The European and Connacht Sheep Shearing and Woolhandling Championships, Shearfest 2025, which took place from May 31st to June 1st, 2025, served as a significant opportunity for the FLIARA Project to engage with key stakeholders in Ireland. The event, which drew elite competitors from across the globe, also hosted important discussions on empowering farm women and fostering a sustainable rural future.
Among the notable attendees were Steve Dolan, a member of the FLIARA Project’s Stakeholder Advisory Board, MEP Maria Walsh, Teresa Roche, FLIARA Project Innovator and Blátnaid Gallagher, FLIARA Project Ambassador for Ireland and Anne Kinsella from Teagasc. Associate Professor Maura Farrell, the FLIARA Project coordinator and based at the University of Galway, was also present and promoted her article, “Empowering Farm Women: The FLIARA Project’s Vision for a Sustainable Rural Future“.
The FLIARA project, or Female-Led Innovation in Agriculture and Rural Areas, is an initiative funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme. It aims to highlight the contributions of women in farming and rural innovation across ten European countries, including Ireland. The project’s core mission is to recognise and support the often-overlooked work of women in areas such as environmentally sustainable farming practices, community-led initiatives, renewable energy projects, and digital rural enterprises.
Professor Farrell’s presentation underscored the vital role farm women play in shaping a more sustainable, inclusive, and vibrant rural future. The FLIARA project achieves this by documenting the real-life experiences of women leading rural and farm innovation through interviews and case studies, revealing practical solutions to challenges like climate change, depopulation, and gender inequality.
The project goes beyond research by fostering action through innovation networks, training programs, and policy dialogue, ensuring women’s voices are heard at local, national, and EU levels. This creates a space for women to connect, share knowledge, and influence change, ultimately building more resilient rural economies. The project also emphasizes the intrinsic link between gender equality and environmental sustainability, noting that women’s leadership brings fresh perspectives to caring for land, community, and future generations.
Shearfest 2025, which brought together world-class shearers and woolhandlers from Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, provided a fitting backdrop for these discussions, highlighting that innovation is not confined to urban centers but thrives on farms and within rural communities, often driven by the uncelebrated efforts of women. The event also celebrated the skills and dedication of competitors vying for prestigious titles in the shearing and woolhandling industry.
Shearfest 2025, which brought together world-class shearers and woolhandlers from Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, provided a fitting backdrop for these discussions, highlighting that innovation is not confined to urban centers but thrives on farms and within rural communities, often driven by the uncelebrated efforts of women. The event also celebrated the skills and dedication of competitors vying for prestigious titles in the shearing and woolhandling industry.