IWN Woman of the Year

2009 Irish Woman of the Year - Eilis Courtney
This years recipient of the Irish Woman of the Year award is Eilis Courtney, a very deserving woman. Eilis has been a part of the Irish Women's Network for many years and treasurer since 2004. Eilis manages UBC's annual United Way campaign, and last fall Eilis and her team raised over $500,000. In 2008, Eilis took a leave of absence from her job at UBC to spend three months in Uganda volunteering with The Aids Support Organization (TASO). She is also involved in serving Christmas dinner annually to the overseas students of international house, UBC and Aids clients of Vancouver's "A Loving Spoonful".

If you know of an Irish woman who has made an outstanding contribution to the Irish community or to the community at large and wish them to be considered for next year, please send their name, along with a short statement on why you feel they deserve the award, to

     Deirdre O'Ruairc, 
     President IWN, 
     Email: shamrockhome at shaw.ca 
     Phone 604-538-6765.

Previous recipients include:
     Mary Hatch
     Maura McCay
     Marie Morris
     Deirdre O'Ruairc
     Pam Glass
     Ann Carr
     Geraldine Megannety
     Catholine Butler
     Violet Moore
     Kathy King

Selection Process for the IWN Woman of the Year Award
Nominations can be made by any member of the IWN and should be submitted to the President of IWN.
A short paragraph of why the person is being nominated should be provided at the time. The IWN committee will not accept names without biographical or supporting information.
Nominations are accepted throughout the year up to December 31 for the following year (i.e. deadline for 2010 is December 31, 2009).
Voting takes place at the Nollaig na mBan dinner (held on the closest Saturday to January 6) with the winner announced at the Anniversary event held in April.
Nominations are only valid for one year. If names are to be carried over to another year, then the IWN President needs to be advised that the nomination is still active. Otherwise, nominees from the previous year will be dropped from the list.