Celebrating the Women of TU Dublin: Annmarie Mc Donagh
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08 March is International Women's Day (IWD), and we are marking the day by celebrating the women of TU Dublin, including Annmarie Mc Donagh, Access and Outreach Project Officer for Traveller and Roma Community Engagement at TU Dublin.
This year, International Women’s Day calls on us to rally around the theme Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls. It is a reminder that while progress has been made, inequalities remain. Globally, women hold only 64 per cent of the legal rights that men do, and barriers still exist in areas such as work, pay, safety and opportunity. For Annmarie Mc Donagh, Access and Outreach Project Officer for Traveller and Roma Community Engagement at TU Dublin, this theme is not abstract. It connects directly to her own life, her community, and the work she does every day.
Annmarie grew up in Blanchardstown and first came to TU Dublin as a student, studying Community and Youth Development. While a student, she worked as an education and youth worker and was invited to speak at a meeting on how the university could encourage more students from the Traveller and Roma Communities to access higher education. “I gave some feedback on what I thought were good ideas,” she recalls. “At the end of the meeting, I was told about a role that was coming up. So, I applied for the job, and here I am today.”
Now, two years into the role, she speaks with pride about what it means to work in higher education. “I love the job,” she says. “I love working with Traveller and Roma communities. Being a member of the Travelling community myself, I have a passion for the community, and I also have a passion for education. It’s always been a big part of my life. A lot of the community would leave education early. So just working in a third-level institution is amazing for me. My family are very proud, and I’m very proud as well.”
Her journey reflects the importance of rights and opportunity in action. Within her own community, she explains, expectations for women have traditionally followed a different path. “In my community, the women have expectations,” she says. “A lot of women would typically be a housewife. So, me stepping out of that comfort zone… stepping out of the community was a bit of a challenge.”
But Annmarie was supported to follow her ambitions. “I’ve always been encouraged to go forward. My family always knew I had a passion for education.”
She believes that change is happening and that education is playing a central role in that shift. “There’s a lot more women now who are tending to go back to work. They see the value in education and employment, which is amazing,” she says. She is also conscious of the example her own path can set. “When they see one member of the community doing something, a few will follow you.”
In her role, Annmarie works across TU Dublin’s five campuses and out in the community, speaking to students and families about their options. She sees firsthand the impact of representation. “When they see a member of the Traveller community, a woman, working in a university and progressing in life, they may want to do something similar,” she says. “We have lots of women from the Travelling community now in TU Dublin, which is great. They know it’s a place for them. They know they’re welcome here.”
Her own experience of working at the university has reinforced her belief in fairness and inclusion. “There’s a place in this college for everyone, no matter what community you’re from,” she says. “I’ve never been treated any differently. I’ve always been treated with respect.” For Annmarie, equality is reflected in everyday interactions. “It’s being fair to everyone. Treating everyone the same. I’ve always felt accepted here. I’ve never felt judged.”
She also values the opportunity to share her perspective and challenge misconceptions. “When people ask questions, it’s because they’re interested,” she says. “Instead of making assumptions, asking questions is always the way forward.”
International Women’s Day is, at its heart, a call to action, a reminder that rights must be supported by real opportunities. Annmarie believes one of the most powerful ways to turn those rights into reality is by creating spaces where people can see what’s possible for themselves. That’s why she is encouraging members of the Traveller and Roma communities to attend the upcoming Apprenticeship Day, hosted by TU Dublin in partnership with the Irish Traveller Movement.
Taking place on Friday 13 March from 10.30 to 13:00 in the Bolton Street campus, the event will include information on apprenticeships, demonstrations, a tour of workshops and an opportunity to meet staff and ask questions. Lunch will also be provided.
For Annmarie, events like this are about more than information; they are about empowerment.
“It’s about letting people know that they’re welcome,” she says. “No matter where you’re from, or who you are, or what gender you are, there is an opportunity for you here. You can go on and reach your full potential.”
She believes that real change happens when women and girls can see those opportunities for themselves and feel supported to take the first step.
“I think society as a whole is getting better,” she says. “We realise that women should be treated the exact same as men. There’s nothing really preventing them anymore from progressing in life, which is great.”