About Us
The ICA is the largest women’s association in Ireland, with circa 8,000 members and over 470 Guilds accross 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 live 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.
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 2018-2021
Josephine Helly National President Gort Guild Galway Federation
Eleanor Calnan National Secretary and Company Secretary Leap Guild Cork Federation
Helen Rutter National Treasurer Annaduff Guild Leitrim Federation
Hilda Roche Chair of the National Advisory Committee Ashford Guild Wicklow Federation
May Campbell Regional President North East Longford Town Guild Longford Federation
Margot Hennessy Regional President South East Ballyloughan Guild Carlow Federation
Ena Howell Regional President South West Grenagh Guild Cork Federation
Sharon Kelly Regional President North West Gort Guild Galway Federation
Carmel Garrett Knocknacarra Guild Galway Federation
Nellie Dillon Forde Clane Guild Kildare Federation
Anne Payne Portlaoise Guild Laois Federation
Annette Long Castletroy Guild Limerick Federation
Kitty Harrington Frenchpark Guild Roscommon Federation
Eilish McDonnell Horseleap / Streamstown Guild Westmeath Federation
The National Advisory Committee 2018 – 2021
Chair of the National Advisory Committee Hilda Roche
National President Josephine Helly
National Secretary Eleanor Calnan
National Treasurer Helen Rutter
Regional President North East May Campbell
Regional President South East Margot Hennessy
Regional President South West Ena Howell
Regional President North West Sharon Kelly
CARLOW Federation President Annette Reddy
CAVAN Federation President Mary Duffy
CLARE Federation President Mary O’Halloran
CORK Federation President Eleanor Calnan
DONEGAL Federation President Maureen McLaughlin
DUBLIN Federation President Joan Canning
GALWAY Federation President Carmel Garrett
KERRY Federation President Collette Dalton
KILDARE Federation President Nellie Dillon Forde
KILKENNY Federation President Ann Kelly
LAOIS Federation President Anne Payne
LEITRIM Federation President Michelle Early
LONGFORD Federation President Olive Quinn
LIMERICK Federation President Annette Long
LOUTH Federation President Susan Reynolds
MAYO Federation President Kay Devine
MEATH Federation President Geraldine McNally
MONAGHAN Federation President Susan Clarke
OFFALY Federation President Sandra O’Connor
ROSCOMMON Federation President Kitty Harrington
SLIGO Federation President Mary Fergus
TIPPERARY NORTH Federation President Kathleen Corcoran
TIPPERARY SOUTH Federation President June O’ Dwyer
WATERFORD Federation President Noeline Power
WESTMEATH Federation President Eilish McDonnell
WEXFORD Federation President Mary D’Arcy
WICKLOW Federation President Hilda Roche
NATIONAL COMMITTEES:
The Governance Review Committee: Hilda Roche Wicklow Federation, Carmel Garrett Galway Federation, Mary D’Arcy Wexford Federation and Mary O’ Halloran Clare Federation, Niall Keane Interim CEO to July 2020.
The Finance Committee: Helen Rutter National Treasurer Leitrim Federation, May Campbell Longford Federation, Margot Hennessy Carlow Federation, Anna Sinnott Finance Manager and Niall Keane Interim CEO to July 2020.
The Procedures Committee: June Lawless Dublin Federation, Margaret Houlihan Kildare Federation, Lily Byrne Kildare Federation, Mary O’Reilly Mayo Federation.