Woman’s Way and Beko Mum of the Year awards Launches
Well known Irish mums and daughters gathered to launch the 19th Mum of the Year Awards and talk about their own mothers.
Rosanna Davison, Cecelia & Miriam Ahern, Loraine Barry and Pamela Laird were among those who revealed what they call their mum and why she is so special to them.
Publisher Norah Casey hosted the event to launch the Woman’s Way and Beko Mum of the Year awards, which showcases and celebrates the evolving role of Irish mums.
Rosanna Davison calls her mother Diane ‘mum’ but her twin boys Oscar and Hugo call her ‘mama’ and her daughter Sophia calls her ‘mummy’ (especially if she wants something, she says with a laugh).
In an emotional and fulsome tribute to mum Diane she said: “I’m lucky and grateful that I am extremely close to my mum. She is the most selfless, giving, kind, amazing mum I could ever ask for. She comes over to my house nearly every day, to help out in the early afternoon, to help me with the twins' bath time and bedtime. Just having her over for the practical and mum advice has been brilliant”
And what about that special experience of being a mum: “For so many years I wanted to become a mum and experience that special bond, that unbreakable bond with your children. They adore you, me and Wes are at the centre of their world. Providing that love, care and safe space for them is everything to me. I am learning more about them every day as I watch them develop and grow – the love we have for them and they have for us that’s the most special thing”.
Loraine Barry calls her mother ‘mammy’ or ‘mam’, and if she had to give her an award she would give her a Warrior Award. ‘My mammy is everything to me and I speak to her every day to make sure she’s good and to let her know I am also good”.
Cecelia Ahern says her mum Miriam Ahern (also known as Mimi by the grandkids), is “her core, she means absolutely everything to me”. While beauty entrepreneur Pamela Laird’s mum Yvonne gives her strength. “My mum is my rock and my biggest cheerleader. Nothing is impossible or out of reach when I talk to my mum”.
Norah Casey calls her mum ‘Mags’ – “Unfortunately as I have chaired the judging panel for the Mum of the Year for 19 years now she is out of the running for an award. But she’s my mum of the year every year,” she says. And if she were to give her an award it would be: “A Force of Nature Award – at 91 she’s an incredible life force with a wicked sense of humour, my fiercest ally, passionate defender and teller of truth – when I need it. She grounds me.”
Research commissioned to celebrate the launch of the Woman’s Way and Beko Mum of the Year awards revealed that Irish mothers are most often referred to as ‘mam’ (31 per cent). Three in five people feel uncomfortable talking about sex with their mothers. Two in five are planning on seeing their mother in person to celebrate Mother’s Day. A shocking 11% admit that there is a chance they might forget Mother’s Day.
The survey ran by iReach shows a wide range of variations for what Irish people call their mothers - 23 per cent prefer ‘mum’, 12 per cent say ‘mom’ and a further 12 per cent use ‘mammy’. Interestingly, four per cent of respondents claim to call their mothers by their first name.
When quizzed as to what mothers are best at, 39 per cent claim being supportive and 20 per cent answered accepting them no matter what, while 16 per cent say that getting told to cop themselves on is what she is best at.
If you know a Mum who deserves recognition, fill out the nomination form here.