Gertie O'Reilly

Gertie O'Reilly was a pioneering journalist in Ireland, recognized as the first woman newspaper reporter in Mayo and Sligo during the 1940s. She made history in 1950 by becoming the first woman to be granted a Dáil press card, gaining access to the Oireachtas Press Gallery, a significant achievement in a male-dominated field. Her legacy continues through her grandson, Eoin Hayes, who is now a TD in the Dáil, and she is remembered for her formidable spirit and trailblazing contributions to journalism.