SHINE started in 2018, when The Shona Project partnered with Beat 102-103 to bring 350 transition year students together to hear from a panel of 8 speakers. We never expected how amazing that day would be, and our eardrums took weeks to recover!

In 2019, it got even louder, and we brought 1,000 girls together to sing, laugh, cry and blow bubbles together, you can watch those highlights here. It was even filmed as part of an RTE Docu-series called  “Changing Ireland”.

2020 was a real low point for us, as we were devastated to cancel our first national SHINE tour, but we refused to give up, and put our heads together to go bigger, bolder, brighter and online for 2021.

This year, Spin 1038, Spin South West and IRadio have joined us to create what is quite possibly the biggest online women’s day event to ever happen in Ireland. With 6 stages, 80 speakers, and almost 20,00 attendees, as well as art showcases, competitions, and challenges.

In 2022 we came back with a BANG! Despite Covid, and all the world threw at us – there was even a stage we thought we couldn’t pull it off – we brought Shine Festival back with our first-ever hybrid event. We were be joined by 2,000 girls in person and over 15,000 online through our live stream from all over Ireland.

Check out the electric energy of the two days at the highlights below…

So what’s coming next year?? You’ll just have to wait and see, but watch out Longitude!!

We know as a teacher that you like to be as organised as possible, so of course we have your back! All of your questions are answered here.

Our online site is packed full of pre-recorded content suitable for viewing throughout the entire school year. We have all of your questions answered here.

The Shona Project is an award-winning social enterprise founded by Tammy Darcy in 2016. Our mission is to educate, empower and inspire today’s Irish Girls to become tomorrows strong confident and curious young women. Since its launch, it has grown into a multi-award winning non-profit organisation.

Our long-term vision is for an Ireland where girls, and the women they will become, are happier, more fulfilled, and play an active role in all sectors of society and the economy. We aim to transform the experience of young girls growing up in Ireland, to support and nurture them and fill them with belief in their potential.

Our impact to date can be summed up here:

• 60,000 through our annual festivals (and growing!)
• 25,000 through our school workshops
• 60,000 through our survival handbook
• 250,000 monthly through our website
• 200,000 through social media views each month!

Workshops in Africa and India, Summer Schools pilot, Podcasts.

Head over to our main site to find out more.

Shona is my big sister. No matter how hard I tried to catch up as a child , Shona always remained a solid 18 months older than me. In spite of this we bonded over a shared love of rice pudding, fancy pages and erasers that smelt like strawberries.

Shona is such an important part of The Shona Project and not a day goes by where she isn’t in each of our minds. So, we asked Tammy to tell us all about her, so you too can have a special place in your heart for Shona.

“Personality-wise we were total opposites, Shona was a soft and gentle soul, happy to go along with whatever everyone else was doing and stare dreamily at the clouds on the way. I, on the other hand, had a steely determination to succeed at everything, even at that stage. I always competed with myself, as Shona had no time for my bull s**t, and felt I was a little dramatic for her taste.

Shona had a bright future in front of her. She was beautiful, smart, gentle and loving. Somebody would have been very lucky to have her as a wife someday, and she would have made an amazing mother to some very lucky children if she had been given the chance.”

Sadly, this wasn’t to be. Between the ages of 13 and 15 Shona started struggling to do normal everyday things and was eventually diagnosed with AVM Arteriovenous Malformations (a type of acquired brain injury). Her health began deteriorating very quickly and my parents were told that she would probably pass away within about a year. Shona had remarkable strength and defied logic, medicine and science, to live for another 30 years. For most of those years she lived in full-time nursing care. Sadly, she passed away on February 1st 2023, surrounded by her family. She was incredibly loved.

“I have lost the sister I thought I would share my life with. We will never laugh, cry and dance together, share late-night phone calls, Friday night cocktails or girly shopping weekends. By naming this organisation “The Shona Project” I feel like she is, in spite of her illness, creating an impact on the world, and people will know who she was. The Shona Project is her legacy, and we will continue to do this important work in her name.”

Tammy Darcy, Founder, The Shona Project

You can hear Tammy chat with Ryan Tubridy about Shona, her illness, and their relationship here.

You can read an article Tammy shared with A Lust For Life here.

Thanks for asking!! There are lots of ways that you can support us,

• Donate: We are a non-profit, and all of our funds go towards supporting our programmes in schools and around the country. You can donate to The Shona Project here
• Follow Us: Our Social Media feeds are full of inspiring, empowering, informative, funny and cute content
• Book a Workshop: Find out more about our school workshops (which can be delivered virtually) here.
• Take The Shona Pledge: The Shona Pledge is a manifesto to treat yourself, and those around you with kindness. With tens of thousands of signatures, join the Shona movement, here.
• Write for us: Our website is full to the brim with personal stories, opinions and experiences shared by our community. Why not share your story? Contact [email protected] for more information.
• Buy our Book: “You’ve Got This!” is a guide to loving yourself through your teens and beyond. This book, written by our Founder, Tammy Darcy, helps improve self-esteem, stimulate positive thinking and build resilience, while encouraging you to see your amazing potential. Due for Publication on March 26th, you can pre-order it right here.
• Get in touch: We want to hear from you, of course we do! Contact [email protected] if you want to chat to us.