Dear Colleagues,
Welcome to the Women’s History Association of Ireland web page. I am so very honoured to have been selected to be President of the Women’s History Association of Ireland (WHAI). It is an opportunity and a challenge – both of which I look forward to.
Before moving into any talk of the future, I would like to thank the out-going officers for all their hard-work and dedication to the WHAI: Caitriona Crowe, President; Catherine Cox, Treasurer; Leeann Lane, Secretary, and Rosemary Raughter, newsletter editor. They have handed over a thriving organisation which has achieved much.
I am pleased that they have decided to stay on the Executive Committee. In addition to these officers, Mary McAuliffe from UCD is our new secretary, Jennifer Redmond from TCD, our new Treasurer and Sandra McAvoy from UCC a new member of the Executive Committee. Together we intend to carry on the great strides made in the association since its beginning and to move the WHAI forward. We have a number of challenges before us but I think four are the most important: 1) to upgrade our website; 2) to increase our membership, particularly among our younger colleagues; 3) to make the WHAI more visible in the historical community; and 4) to reach out to colleagues in other countries who are doing women’s history to share insights and ideas.
We have begun working on these issues. First, as you can see, we have updated our website. Please give us feedback as to your suggestions on the new website. Second, we are actively courting new members at conferences and have simplified our dues paying procedure. We now are using the online payment system, Paypal, and have a new system whereby dues will be renewed a year from whenever a person paid. Please see the registration links on this page. Third, we are developing a small pamphlet on the WHAI that we can distribute at conferences and seminars.
Also, you should begin to see more references to the WHAI in academic journals and in the popular press. For example, I have recently edited a collection of essays based on the 2006 WHAI meeting entitled Gender and Power in Irish History – from Irish Academic Press, 2008 - and we will host a reception to mark its publication. Moreover, we are holding a number of meetings throughout the academic year which we intend to publicize widely.
Please see our news and events page for ongoing details. Fourth, we have been seeking to expand our contacts with colleagues in other countries who are interested in women’s history. We are already affiliated to the International Federation for Research in Women’s History and applaud the effort Mary O’Dowd has made in ensuring that we are well represented. A number of us gave papers at the annual meeting of the IFRWH in Sofia last summer.
Moreover, I am delighted to report that our annual meeting will be a joint meeting with Women’s History Scotland. It will be in April of 2009 at Trinity College and will be structured around the themes of religion, rebellions and migration. The call for papers and additional details are on this website.
We in the current Executive Committee bring to the WHAI our energy, enthusiasm and commitment. We ask that you join us and contribute to making the WHAI an even better and stronger organisation.
All the Best
Maryann
Dr. Maryann Valiulis
Director
Centre for Gender and Women’s Studies
Trinity College Dublin
