Donegal County Council 'flipped' today and 33 women took seats in the council chamber in Lifford alongside four men - the opposite to normal council meetings when just four elected women councillors sit amidst 33 male counterparts.
The meeting was part of an initiative across several local authorities organised by The See Her Elected campaign, and supported by women of the Western Midlands and Northern Regional Caucus and the Association of Irish Local Government, to highlight the need for more female representation in politics.
Dr Michelle Maher of See Her Elected told the meeting that there has been a persistent pattern in Donegal and in other councils of women's voices not informing the decision making in this room.
The first woman was elected to Donegal County Council in 1979 and there has only ever been 11 women elected in total.
The council has been missing a valuable chunk of expertise and knowledge, she said and she encouraged women to stand for election and said her organisation was there to help them.
Dr Maher said that women are the backbone of their communities and it is the work that they do in their communities that would make them brilliant county councillors.
Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council Cllr Liam Blaney said the vivid picture of the female dominated council will jar us out of complacency and he said he looked forward to the day when we do not need to do something like this because we have an equal number of women and men elected.
