Dairy Women Ireland schedules fifth annual conference for November 20
Dairy Women Ireland (DWI) has launched its fifth annual conference, which is scheduled for Friday, November 20, at the Killeshin Hotel in Portlaoise. The conference is titled Our Time Is Now and will bring together women working across Ireland’s dairy and agricultural sectors.
The organisers describe the event as a programme of inspiration, learning, connection and conversation. They said it would recognise women’s contribution to the industry while addressing opportunities and challenges facing the sector. DWI said the theme reflects the increasing influence and importance of women in Irish agriculture and the need for them to have a strong voice in shaping its future.
The 2026 conference will take place during the United Nations International Year of the Woman Farmer. Its main programme will include a panel discussion on farm succession, titled Why not her? The session will examine succession arrangements and question established assumptions about who takes over a family farm.
Ruth Fennell of Teagasc will facilitate the panel. The speakers will be Laura and David Hannon, dairy farmers from County Meath, and Mella Briscoe, a dairy farmer from County Galway. DWI said the discussion would address the importance of open conversations about succession and the part women can play in the future of family farms.
The conference will be preceded by a networking dinner on Thursday, November 19. DWI president Fiona O’Donnell introduced the event at a launch held during this week’s National Ploughing Championships in County Offaly.
O’Donnell said the conference theme reflected the position of women in dairy and agriculture. She said women had long contributed to farms, families and communities, while increasingly taking part in decision-making and helping shape the industry’s future. She added that the International Year of the Woman Farmer made the 2026 conference particularly significant and created an opportunity to recognise existing contributions while considering opportunities for the next generation.
O’Donnell also described the succession panel as an important part of the programme. “Succession is something that every farm family will face, and we need to have honest conversations about the opportunities available to women as well as men,” she said. FBD Trust chairperson Michael Berkery said the event would provide a platform for connection, learning and knowledge sharing. DWI is encouraging women to attend.
