Gobnaits reclaim their name at unique road bowling festival honouring Irish saint in Cork

Women named Gobnait gathered in Cork’s Múscraí Gaeltacht to celebrate heritage, reclaim identity and honour Ireland’s patron saint of bees

Organiser Eileen Gobnait Ní Lionáird in action during the all-Gobnait road bowling event in Ballyvourney as part of Féile Ghobnatan 2026. Picture: Chani Anderson

It's a rhetorical question that has divided opinion the world over.

While many will argue “what’s in a name?”, Father Ted star Frank Kelly’s infamous 1980s skit did little for the reputation of Gobnaits.