Ireland's trailblazing women

Yes, she was a saint, known for her healing powers and the reed cross that bears her name. But Brigid was also something of a medieval hard woman – likely to burst the eyeballs of an enemy and not averse to using her powers to gather as much land as possible (for the greater good, of course). If you want to go looking for Brigid in modern Ireland, you’ll find her in countless holy wells, in the frequent sightings of Brigid’s crosses and in every woman you meet called Brigid (or its many variations from Bridie to Breege).

Where to go: County Kildare is definitely Brigid Country, boasting a cathedral named after the saint, founded on the site where she set up her convent in the 5th century.

Mayo-born Mary Robinson broke barriers to become the first woman President of the Republic of Ireland and her impact was immense. She helped to usher in a more liberal society, fighting for the rights of marginalised groups including women, children and the LGBTQ+ community. After two terms as president, she became the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, continuing to advocate for those without a voice. She went on to found the Mary Robinson Foundation for Climate Justice and is now Chair of The Elders, an independent group of global leaders who work for peace, justice, human rights and a sustainable planet.

Where to go: The great woman’s childhood home in Ballina, County Mayo has been turned into the Mary Robinson Centre, where you can view her personal archive and memorabilia from her public life. Follow that with a trip to the Wild Nephin National Park, 15,000 hectares of wild, unspoilt beauty in north-west Mayo.

The woman who single-handedly made Derry~Londonderry, 1990’s nostalgia and nuns cool, Lisa McGee has earned her place on any list of Ireland’s extraordinary women, Creator of smash hit comedy Derry Girls, Lisa is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter, who has worked with everyone from Nicola Coughlan and Paul Mescal to Liam Neeson. “Being from Derry has always felt like my superpower,” she says. “It is a city steeped in story and full of storytellers. I always thought I grew up with an unfair advantage."

Where to go: Well, Derry~Londonderry, of course. Take a selfie in front of the Derry Girls mural on Orchard Street, then drop into the Derry Girls Experience at the Tower Museum to see original memorabilia from the show. Finish off your trip by treating yourself to a Derry Girls-themed afternoon tea.

When it comes to star power, it’s hard to beat astrophysicist, astronomer and County Armagh native, Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell. As a graduate student, she discovered pulsar stars, widely recognised as one of the most important astronomical discoveries of the 20th century. Jocelyn’s father was an architect who helped design the Armagh Planetarium and during her visits there, staff encouraged her to pursue a career in astronomy. We think that turned out pretty well for everyone!

Where to go: Follow in Jocelyn’s footsteps and see the stars at the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium in this beautiful Georgian city in Northern Ireland. Or head to the OM Dark Sky Park and Observatory in County Tyrone for unrivalled views of the night sky.

When Dublin-born Anne Enright won the Booker Prize in 2007 for her novel The Gathering, she became something of a literary superstar. She went on to serve as the Republic of Ireland’s first-ever Laureate for Irish Fiction from 2015-2018 and continues to produce essays and short stories, as well as award-winning novels. Her work, with its coolly ironic tone and sometimes savage wit, belongs to an Irish literary tradition that dissects dysfunctional family dynamics, relationships and religion.

Where to go: Dublin is a UNESCO City of Literature so you’re spoiled for choice – start with the Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI), enjoy browsing in some of the city's bookshops and finish your day in one of the city’s famous literary pubs, such as Grogan’s or Kehoe’s.