Ireland Inc could learn some lessons from the ICA

The Irish Countrywomen's Association is a vibrant organisation after 100 years and its president, Ann Marie Dennison, who was at the regional conference on Saturday in the Kilmore Hotel, told The Anglo-Celt, it is their goal to build on that. She was glad to attend the first regional conference in Cavan and complimented the guilds on their innovation and coherence. “We have to be doing something right, or we wouldn't still be here after 100 years,†she said. She explained that as part of the modernisation of the ICA, the country is divided into four regions (Cavan is in the BMW region). A number of speakers addressed the conference, including MEP Marian Harkin and Nusha Yonkova from the Immigrant Council of Ireland (see story page 7). The members voted in 2007 to look to the future with a view to making the ICA relevant to the women of the 21st century. The president said it was a vibrant organisation and important to the country in recessionary times. There are around 700 guilds nationwide... members in every town, village and city. The perception is that it is a rural organisation, but there are as many guilds in urban areas as in country areas. Ms Dennison, who is halfway through her three-year term of office, would like to see membership increased further and hopes women would see it as an attractive organisation to join. It can help people with education goals, health issues and there is the whole area of crafts. “We are not just about crafts – we are a network of women that support women, both in their homes and in their community,†she said. The women have the experience gleaned through the university of life, and Ms Dennison says it is important that people go back to basics. “People lost the run of themselves for a while with the affluence, now the ICA is there to help people get back to common-sense and basics, and support their members.†All members are volunteers, though there is a small staff running the organisation and there are wonderful courses at An Grianán. Ms Harkin spoke about how what is going on at European level affects Irish women, and the economic crisis. She told The Anglo-Celt that people are simply looking to get back to “solid groundâ€. In a crisis, resilient people like those in the ICA come to the fore, she said. John O'Callaghan, CEO of the ICA told The Anglo-Celt that it is doing good work in every area. “What they've been missing is getting their message co-ordinated and magnified across Ireland. My job is to give it a sound commercial footing and manage the change,†he said. Policy decisions are made at AGM and the board has 12 meetings a year to ensure they are implemented. “The ICA know what they are doing and they are capable of doing it,†said Mr. O'Callaghan. He also agreed that the goal is to grow the membership. “We have a target over the next five years to reach 15,000. I think it is achievable. We will do it by working on our policies, lobbying government and ensuring that the ICA makes a real difference in communities.†Ulster vice-president Rosemary Murphy, a member of the Bruskey Guild, said she was proud that the first regional conference was in Cavan, pointing out that the Kilmore Hotel had been helpful in relation to all aspects of staging the event. She says the ICA is vibrant in this county and there is an excellent federation committee in place.