Today is International Women’s Day 2015.

The theme for this year’s for International Women’s Day is: MAKE IT HAPPEN

The first International Women’s Day was held in 1911. From small beginnings it has become a day set aside when governments, corporations, institutions and women groups have the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women while calling for greater equality.

In Ireland a series of events are held each year on and around march 8th in celebration of International Women’s Day. 

International Women’s Day is celebrated each year On This Day.

Photo by Daniel Ogren

Huntington Castle in Clonegal, County Carlow, Ireland was the setting for some of the scenes in the Stanley Kubrick film ‘Barry Lyndon’. The film which tells the story of an 18^th century Irish adventurer was the winner of four Oscars at the Academy Awards in 1975. Stanley Kubrick was born in New York City on July 26^th 1928. Though interested in literature he did not do well at school and was later reported to have said that nothing about school interested him. He was taught to play chess by his father. He became a skilled player and chess played an important part in the making of his films. He worked initially as a photographer before taking up filmmaking in the 1950’s. He began by making documentaries and made his first feature film ‘Fear and Desire’ in 1953. During his lifetime Kubrick made 10 feature films many of which were influential and he came to be highly regarded as a director. Spartacus (1960), Lolita (1962), Dr. Strangelove (1964), Clockwork Orange (1971), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), The Shining (1980), Full Metal Jacket (1987) and Eyes Wide Shut (1999) are some of his most famous films. Kubrick moved to England to make the film Lolita in 1962 and he began to live there permanently after 1964. Shortly after a private screening of his final film, ‘Eyes Wide Shut’, Stanley Kubrick died at his home in England at the age of 70 in the year 1999 On This Day

Photo by Xandriss, Single Line Artist

Photo by IrishFireside

Olympic rower Seán Drea from Wells, Muine Bheag (Bagenalstown), Carlow, Ireland was educated at educated the local De la Salle Secondary School, St. Joseph’s Academy on Station Road. He moved to Dublin in 1966, at the age of nineteen, to work in advertising. He joined the Neptune Rowing Club which is located on the River Liffey at Islandbridge in Dublin. Having decided to concentrate on sculling he moved to London. Shortly thereafter he moved to Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he had been awarded a scholarship. In Philadelphia he also rowed for the Vesper Club of which Olympic medal winners John Kelly Senior (father of Princess Grace of Monaco) and his son John Kelly Junior were members. Drea represented Ireland at the 1972 Olympics in Munich where he came 7^th in the single sculls. In the following year he was the winner of the Henley Royal Regatta. He was the winner of the same event in 1974 and 1975. In 1975 he set a record speed at the event which remained unbroken until the 1990’s. The 1975 World Rowing Championships were held in Nottingham, England. Drea came second in a time of 07:12.500 to take the Silver Medal. The 1976 Olympics were held in Montreal. Drea broke the 2000m world record in the semi-final with a time of 6:52.46. To his disappointment however he finished fourth in the Olympic finals. He later returned to the United States where he was appointed coach to the Fairmount Rowing Association in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He also coached the US national team. Today Seán Drea is an organic farmer near Newtownmountkennedy County Wicklow. Seán Joseph Drea, Ireland’s most successful rower to date, was born near Bagenalstown County Carlow in the year 1947 On This Day

Photo by timshortt

Photo by michaelwm25