By Angelina Zhao.

The DCU Law Society presented its inaugural Bláthnaid Hamilton Award to Dr Brenda Daly at a ceremony held in the Solas last Thursday, honouring the contributions of women in law at Dublin City University.

Dr Daly, Associate Professor of Law at DCU’s School of Law and Government, has been recognised as the longest-standing female staff member. 

A subcommittee of the society selected Dr Daly in acknowledgement of her career and the many roles she has held within the school.

The award is named after Bláthnaid Hamilton, a DCU Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL) graduate who became the first woman to serve as chairperson of the DCU Law Society.

Hamilton began her involvement with the society as first-year representative in 2012, progressing to vice-chair before becoming the first female chairperson. 

She had gone on to win the Arthur Cox Award and also established the Aoife King competition for the DCU Law Society, and now works as a commercial counsel at Irish Life. 

Hamilton, who was in attendance at the ceremony, said she is “honoured to have an award in her name.”

Current Law Society chairperson Regina Chow created the award with her subcommittee to establish recognition for the society, specific to women at DCU. 

Chow said, “We selected Dr Brenda Daly as she is an inspiration to many women in law at DCU.”

Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Daly reflected on her career of over 24 years at DCU, having joined the school in 2002. 

Receiving the award, Dr Daly said she was “humbled and honoured” to have been selected as the recipient of the inaugural award. 

She says her journey into law was rooted in a deep sense of justice, shaped by a childhood in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.

 “As a child of the peace generation from North Tyrone, questions of justice and fairness surrounded me, the civil rights movement, access to employment and housing,” she said at the ceremony.

Dr Daly also spoke about the early years of building the School of Law and Government at DCU. She helped to establish the BCL degree as well as the Economics, Politics and Law degree and successfully secured King’s Inns accreditation for BCL students. 

She said the process required a lot of persistence, as there wasn’t much support from the previous DCU President at the time.

 “You would think the door would be pushed open, but it was locked and barricaded,” she said, adding that achieving that accreditation is one of her proudest professional achievements.

Reflecting on the current era of women in law, Dr Daly acknowledged real progress while mentioning that there are challenges that remain. 

Female representation among law staff and students at DCU has improved significantly, and lecture halls are now notably more multicultural. 

However, she pointed out that there are persistent issues, such as the gender pay gap and the particular difficulties facing women at the Bar, where self-employment can create barriers around family life.

Her academic focus on healthcare law is an area she described as having undergone enormous change in Ireland.

She spoke about Ireland’s progress since the repeal of the Eighth Amendment, and what she described as deeply concerning developments in the United States following the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

 “I never thought I would see that happen,” she said.

When asked for the best piece of advice she would give to students, Dr Daly said, “Don’t be afraid to take a chance, and don’t be afraid to change your mind either. One door closes, and there will be another opportunity around the corner.”

The ceremony was also attended by former Law Society chairpersons from DCU, honouring the community of women who have shaped the DCU Law Society’s history.

Chow said she hopes the award will continue to celebrate the inspirational women of DCU Law Society in future years. 

Image Credit: DCU Law Society