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Ailbhe Smyth
Founding Director Women's Education, Resource and Research Centre, University College Dublin

Ailbhe is a long-time activist and campaigner on feminist, LGBTI+ and socialist issues. She lectured at UCD (University College Dublin) for many years, where she was the founding head of Women’s Studies, and has published widely on feminism, politics and culture in Ireland. Ailbhe has been involved in many campaigns and was on the Strategic Executive of the victorious same-sex marriage campaign in 2015. She has been fighting for women’s right to choose for nearly 40 years and was Co-Director of the Together for Yes national referendum campaign which removed the ban on abortion from the Irish Constitution with a majority of over 66% in 2018. She convenes the Coalition to Repeal the 8th Amendment and is a regular contributor to media and national debate on this and other issues in Ireland. She was named as one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People 2019 along with Together for Yes Co-Directors Orla O’Connor and Grainne Griffin.

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