Orla O’Connor to step down as director of the National Women’s Council

National Women’s Council (NWC) Director Orla O’Connor will step down from her role in the coming months to take up a new position as Executive Director of St Stephen’s Green Trust.

O'Connor has been working in the NWC for 23 years, including 13 years as the director.

“It has been the greatest honour of my career to lead this extraordinary organisation of almost 200 member groups from across the island and work alongside such strong and passionate feminists," said O'Connor.

"Together, we have built a powerful organisation – a place that drives real change, holds true to feminist values and makes a lasting difference to women’s lives and Irish society," she added.

In an interview with Hot Press from 2022, O'Connor revealed what inspired her own interest in feminism:

"The thing that really inspired me in the beginning was when I was in secondary school, and I saw the Dunnes Stores strikers. It got me really interested in politics, human rights and equality. So it started from there."

"When I went to college, I was involved a bit more in politics and in campaigns around the minimum wage. I studied social science, and I went on to work in Finglas, doing community development work for a long time," she explained.

Moving forward, O'Connor has expressed her excitement for her new position as Executive Director of St Stephens Green Trust, saying she will "bring with me everything the National Women’s Council has taught me about courage, solidarity and the power of collective action."

The National Women’s Council said they will begin the search for a new director in the coming weeks.