Leitrim, Ireland Hosts EmpowHER 2025 for Empowering Women-led Enterprises

• EmpowHER 2025 will be held on Friday, February 7, at Carrick-on-Shannon Business Campus.
• The event will feature panel discussions with prominent women business leaders.
• EmpowHER 2025 is designed to launch and support the growth of women-led enterprises in Leitrim

EmpowHER 2025, an event aimed at launching and supporting the growth of women-led enterprises, was hosted recently at Carrick-on-Shannon Business Campus in Leitrim, Ireland. Running from 9:30 am to 1:00 pm, the event featured engaging panel discussions led by prominent women in business, offering valuable insights and inspiration for aspiring women entrepreneurs.

Women are underrepresented in entrepreneurship, especially in rural Ireland. This event’s aim was  to support female entrepreneurs in the western corridor by helping them launch businesses, secure investment, and access growth resources.

Norah Casey, former Dragon and entrepreneur, hosted the event at Carrick-on-Shannon Business Campus.

Notable speakers included Louise Phelan, former Global VP of PayPal and Senior Independent Director at Ryanair; Breege O’Donoghue, former Executive Director of Primark; Sonia Deasy, Founder and CEO of Pestle and Mortar; Oonagh O'Hagan, Owner and MD at Meaghers Pharmacy Group; and Niamh Ryan and Charlene Flanagan, Founders of Ella and Jo Cosmetics.

Norah Casey has Leitrim roots and sits on the Carrick Campus Advisory Board. Norah commented, "We need to address the gap in women entrepreneurship, particularly in areas outside of the urban hubs in Ireland."

Caoimhe McLoughlin, Chair of the Advisory Board and partner at KPMG, introduced the event and discussed the benefits for entrepreneurs at the Carrick-on-Shannon hub. It highlighted Leitrim’s potential to support and grow female entrepreneurship.

EmpowHER 2025 is supported by Leitrim County Council, focusing on helping female entrepreneurs navigate challenges and scale their businesses.

Emer Connolly of Leitrim County Council praised the event as a valuable opportunity for female business owners to gain insights from successful women in business.