Cork Women’s Fun Weekend, a weekend run by women for women, began back in 1984… before iPhones or social media dating apps existed. (No – not before dinosaurs!)

What I find to be crazy strange, is the fact that I am now one of the organizers of a weekend that first began the year I was born. I couldn’t be more proud to now be part of such an iconic weekend, a weekend that means so much to so many women.

In 2014, Lynn Geary, Sandra Murphy and myself met with the last committee members as they handed over the reigns. Little did we know the significance of what we were undertaking. Only a few weeks after taking on the weekend I got diagnosed with cancer. Timing, eh? But as strange as it may sound, the Cork Women’s Fun Weekend helped me through the most difficult time of my life.

It gave me something to focus on, something to look forward to, something to fight towards. Whilst everyone’s lives were continuing on, I was in bed emailing, messaging and ringing anyone I could think of that would benefit the weekend. I had the other girls on the committee tormented on our group chat!

It was during our first Cork Women’s Fun Weekend that we learned just how important the weekend was/is to the women. Countless women we spoke to told us their stories; how they met their partner at one of the weekends or how some women only ever get to catch up there as a lot of them wouldn’t be from Cork. One couple were coming back to celebrate their ten year anniversary.

This a vital event in the lives of so many women. The friendships formed offer lifelines and hope for many. Women come along, let their hair down, throw caution to the wind and simply be.

The weekend is run over the May bank holiday weekend, kicking off on the Friday evening with our now annual Drag King Competition. Saturday consists of an array of workshops, badminton and a BBQ. The main night, the Saturday is in The Metropole Hotel. Sunday is another full day of shenanigans- annual pub quiz and fun competitions such as a Lip Sync battle.

Music throughout the weekend is provided by Irelands Got Talent Sparkle, the talented duo Witless and DJ’s Ruth Dignam and Andrea Coleman.

Our committee is made up of four women, who give up their time to voluntarily help organize a weekend filled with tradition, friendship, love, laughter and dance, after all, what’s a weekend without a dance or two.

Sandra Murphy is our hostess with the mostest, she loves the mic and gives the women a good chuckle. Sandra Carroll is our woman in the know, you need something done, she’s your woman! Andrea Coleman is our new committee member this year, taking over after Emma O’Reilly had to depart. Then there is me, Noelle Cambridge, this is my fifth and final Cork Women’s Fun Weekend – a weekend that will always have a place in not just my calendar but also my heart.

We’re looking forward to making this year’s Cork Women’s Fun Weekend the biggest and best one yet. Women, are you ready?!