Blog: IWD - Dr. Nóirín Burke, Director of Education

To celebrate the run up to International Women's Day on 8th March, BIAZA are sharing the stories and voices of women from across the BIAZA membership.

Today's blog is from Dr. Nóirín Burke, Director of Education at Galway Atlantaquaria. 

Happy International Women’s Day from Galway Atlantaquaria

Will you write a blog they said! Will you take a turtle for an x-ray? Will you edit this film piece and top and tail it with branding and logos?

No two days at Galway Atlantaquaria are the same. From a girl who grew up on a farm in a land-locked county in Ireland, who did just ok-ish in school I could never have imagined what the future would hold.

Thanks to an amazing family and a wonderful teacher Ms Mc Cormack, who taught me when I was about 10, I finally found my place in the world, and turned to nature, inspired by the books of Tom Mc Coughlin, about a family of foxes.

In the run up to International Women’s Day I would like to share some of the many lessons I have learnt over the last 20 years, from the incredible men and women I meet along the way.

The first would be, don’t give up. Ok I know it sounds corny but there were so many times when I struggled and doubted myself, I even nearly walked out of my job once! Have faith in yourself and encourage those around you. Be proud of the work you help others to do, as a quote I once heard said ‘you can’t always be the performer, somethings you have to help get the stage ready for someone else to preform’.

2. Take joy and fulfilment from the small things, the question a child asks you, the wondering you see on their face when you answer it; the interesting conservation you have with an adult visiting your collection, or the group you meet online. Sometimes you will have big wins, momentous events that you want to share all over social media, tell the world about, but most days are just normal, and the small things are important too.

3. Breathe! Remember to not loss touch with you who are, and what you want to achieve, even if that is caring for an animal, sharing a new piece of information, encouraging one person to make a responsible choice for the environment, planning an exhibit, creating an image or design. We all play an important role, and by having respect, empathy, and consideration for all living things we can create a community of voices and actions to promote a positive, sustainable way of life.

Wishing everyone a Happy Women’s Day, remember to celebrate who you are.

By Dr. Nóirín Burke, Galway Atlantaquaria

All blogs reflect the views of their author and are not a reflection of BIAZA's positions.