During our time here in Northern Ireland we have met a lot of incredible peace builders that have all had an inspiring story to tell. Maeve O’Brien was one of the people that stood out to me the most for her work with women in Northern Ireland. I had the chance to speak with her one-on-one and hear her story. Maeve is a feminist and overall human rights activist in Derry who works at Foyle Women’s Information Network (FWIN). Maeve’s passion for her work is something that is rare to find. Maeve grew up in a family that tried to be non-sectarian and tried to get to know people no matter what religious or political background they came from. This was the beginning of her journey to understanding the importance of peace-building in Northern Ireland. Maeve’s passion to fight for women’s rights all started when she was studying English at University. She was inspired by many women poets such as Sylvia Plath, whom she did her dissertation on during her Ph.D. at the University of Ulster.
After obtaining her Ph.D. she went into activist work and has done incredible work for the FWIN. She has worked to advocate for women sent to the Magdalene Laundries, the “I Believe Her Movement,” abortion rights, reproductive justice, marriage equality, and so much more. She has helped to create and launch programs through the FWIN such as the Herstory Project, domestic violence workshops, “Healthy Minds” programs, and so many other amazing programs that empower women in Derry. The Herstory Project allowed women in the community to pick another woman in the community that they thought had an inspiring story to tell and had them share presentations on each woman. This project helped create a sense of empowerment for women in the community. All of the work that Maeve has done with women in Derry has empowered women to know their value. She has encouraged them to join in partnership to work towards the development of the community at large. Although her job is often extremely busy and full of hard work, she says that she truly loves her job and the community here in Derry.
SOCI 387 Diversity, Conflict, and Peace in Northern Ireland 