After experiencing postnatal depression following the birth of my daughter, I felt isolated—like there was no space where I could truly share how I was feeling. I longed for a community where I could speak openly, be understood, and feel supported by others who had walked the same path. But at the time, it didn’t seem like those spaces existed.
When I began to heal myself I began to look at my own story through a different lens and I started to think about all of the other women who are suffering in silence, afraid or unsure of how to talk about how they are feeling. When I was struggling I found it very hard to articulate how I felt because It was a feeling so foreign to me, it took me quite some time to even realise what was happening and even though I had so many supportive people around me, I didn’t feel spaces existed where I could share how I was truly feeling. It feels as a Mother almost shameful to admit that you are not loving every single minute of Motherhood and that needs to change. I wanted to create that space I felt was missing for so many women and so I created Ardú. Ardú is the Irish for rise, there is a lovely Irish expression which is Ardoidh muid le cheile- together we will rise and that is exactly what I wanted mothers to do.
I wanted to create something that would help support maternal mental health and well-being and ultimately try to break the stigma around talking about mothers’ mental health. For us as Mothers there are elements of shame and guilt attached to talking about finding Motherhood hard but it is hard and while it might not be as severe as experiencing post-natal depression, some mothers are struggling with anxiety, feelings of inadequacy, loneliness, burn out, stress and overwhelm. These things are difficult for any of us to experience in our lives, but combine those feelings with the overwhelming responsibility of raising a child and they are compounded.
We all know the phrase “it takes a village to raise a child” but somewhere along the way I think we have lost our village. More than ever Mothers have become isolated and struggle with feelings of loneliness. Despite living in a world where connection is available at the click of a button and we are practically always reachable, we have somehow become starved of real life connection and while we often can’t find the time to connect in real life we have time to get lost in the world of social media where we look at other women and hold ourselves up to impossible standards, find ourselves wondering “why am I not like her? She makes it look so easy, where did I go wrong?” With that in mind the purpose of Ardú was to create spaces to empower, support and inspire mothers and women. A community for women where they could come together and connect with one another.
For almost two years now I have been organising sea dips in Sligo for women, followed by warm drinks and chats on the beach, we’ve had walk and talk events in different locations in Sligo, sunrise hikes, a running group, and other wellness centred events such as breathing workshops and sauna sessions. All of the activities are based around promoting and encouraging self-care, nurturing connection both with others and ourselves and taking part in activities that promote and encourage movement.
These informal support networks are a lifeline for so many mothers. They create a space where experiences can be shared without judgment, where women can lean on one another, and where the simple act of being heard can make all the difference. In a time when maternal mental health challenges are widespread, these networks should not only be encouraged but actively supported and strengthened across Ireland.
Every mother is a resource for another. When we foster these communities, we harness the power of collective experience—ensuring that no woman feels like she has to navigate the challenges of motherhood alone. It’s time to prioritise, incentivise, and invest in grassroots, mother-led support systems so that every mother, no matter where she is, has somewhere to turn.
Follow my journey with Ardú here. 
Aolish