collectively contributing towards positive progression in Ireland.” Suppor ters of a ‘yes’ vote also gathered at the Irish-owned 34 Bia restaurant last weekend for a fundraiser. Organised by Louise Nealon and Ann Marie Crotty, tickets included a full Irish breakfast and a donation to the Together for Yes campaign in Ireland. Ticket sales and raffle raised more than $2000.
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