'Women were isolated' - Meet the woman at the heart of Donegal Area Women's Group

A women's group in Donegal Town offers women of all ages the chance to connect with one another and make lasting friendships. 

It was set up in 2015 in "a wee tiny room" in the Family Resource Centre with less than 10 people attending the first meeting. 

Maria Murphy was the group facilitator for three years and was at the very first meeting 11 years ago.

"A lot of women were isolated in different ways in the area, maybe family responsibilities, going through life changes, and a lot of women were missing a sense of connection, maybe living on their own," Maria shared as the reason for the group being set up.

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"We wanted to create a group where women could show up as they are - tired, busy, unsure, or full of ideas - and feel accepted," Maria added. 

That is exactly what the group has done, with many women forming their own friendships within the wider group.

"There were a few women whose partners or husbands died, and they've made a wee group. They go away on holiday together. I think four or five of them were in Tenerife, and a couple of them went on one of those Rory's Travel Club cruises together," Maria said.

To join the Donegal Area Women's Group, you pay €15 and then get added to the WhatsApp group, which has about 50 members at the moment. 

This is where information on upcoming meetings and events is posted. 

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"There are literally women of all ages, all types, like single, separate, divorced, married, all ages. It doesn't matter, you just come in, have a chat, and it's actually brilliant because it gets you away for two hours," Maria said.

Earlier this month, Stylist Emma Murray visited the group to give them a talk about beauty tips.

"It was all about colours and different body shapes and what to wear and how to match the colours and all that stuff. All the ladies made buns and cakes and sandwiches and stuff, so it was actually lovely," Maria said.

The group is all about providing a low-pressure environment for women to come together and enjoy some time for themselves. 

"At its heart, the group is about connection and support. We want women to feel less alone and more confident," Maria expressed.

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Maria shared a story about one woman who enjoys going just to sit and listen with a cup of tea and a scone rather than engage in conversations. 

"It's unbelievable that a women's group can help connect so many people because there's a lot of people that are in the house and they might not want to go to a concert on their own or go to the cinema or go out for a drink so it's nice to have people there you can go with in a wee group," Maria said. 

"It just makes everybody feel connected, no matter what stage of life you're at," she added.

The group meets twice weekly - on a Wednesday from around 11:30am to 1pm in a café called Mo Chlann in Donegal Town, and on a Friday from 11am to 1pm in the Market House restaurant. 

If you are interested in joining the Donegal Area Women's Group, you can contact Nora on 087-150-3514.