AN event has been held to celebrate the rededication of the Women's Garden of Reflection in the Roddy McCorley club.
The reflective garden in honour of the many women who have dedicated their lives to the struggle for freedom was opened in the grounds of the Glen Road club in 2007.
It was part of a project by a group of republican women under the name Macalla na mBan – Echoes of Women.
Last Saturday, Cathaoirleach Jane Molloy Ógra Shinn Féin na Thír Eoghain joined Comrades in the Roddy McCorley Centre for the Rededication of the Women's Garden of Reflection.
— Tír Eoghain Ógra Shinn Féin (@EastFein) March 11, 2024
"Women have a long and proud record in the story of Ireland’s resistance to occupation."- Ó' Rita OHare pic.twitter.com/B6DqBKBOE6
Speaking at Saturday's rededication event, Sinn Féin MLA Carál Ní Chuilín said: "In 2007, a group of women activists came together to discuss the creation of a Remembrance Garden for Women.
"The purpose of this garden was to ensure that we never forgot the many roles that women played throughout our struggle.
"It was also hoped to be a place where people could spend time in reflection, perhaps looking at the names of the women they have known and loved, or simply being there to take a bit of time to themselves.
"The Macalla na mBan project was born from love, determination and pride to remember all of the women whose memories we hold dear and for that and on behalf of many, ba mhaith liom buiochas a thabhairt daoibhse. Go raibh mile maith agaibh.
Sinn Féin MLA Carál Ní Chuilín 
"Those women, like so many across Ireland, worked so hard for their families and communities whilst living in over-crowded housing, trying to make ends meet and they they were campaigners, they were mighty and, above all else, they all looked after each other as best they could and looked after each others' kids.
"The names of the women here in this garden and the many that have passed since the garden was first built all have histories and stories.
"They sacrificed so much and for that we will be eternally grateful to them.
"They made sure that women were seen and, more importantly, that women were heard.
"Some of the women we remember were revolutionary soldiers, trades unionists, elected activists, and so much more, but their activism was in the context of ending partition, to ensure that justice and equality was felt by everyone."
"They were warriors in an arena of misogyny but they were also the rocks upon which many homes were built, families nurtured and they sowed the seeds of future revolutionary women.
"I want to say thank you to the Roddy's for having this garden and thank you to Macalla na mBan for the decades of hard work."
