Dearbhail McDonald: Women were key to peace — and will continue to be pivotal 

Female contributors, from politicians to civic society leaders, cannot be overlooked any longer, says Dearbhail McDonald

Then secretary of state for Northern Ireland Mo Mowlam arriving for the final day of the peace talks in Stormont Castle on April 9, 1998. Talks were due to finish by midnight but continued on to the next day, Good Friday afternoon, when a deal was finally reached. File picture: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

History is littered with women ignored by men, especially in the case of conflicts and the peace processes that follow them.

The island of Ireland is no exception, with the critical achievements of many of the heroines of the Good Friday Agreement overlooked or subdued in favour of the largely, but not exclusively, male cohort of leaders credited with its conception and delivery.