Irish Tatler Women of the Year Awards 2003

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The winners of the Irish Tatler Women of the Year Awards 2003 were announced at a gala black tie ceremony at the Four Seasons Hotel on Wednesday October 29th.

These prestigious awards aim to recognise and reward successful Irish women and to celebrate their achievements. They also seek to provide young Irish women with role models to emulate and learn from in charting their own path to success. Now in the third year the Women of the Year Awards have raised the profile and standing of influential Irish women. Many high profile and powerful women have received an Irish Tatler Award since 2001 including President McAlesse; Mary Robinson; and the former British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Dr Mo Mowlam (list of winners for 2001 and 2002 attached). There is an equally impressive line-up for 2003.

The International Woman of the Year, sponsored by St. Tropez, recognises the unrelenting campaigning of Loretta Brennan Glucksman, Chairman of The American Ireland Fund -the U.S. chapter of The Worldwide Ireland Funds.

Her work with The Ireland Funds and particularly her spearheading a major Campaign to raise $100 million over five years. The Ireland Funds help over 300 charities every year - a feat which has been achieved thanks to her great drive and ambition.

The Irish Tatler Women of the Year Awards also recognised an amazing group of women who took part in the Special Olympic Summer World Games. Team Ireland had the largest number of women in the history of the games and some of the women participants attended the award evening including Eithne Gormley, from Leinster, who won the largest number of gold medals in the Team, clocking up an impressive tally of 5 Golds for Gymnastics.

The overall winner for 2003, following in the footsteps of President McAlesse (2002) & Mary Robinson (2001), is Mary Davis, CEO of the Special Olympic Summer World Games.

The Ireland Funds donated $1.3 million to the Games.

The judges felt that without Mary's great leadership and conviction the Summer World Games would not have been the success they were. Her love of all sports and her previous work as a PE teacher with people with a learning disability led naturally to her commitment to the Special Olympics. She fulfilled her role with a spirit and determination that won the admiration of all who worked with her and she did it all in the shadow of the world's press and media, and the expectation of her fellow countrymen and women on her shoulders. She is an exceptional role model for young Irish women - an inspiration that they can achieve great things in modern Ireland.

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Related Article - Loretta Brennan Glucksman >

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