This December, Carlow County Council Local Enterprise Office, Carlow Library Service, County Carlow Chamber, Carlow Kilkenny Skillnet, and SETU invite you to Festive Fusion: Powerhouse Women Connect on Tuesday, 9th December 2025, at the Woodford Dolmen Hotel, Carlow. This lunchtime event brings the Powerhouse network together for connection, learning, and celebration.
As this is the final Powerhouse event of the year, we will reflect on 2025 and prepare for 2026 with a focus on practical growth. The programme highlights opportunities in Northern Ireland for firms in the Republic, including the upcoming Powerhouse trade mission in early 2026.
Speaking about the event , Cllr. Ken Murnane , Cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council “Female leaders bring creativity, resilience, and a unique perspective that strengthens every aspect of business and community life. We’re proud to support initiatives that celebrate and empower women in leadership across County Carlow, and I warmly invite Carlow’s businesswomen to attend this event to connect, share experiences, and shape the future of enterprise together”.
Naomh McElhatton will be our keynote speaker. Naomh is an entrepreneur, AI strategist, and mentor, and was recently named Northern Ireland’s Most Inspirational Woman in STEM. Naomh will share her journey and outline why Northern Ireland is an accessible market. Following Naomh’s address, we will hear from Lindsay Malone, CEO of Carlow Kilkenny ETB, who will share her story of leadership and lifelong learning.
Dearbhla O’Dwyer, Business Advisor in the Local Enterprise Office Carlow, commented “This event is a great opportunity for our Powerhouse network members to learn from a leading AI expert who will share rich insights and practical examples of how AI can help us work smarter. We’ll also get great insights from a CEO about her journey to a position of leadership and the lessons learned along the way. We’ll also be able to celebrate each other’s achievements from 2025 and share our exciting plans for what’s in store for our Powerhouse network in 2026.”
The event is free of charge and can be booked on www.localenterprise.ie/carlow