WE CENTRE
WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN EVERYTHING
WE DO
MISSION & HISTORY.
The Countess is a non-profit, volunteer-led organisation formed to promote the rights and interests of women and children in Ireland. Inspired by her significant contribution to Irish public life, we take our lead and our name from Countess Constance Georgine Markiewicz who, as Minister for Labour in the First Dáil, was the first female cabinet minister in all of Europe.
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We were founded to address the conflict of rights & safeguarding concerns arising from self-ID approach introduced in the Gender Recognition Act 2015. We believe we need to have a grown-up conversation in this country about the impact on society.
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Countess Markiewicz blazed a trail for women’s rights at a time when they were severely restricted. She was at the vanguard of a social revolution that envisioned an Ireland that cherished all her children equally, irrespective of socio-economic status, religion, sex, or other social markers used to limited life choices and chances. Like our namesake, we centre women and children in everything we do.
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A fundamental part of the Irish revolution championed by Markiewicz, and her contemporaries was achieving equality for women and affording adequate social and economic protection to all children. Sadly, though Ireland’s statehood was eventually won, the rights of women and safeguarding of children has remained elusive for much of our first century as an independent State. The Countess was formed to address this through campaigning, awareness raising, policy development, advocacy, and constructive dialogue.
OUR MEMBERSHIP.
Our membership is a diverse cross-section of people concerned by the conflict of rights and child safeguarding issues arising out of gender self-ID. It is made up of a wide spectrum of professions including doctors, lawyers, writers, IT specialists, students, carers, full-time parents, and anyone willing to contribute their time and skills to further our mission. We are volunteer-led, self-funded, and not affiliated with any political party or religion.
MEET OUR
BOARD.
Laoise De Brún BL
Sorcha Nic Lochlainn
Founder & CEO of The Countess
Director & Spokeswoman
Jane B. Doe
Director & Operations
MEET
OUR SPECIAL
ADVISORS.
Journalist & Author
Jill Kerby
Jill Kerby has been one of Ireland’s best known personal finance journalists for the past 31 years. A weekly columnist for The Irish Times for eight years and The Sunday Times for 13 years she also wrote columns for The Business Post, Business & Finance magazine, The Farmer’s Journal, Women Mean Business has been a regular contributor on money and finance on national and regional radio and television. She has been the co-author of the best-selling ‘TAB Guide to Money Pensions and Tax’ since 1999 (and the ‘TAB Guide to Property’ 2005-08) and edited Irish Pensions Magazine for 10 years.
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Praised for her insight – and her regular warnings during the 2000’s in her columns and at public forums about the unsustainable growth in Irish mortgage lending and personal debt – she is deserving of her reputation for clear thinking and consumer advocacy. (She says she has ‘mixed feelings’ about being described as “the most sensible woman in Ireland”.)
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Consultant Physician
Dr. Annette Neary
Dr Annette Neary is a Consultant Physician based in Galway. She specialises in Internal Medicine and Nephrology for adults, and older teenagers. She teaches RCSI and NUIG medical students regularly.
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Her practice requires her to assess the quality of evidence for use of medication in multiple different conditions, often in combination, and taking into account both the short and long-term effects in individual patients. She works closely with colleagues in many other fields including gynaecology, urology and surgical specialities.
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She decided she wanted to be a doctor as a child in the 1970s, and has been aware of gendered expectations ever since. She believes that people contemplating medical intervention for gender identity issues deserve to have good quality, evidence-based care.
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Midwife & Author
Tracy Donegan R.M
Tracy Donegan, a registered midwife and passionate women’s health advocate, has been a vocal campaigner to improve Irish maternity services since 2005. In addition to her advocacy work, Tracy is a prolific author, having penned five books and developed several apps for pregnancy and fertility. Her work extends beyond writing, as she is widely recognised as an international speaker on mindfulness, maternal health, breastfeeding, and positive birth experiences.
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Originally hailing from Dublin’s Northside, Tracy ventured around the globe and now calls Texas her home, where she lives with her husband and two sons. Despite the geographical distance, Tracy maintains close ties with her native Ireland, continually sharing her expertise and dedication to making a positive impact on women’s health and maternity services.
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Professor of Psychiatry - FRCPI, FRCPsych, MD
Prof. Patricia Casey
Prof. Casey has published 14 books and is the author of over 120 peer reviewed papers in International Journals. She is Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry in UCD. She is a columnist with the Irish Independent. She edits BJPsych Advances for the Royal College of Psychiatrists, London reviewed papers.
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After graduating from medical school, Casey received specialist psychiatric and research training in Britain. Between 1977 and 1985 she held the multiple senior positions and research fellow at Mapperley Hospital, Nottingham, and the Royal Edinburgh Hospital. From 1985 to 1991, she worked as a senior lecturer and consultant psychiatrist in the Department of Psychiatry at Cork University Hospital. She has been Professor of Psychiatry and director of an Acute Unit at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin since 1991. ​​
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