International
Women’s Business Conference 22nd August 2016
at the Brandon Conference Centre, Tralee Enterprise Ireland are proud to present the International Business Women’s Conference to be held in conjunction with the Rose of Tralee international Festival on Monday August 22nd in the Brandon Hotel, Tralee. In its second year, the event gathers leaders from across the business and entrepreneurial spectrum to celebrate the business achievements and success stories of women today. This year’s conference theme is ‘The Changing Face of Success’ focussing on strong female role models leading by example and empowering women to fulfill their ambitions. Senior female figures such as Eleanor McEvoy and Norah Casey from Dragons’ Den will share their experiences and insights on themes such as leadership, linking the digital age and entrepreneurship. Announcing the conference, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD said: “I am delighted that the International Business Women’s Conference is in its second year. This is a hugely important and inspiring event which brings together successful, inspirational female entrepreneurs. It is great to see the range and diversity of the speakers
(L to R) Pictured at the launch of the Enterprise Ireland International Business Women’s Conference are Enterprise Ireland CEO, Julie Sinnamon, Rose of Tralee, Elysha Brennan, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor and Head of Business Banking at AIB, Catherine Moroney.
that will be attending the conference. Promoting the achievements of women actively encourages others to aim high and in turn creates a valuable contribution to both the economy and society here in Ireland. Creating the environment for more start-ups to develop and grow is a key priority for me and female entrepreneurs can play a major role in job creation.”
Head of Business Banking at AIB, Catherine Moroney said: “AIB is fully committed to supporting all our customers and businesses with a particular focus on facilitating our female entrepreneurs and women in business to realise their full potential. We are delighted to be involved in this event with Enterprise Ireland and other partners to promote and sponsor the 2016 International Business Women’s Conference. We in Sponsored by AIB, the Department of the Diaspora and AIB are looking forward to building the connections conference media partner Tatler, the delegates will also and providing the supports to make a difference and hear from the Rose of Tralee, Elysha Brennan, as well empower women to grow and develop their businesses.” as the 2005 and 2010 Roses of Tralee, Dr. Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin and Dr Clare Kambamettu respectively. The International Business Women’s Conference Speaking at the launch, Enterprise Ireland CEO, Julie will get underway at 9am on Monday 22nd August in Sinnamon said: “Enterprise Ireland recognises the the Brandon Conference Centre and registration huge contribution of Irish women in business. Last year and full details are available at we invested in a record number of female-led start- www.internationalbusinesswomen.ie up companies. The International Business Women’s Conference aims to inform and inspire women to embrace business opportunities, leverage the Irish global network and reach their full potential.” Supported by Department of the Taoiseach and the Local Diaspora Engagement Fund 2016
I N M E M OR Y OF T H E L AT E
Margaret returned on a holiday as a war-widow with two young boys of her own in 1948. This time she decided that Tralee would be an ideal place to rear the boys. She had been working for Trans World Airlines (TWA) in New York, where most of what she was earning was spent on child-minders. But her American war-widow’s pension amounted to three times the average Irish industrial wage at the time.
As a result of her own background Margaret recognised the importance of Ireland to Irish emigrants in North America, and her experience in TWA helped her to spot to an opportunity of working in tandem, with Aer Lingus, when the airline’s Deputy General Manager, Arthur J. Walls, was a judge. Promoting Rose of Tralee Festival in North America afforded Aer Lingus a means of attracting customers.
Once her sons were teenagers, Margaret had more time on her hands. Walls agreed to provide free Aer Lingus tickets to festival She was invited to help establish the Rose of Tralee Festival in 1959 representatives traveling to Britain, or North America, on promotional by Florence O’Connor, the driving inspiration of the festival during its work. This greatly facilitated the festival’s development abroad. formative years. When Walls was leaving Aer Lingus, he informed Martin Dully, the She saw this as a way of returning something to Tralee, which she felt company’s sales manager of the informal arrangement with the festival had provided her with an ideal home for her sons. She saw the festival and this was continued for many more years. Margaret was able to MARGARET Dwyer, one of the first members of the Rose of Tralee as a means of helping the business structure of Tralee by putting the reciprocate when Martin Dully asked her if she had any idea how Aer International Festival and who was involved in organising the first town on the tourist map. Lingus could make contacts on American bases in Germany. Festival in 1959, sadly passed away in March 2016. The late Florence O’Connor, a founding member of the Festival once said: “If you want One of her early tasks in the festival was as hostess for the judges As an American war-widow she had an identity card that allowed to make sure a job is done quickly and efficiently get the women to do of the Rose of Tralee selection. In order to lend status to the contest, her access to American bases. She went to Germany and talked to a it.” The contribution of Margaret to the development, growth and long- eminent business people were selected as judges. This developed a chaplain with an Irish name at one of the American bases, and she term success of the Rose of Tralee International Festival from 1959 to momentum of its own, and it became a prized opportunity for business arranged a meeting between him and the Aer Lingus representative. 2003 and indeed to the town of Tralee through her role in the local people to network. Seán Dwyer, Margaret’s younger son, became a Rose Escort in 1967. business sector, has been immense. Margaret had a distinct gift of being easy in any company. She had It was there that he first met Geraldine Healy, the Limerick Rose. Her Margaret Dwyer (1918-2016) was born in New York in 1918, the eldest a top security clearance as a radio telephone operator during World mother had been the first Carnival Queen in Tralee in 1939, as Eithne child of an American father and Irish mother. Mary Ryle, was born War II. She used to put up and monitor calls between U.S. President O’Sullivan. That pageant — which was discontinued during the second and reared in Tralee, but immigrated to the United States in her early Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. world war — was revived in 1957, and became the inspiration for the Hence in later life she was never overawed by anybody. Rose of Tralee in 1959. twenties. Florence O’Connor told of leaving a cemetery after a funeral in west Cork one day. Margaret stopped to talk to a man, while Florence and Arthur J. O’Leary, a festival chairman, walked on. “Does she really know who she is talking to?” they asked each other.
Margaret Dwyer was elected President of the Rose of Tralee Festival in 1971, when Florence O’Connor decided to retire. She was always very proud of backing Denis Reen as her successor a couple of years later. He assumed the title of chairman a moving force in the festival for many years. He went on to contribute magnificently to the tourism Mary always talked about Tralee and Ireland in glowing terms. She “Oh thank God, you walked on!” she exclaimed on rejoining them. “I infrastructure in Tralee, especially as the driving force in establishing brought her two daughters to Ireland for the summer of 1936, the year couldn’t introduce you. I know him well but can’t remember his name.” Tralee Golf Course in Barrow and the Aqua Dome in Tralee. that Margaret graduated from high school. Tralee certainly lived up to “Jack Lynch, Taoiseach!” they replied. She had met him in connection Margaret’s expectations. Indeed, she would have liked to move here with the festival several times. For those who knew her, the sure sign This was written by Margaret’s son, T. Ryle Dwyer, 13but the economic OfficiaL 13 then, prospects PROGRAMME were very poor at the time.2016 that she had forgotten somebody’s name was when she called the author of Across the Waves, a book about his parents. person, “Honey.” Her husband, C.J. Harrigan contracted tuberculosis and died after a protracted illness leaving Mary with two daughters. Margaret, the eldest, was just ten years old. As a result her mother was the driving influence of her youth.
She was lovely and fair as the rose of the summer...