Labour Party celebrates Irish activists at 74th Conference

• Lydia Foy awarded the Jim Larkin Thirst for Justice Award for campaigning work for trans rights
• Jennifer Murray presented with the Labour Women Jo Cox Award
• Naoise Dolan receives the Labour Youth Cormac Ó Braonáin Award

The Labour Party celebrated the breadth of Irish activism at its 74th Conference in Limerick yesterday.

Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik said:

“All of us can feel the need for hope and it was an honour to award three trailblazing activists at Labour’s 74th National Conference in Limerick Last night.

“10 years since the Labour Party ushered the Gender Recognition Act into law, it was our pleasure to present the Jim Larkin Thirst for Justice Award to trailblazer, Lydia Foy. Without her brave campaigning, Ireland might not have delivered that important legal change for the trans community. We thank Lydia for her courageous advocacy over many years of campaigning, and we honour her for her immense tenacity and great determination.

“I think the entire country was in awe of the incredible Jennifer Murray this summer when she stood up following a hideous attack on a member of the Indian community in Tallaght. Jennifer spoke so eloquently at Labour conference about the need for Irish people to stand proudly, shoulder to shoulder, to counter racism and the narrative pushed by some on the far-right. Her bravery and courage should rightly be recognised. Jennifer represents who we really are, a nation of cead míle fáiltes, not of division.

“The Labour Youth Cormac Ó Braonáin Award has been presented at Conference since 2021, following the tragic passing of Cormac in 2019, when he was Chairperson of Labour Youth. Cormac worked tirelessly to advocate for the politics of our movement – of equality, solidarity, of fairness and inclusion. That’s why we were utterly delighted to recognise the activism of author Naoise Dolan in Limerick last night.

“Naoise Dolan’s courageous and necessary activism to raise the plight of Gaza, and sailing on the aid flotilla to Gaza has been inspiring for so many people in Ireland and across the world. We were truly delighted to present this award to Naoise last night to commend her fearlessness and activism.

“Now more than ever, the politics of hope matters. As Party Leader, I am relentlessly focused on the future represented by Ireland’s incredible activists, on growing our Party and our support base. Not for the sake of it, but for the future.”