Pictures: Network Ireland events kick off in Cork for 2026

Wed, 14 Jan, 2026 - 09:01

Advice on how to get published, and on dealing with imposter syndrome, were among the themes at the first Network Ireland Cork branch meeting of the year.

Marta Bodenko, DELL Technologies, Hanna Backmo, Hanna’s Bees and Naomi Lamour, I See Windows at the Network Ireland Cork Branch January event titled Get Published in 2026 in the Imperial Hotel. Picture: Darragh Kane

Members descended on the Imperial Hotel for the event, where Stephen Ryan chaired a panel discussion on getting published in 2026.

Mary Corcoran, The Echo, Deirdre O’Grady, AbilityWise and Food Writer Kate Ryan at the Network Ireland Cork Branch January event titled Get Published in 2026 in the Imperial Hotel.

The panel featured food writer Kate Ryan, well known to WoW readers for her monthly WoW Bites! feature; children’s author Nadine Hughes Campbell; crime writer Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin (Sam Blake); and food writer Julia Skinner, who each shared their own experiences of writing and life in the industry.

Roisín Flynn, Director of Sales at Radisson Blu Hotel and Cathy Fitzgibbon, The Culinary Celt at the Network Ireland Cork Branch January event titled Get Published in 2026 in the Imperial Hotel.

Among the areas discussed on the evening were how to begin a journey to getting published, and how AI is impacting writers on the ground.

Sian Horn, Elite Pilates, Helen O’Callaghan, Helen O’Callaghan Photography, Gillian Hennessy, Trickle Arts Centre, Margaret O’Regan, Event Plan and Maura Mackey, Maura Mackey Design at the Network Ireland Cork Branch January event titled Get Published in 2026 in the Imperial Hotel.

The Network Cork branch will host a coffee morning at the Rochestown Park Hotel on February 13.

Network Ireland West Cork will kick off its 2026 events with ‘Empower Your Year: Building Strong Foundations for Success & Wellbeing’ tomorrow, Thursday, January 15 at 7pm at The Ludgate Hub in Skibbereen.

Elke McCarthy, Bia Sasta, Susana Marambio, BBCS Business Advisors and Ingrid Seim, Avenues Consultancy & Coaching at the Network Ireland Cork Branch January event titled Get Published in 2026 in the Imperial Hotel. Picture: Darragh Kane

The event will feature two powerful talks exploring how both our external environment and internal mindset shape how we live, work, and grow.

Vera Keohane, founder of Enjoy Your Home and Ireland’s first certified KonMari consultant, will explore how our physical surroundings directly influence energy, focus and performance. Vera will share practical insights on creating spaces - at home and at work - that support clarity, productivity, and calm.

Lorna O’Regan, Feel Good Healthcare and Fitness, Orla McAndrew, Orla McAndrew Foods, Sarah Leather, The Simplicity Solution, Mary Casey, Salt Robin and Michelle Atamene, Michelle Life and Business Coaching at the Network Ireland Cork Branch January event titled Get Published in 2026 in the Imperial Hotel.

Jennie McGinn, Brand and Strategy Consultant and award-winning speaker, will focus on the power of mindset. Through an engaging and practical approach, Jennie will examine the habits, beliefs and inner narratives that shape how we show up, offering guidance on aligning mindset with ambitions for 2026.

Julie Guiblin, Julie’s Book Keeping, Marie Wiseman, Wiser Marketing, Anna Groniecka, Anna Groniecka Photography, Gilly Brazier, The Pink PA, Dominique Corcoran, Saol Yoga, Shauna Colaci, Shauna Colaci Coaching at the Network Ireland Cork Branch January event titled Get Published in 2026 in the Imperial Hotel. Picture: Darragh Kane

Ahead of her first event as President, Anna Groniecka of Network Ireland West Cork said: “January is a time when many women reassess how they want to work and live. Empower Your Year is about creating strong internal and external foundations so women can move into 2026 feeling supported, focused and confident in what’s ahead.”