Celebrating Women’s Creativity on International Women’s Day

Mar aon le go leor daoine eile, táimid ag ceiliúradh Lá Idirnáisiúnta na mBan inniu. Like many people, we’re celebrating International Women’s Day at Alice today.

To mark the Day, we asked our team for their top recommendations for cultural works created by women. We wanted to know the female authors, musicians, actors, film-makers, artists and photographers currently inspiring them. Here are our recommendations…

Books

'The Wall' by Marlen Haushofer. Our current Alice book-club choice, thanks to Sebastian, this dystopian novel has been hailed as a “feminist vision of escape”.
‘Lessons in Chemistry’ by Bonnie Garmus. Set in the 1950s, this focuses on a female scientist striving to make her own way in the world while defying gender stereotypes.
‘Kellie’, the autobiography of one of Ireland’s leading sportswomen, Kellie Harrington, written with Roddy Doyle.
‘Age Proof’, a fascinating read on the science of living a longer and healthier life by Professor Rose Anne Kenny.
‘Acts of Desperation’ by Megan Nolan (who has a new book coming out soon).
‘Babysitter’ by Joyce Carol Oates.
‘Heartburn’ by Nora Ephron.
‘The Fire Starters’ by Jan Carson.
‘Trespasses’ by Louise Kennedy.

And we were delighted to see both Louise Kennedy and Maggie O’Farrell longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction this week. You can read more about that here.

Music

Some of #TeamAlice were lucky enough to enjoy an exclusive performance by Tolu Makay at the ETB Day event in Croke Park last week. As well as Tolu, here are some of the other female artists currently keeping us entertained:

Irish singer-songwriters Sorcha Richardson, Susan O’Neill and Lisa O’Neill.
Folk artist Brandi Carlile.
The queen of female empowerment, Lizzo.
And, on foot of Episode 3 of ‘The Last of Us’, Linda Ronstadt’s ‘Long, Long Time’.

Films & TV

All of us at Alice were deeply affected by ‘An Cailín Ciúin’, the heart-wrenching Irish-language movie in the running for an Oscar this weekend. Twelve-year-old Catherine Clinch gives a stunning lead performance as Cáit and the movie is, of course, based on the short story by Irish writer Claire Keegan, who is also popular amongst Alice readers!

Our other recommendations for film and TV include:

‘The Let Down’ on Netflix. This Australian series is a very humorous look at new parenthood, but is also hard-hitting in its coverage of topics such as fertility struggles, abortion, female friendships, and relationship breakdowns.
‘Lyra’, which is screening at the new Court House in Bangor this month. Directed by BAFTA-winning filmmaker Alison Millar, this is a beautiful and heartfelt film about the life and death of the internationally-renowned Northern Irish investigative journalist Lyra McKee.
Finally, if you haven't seen it already, check out 'Bad Sisters' on Apple TV, a highly enjoyable black comedy, centred around the strong bond between five sisters.

Art & Photography

Emily Quinn’s ‘Art of Strength’ exhibition is a “cultural identity project exploring the notion of Irish womanhood by juxtaposing celebrated contemporary Irish women and Irish women of note from history”. It brings together art, history, design and photography, and is currently showing at Atelier Now, just up the road from Alice's Dublin office.
We’re looking forward to an exhibition opening next month at the Ulster Museum, which will feature new photographs by Hannah Starkey of women influential to peace-building in Northern Ireland.
And another female artist we admire is Fiona Gillespie. You can check out her Insta page here.

Finally, we’ll finish with a shout-out to Kathy Scott, founder of The Trailblazery, whose energy and enthusiasm embody Irish womanhood. A couple of #TeamAlice members have recently participated in her Scoil Scairte, and rate it highly. A special mention to the lovely Siobhán O'Kelly also, who leads the Scoil Scairte Tús Maith language circle.

Happy International Women’s Day to you all!