Holly Cairns: ‘Before going back, I thought ‘no way is this going to work’’

Returning to work after maternity leave can be daunting for many women.

But if you’re the leader of a political party and your door-to-door commute – without stopping – is four and a half hours, there’s a bit more involved.

That’s the scenario that faced the leader of the Social Democrats party, Holly Cairns, when she returned to work in September, nine months after giving birth to her daughter … on polling day.

But despite admitting feeling worried and experiencing some dread at how she’d manage the logistics, not returning to the role was never going to be an option.

“It is a lot,” admitted Holly, who was elected party leader in 2023.

“And before going back, I thought, no way is this going to work, the commute is not manageable. But then, I’d have asked if I could have had a baby and also be the leader of a party, and I’ve have said the same. Or if I could do that in an election year? Not possible! Or given birth on polling day? So I’m determined to make it work, it has to be manageable.”

The West Cork woman says she hears time and time again from other females how they’d like to get involved in politics, but that they either have a family, or would like one and think that it has to be one or the other.

“I have to make it work to pave a way to get more women into politics, so I’m making it possible at the moment,” said Holly.

She says she’s in the privileged position of having her partner, Barry Looney, who runs his family-owned business, The West Cork Hotel in Skibbereen, in Dublin with her and their daughter during the week, and they return home at the weekend.

“I’ve been so lucky to have them both close by, as I’d find it hard to leave her for even a day. It’s made the transition unexplainably easier and manageable,” said Holly, who has a cot and changing station in her Dáil office and admits to feeling somewhat of a ‘novelty’.

“Logistically, it would have been impossible to do this on my own,” she said.

“But this arrangement is only until Christmas. In January, we’ll have to find another plan. So the reality is that it’s kind of mad! We’re just figuring things out as we go along.”

Childcare has been something Holly has always been vocal about as a public representative, and the obstacles she’s facing personally aren’t new to her.

Her options, she said, are to leave her daughter in West Cork for three or four days a week; or bring her up and down with her on her own, but she can’t even get a creche place as the Dáil creche is full.

But she said these are issues that loads of people face, and she’s not blindsided by them, and doesn’t wish to overstate her situation.

Holly announced her pregnancy on Instagram in June, 2024, and said it was something she and Barry had wanted for a long time.

“While I’m delighted to share this news now, I was initially hesitant because, like so many other couples hoping to start a family, ours has not been a straightforward journey,” she said, later disclosing that she had had two miscarriages over the previous year.

The day The Echo chatted with Holly, her one-year-old had had her parents up for most of the night.

“Her eighth tooth is on the way, and, in general, I’d have to say that she doesn’t love sleep … but that’s just part and parcel of having a one-year-old.

“It’s surprising how little sleep you need to exist!” said Holly, who said that she’s had the best year of her life.

Since becoming a mother, she’s more aware of where she puts her energy.

“I am better at trying to achieve a work-life balance, as there’s now stiff competition for my time, in my daughter.

“I find I’m laser focused and don’t spread myself too thinly, I’m probably more effective and efficient, and I feel I’ve less patience, and don’t have time for any deliberate time-wasting in Dáil Éireann and especially during Leaders Questions,” she said.

Issues on her desk at the moment include the housing crisis.

“There will be more than 5,000 homeless children this Christmas – it’s a crisis, and the government has to act accordingly,” she said.

The government, she said, is just ‘dusting down already failed plans’ for housing, and she repeated the Social Democrats’ call to acquire a modular homes factory.

“I’m not seeing any political will on promises being made during the election campaign, and it’s about holding the government to account continually,” she said.

Simon Harris, she said, promised a public model of child care during the election campaign, and “100 days on there hasn’t been a mention of it”.

“We are never going to reach gender equality unless we get that,” she said.

With her trademark honesty, Holly said she doesn’t want to ‘sugar coat’ her situation, but instead of it feeling like a deterrent to women to entering politics, she said, “it’s the reason why we need you”.

For now, though, it’s about enjoying a family-focused Christmas in West Cork.

Does she make any New Year resolutions?

“Politics can be all-consuming, so I’d like to find something separate to my work and my family – even if I don’t know what that is yet!”