What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the Irish Countrywomen’s Association (ICA) mentioned? If you are even a fraction as ignorant as I was, you’ll say cakes, buns and tea, or something to that effect. Mary O’Brien, veteran of the Kilbehenny ICA Guild, set me straight on this matter.
I meet her in a busy coffee shop on a cold winter’s Monday morning. Mary, unlike myself, does not suffer from the Monday morning blues, that’s for sure. She is bright, alert and ready to help me get my proverbial ICA ducks in row.
The secretary of the Guild explains that catering and crafts are still a part of the group’s activities, but a lot of emphasis is now placed on discussing issues that affect women today. Regularly they hold open nights where health professionals speak about women’s health and wellbeing.
“The ICA was always synonymous with baking, but that is a myth today I think. It was one time, but the ICA should be recognised now for an awful lot more, because women have diversified, they are into an awful lot more. I’m sure years ago it was the baking that was the big thing. Now we have gone more towards health issues, hence we have open nights, with doctors and the like.”
2017 – 40TH ANNIVERSARY
Next year Kilbehenny ICA will celebrate its 40th anniversary, it was set up on October 6, 1977. Mary has been involved since the beginning, she was the first president. A number of other original members are still a part of the Guild, she rhymes off the names six or seven who have stood the test of time.
“There is Josie Fox, she’s one of the original members, she’s up there at the counter now.” I’m told this as Mary waves up at Josie. She seems to know everybody, regularly stopping her stream of chat to greet whoever is passing, before starting up conversation at the same point again. This proves the point the secretary makes after our encounter with Josie, a huge part of the ICA is about friendship.
The ICA was founded in 1910 in Bree, County Wexford under the name of the Society of the United Irish Women (UI). Mary says for her, the organisation gave a voice to Irish women. Far from the scones and canapés I imagined, the ICA was a significant player in a number of major events in Irish history. They were instrumental in the rural electrification of Ireland and in implementing BreastCheck.
The Kilbehenny ICA Guild currently have 17 members, four of whom joined this year. They meet once a month, for ten months of the year, from September to June and one member caters each meeting. Annually the guild, accompanied by others, go on a four day tour to different parts of Ireland. Last term it was Mayo and this coming year will be the turn of Galway. They also take on an assortment of projects.
“In June we presented 15 blankets we all had knitted and crocheted to Féileacáin. Féileacáin is the Irish word for butterfly and a group in Skibbereen that fill memory boxes and present them to maternity hospitals for babies who don’t make it. Each specific blanket has to be white, acrylic, made from double knitting wool and be 24 by 24 inches. We actually had people outside of ICA knit blankets, people were very interested in it.”
COMMUNITY BOND
For a Guild in a rural Limerick village, Kilbehenny ICA is quite substantial. Mary says there have been times when it was a struggle to keep it going, but new ideas are key in keeping members interested. Regular meetings also play a massive role in the Guild’s success. The Kilbehenny woman acutely understands the pivotal role the ICA plays in the lives of some members.
“I think it is necessary for some people to have it and you like to keep it going for those people who need it. For some people it is their one night out in the month to meet those they won’t meet again until next month.”
So, what about the future of the ICA Mary?
“Anne, that’s a hard one. For the moment yes, but I think when our generation go, I can’t see the younger generation taking it on. We have often spoken about if you were to change the name. ICA will always be synonymous with tea and cake, even though it’s not now, that’s the perception that is there.
“When ICA started in Kilbehenny 40 years ago women weren’t working as much outside of the home, so it was an outlet.” I wonder to myself, possibly, could the ICA be an inlet for younger women, those who need an escape from the hectic lives led today.
Regardless, I am left in no doubt but that the ICA is in safe hands while Mary O’Brien is around.
“Things have changed, but I am an ICA women through and through. While I still have a breath left in me, I will keep it going,” she professed.
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