Held in the beautiful surroundings of the Law Society of Ireland at Blackhall Place, the Gala brought together a full capacity crowd of 180 friends, colleagues, mentors, members, supporters and allies from across the legal profession for a night that was both celebratory and inspiring. We were delighted to welcome into the room all attendees with particular mention of our newest corporate and organisational members Eversheds Sutherland, ComReg, DAC Beachcroft and our first ever University sector member Maynooth University.

We remembered a friend of IWLA who very sadly was not in the room this year, Ms. Ferga McLoughlin BL who tragically passed away the day before the Gala. Ferga is deeply missed by her friends in the legal profession, her friends and colleagues in the Irish Women Lawyers Association, of which she was a committed member and steadfast supporter. Her generosity, friendship, encouragement and dedication to advancing women in the legal profession left a lasting impression on all who had the privilege of knowing and working alongside her, may she rest in peace.

One of the highlights of the evening was the presentation of the IWLA Woman Lawyer of the Year 2026 Award to Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC. Her remarkable achievements, unwavering commitment to human rights, and outstanding contribution to the law reminded us of the profound impact that one dedicated lawyer can make. It was a privilege to honour Caoilfhionn and to celebrate her achievements in the company of so many distinguished guests. Caoilfhionn’s acceptance speech resonated with the room she recognised as her ‘tribe’ as she reflected on positive developments internationally for rule of law and the amazing work of Irish women lawyers name-checking both Ms. Justice Mary Rose Geraty’s recent judgment together with the work of Irish media lawyer Brid Jordan, from the in-house legal team at The Times for her and her team’s work protecting and facilitating from legal attack, the reporting which led eventually to the criminal investigation and conviction this week of Russell Brand in the UK.

The evening was also an important opportunity to support the future generation of women in law through the IWLA Scholarship Programme. Now entering its third year, the Scholarship was established to support Year 2 undergraduate Access Programme students by providing not only financial assistance, but also invaluable mentoring and practical legal experience. In the words of our chair, Rosemarie Hayden on the night -The programme reflects the IWLA’s commitment to ‘creating accessible pathways into the legal profession and ensuring that talent and ambition are not limited by background or circumstance’.

This year, we were delighted to launch the IWLA Scholarship Fund, a dedicated initiative designed to secure the long-term future of this important programme. The response from attendees was truly heartening. Through the generosity of those who purchased raffle tickets and donated to the Fund, we took another meaningful step towards building sustainable support for future scholarship recipients.

Our raffle was a particular highlight of the evening and generated tremendous enthusiasm throughout the room, raising over €3,300 on the night. We are incredibly grateful to the individuals and businesses who so generously donated prizes ensuring 100 per cent of donated funds goes direct to the scholarship, the wonderful prizes all came from businesses created, owned and run by Irish women including:

• A Health and Nutrition Coaching Programme from Jodie Savage Nutrition
• A signed print, The Navigator, by Irish artist Eadaoin Glynn
• A luxury Day Spa experience from Eden One
• A collection of signed novels by bestselling Irish author Andrea Mara
• Handmade jewellery by Andrea Mears
• Professional coaching from Trust Consulting
• A Leadership Development Coaching Session from The Way Home Consulting
• A beautiful prestige bouquet from Elite Blooms

The generosity of our prize donors reflects the strong spirit of community that exists around the IWLA and our mission. We are deeply appreciative of their support and contribution to the Scholarship Fund. Donations to the fund can continue to be made at https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/irishwomenlawyersassociation1.

We would also like to express our heartfelt thanks to our sponsors, including ‘For All Daughters’ our Woman Lawyer of the Year Sponsor, and our host sponsors from Law Society Solicitors Services, whose generosity and commitment made this event possible. Your continued support enables the IWLA to create opportunities, build connections, and champion the advancement of women throughout the legal profession. We are proud to work alongside organisations that share our vision of a more inclusive and diverse profession. In the words of our chair ‘the real prize is helping to create an opportunity for the next generation of women lawyers.’

To everyone who attended, thank you for being part of such a wonderful evening. Whether you sponsored a table, purchased raffle tickets, donated to the Scholarship Fund, supported a colleague, or simply came to celebrate with us, your presence helped create an atmosphere that was welcoming, uplifting and genuinely joyful.

We are equally grateful to the Gala Committee, our volunteers, speakers, and all those who worked tirelessly behind the scenes. Their dedication, enthusiasm and professionalism ensured that every aspect of the evening was a success.

Most importantly, the Gala reminded us why the IWLA exists: to support, celebrate and empower women in law. It reminded us that progress is achieved not by individuals acting alone, but by a community committed to lifting one another up, opening doors, and creating opportunities for those who follow.

On behalf of the Board and members of the Irish Women Lawyers Association, thank you for helping make the Gala Dinner 2026 such a memorable and meaningful occasion.

Together, we celebrated achievement. Together, we invested in the future. Together, we strengthened a community that continues to inspire, support and champion women in law.

Thank you for joining us on this journey.