Labour Senator Ivana Bacik was named Irish Woman Lawyer of the Year at a gala dinner organised by the Irish Women Lawyers’ Association (IWLA) at the Law Society on Saturday 19 October.

Senator Bacik received her award from her activist colleague, former Supreme Court Justice Catherine McGuiness, who is also current IWLA president.

The attendance included Noeline Blackwell of the Rape Crisis Centre, children's rights advocate Nora Gibbons, National Women’s Council of Ireland chair Ellen O’Malley Dunlop, International Protection Appeals Tribunal chair Hilkka Beckerand, and ex-Independent journalist Dearbhail McDonald.

In her speech, Senator Bacik quoted Constance Markievitz as she exhorted the room to “wear short skirts and sturdy boots…and carry a revolver”.

The event was hosted by the Law Society with the support of Law Society Finuas Skillnet and Evershed Sutherlands.

The next IWLA event is the Celebrating a Century event at King’s Inns in Dublin on 30 November.