Kiltimagh native Melissa Morley has always had a flair for entrepreneurship. After earning degrees in Communications and Marketing from DCU, she explored various career paths, from personal training to the pharmaceutical industry.

Dee Ruddy has come up with a very interesting concept and has thrown herself headfirst into it. The Belmullet native is a hairdresser and makeup artist by profession and ran a successful business in Bangor Erris for 15 years.

Ciara O’Malley radiates a positivity that is hard to describe. When you enter her company, there is a warmth and brightness that emanates from her.

Nessa Garvin never imagined her hobby would turn into a successful business, but she has done just that in a very short space of time. A Cavan native, Nessa moved to Belmullet with her husband and two children in 2020.

Music is at the heart of everything that Anne Moriarty does. Anne is the musical director and conductor of the Mayo Youth Orchestra, based at Music West in Castlebar.

Career paths aren’t always linear, but more often than not, when a person is drawn to a particular area, they end up working in that field in some shape. That’s true for Lisa Finn, owner of Enhance Consulting.

To say that Aisling Neary has helped others is a massive understatement. The Castlebar native has had a positive impact on the lives of so many people in her lifetime, so much so that the true number would be impossible to calculate.

"Walk a mile in my shoes" is a quote that resonates with lots of people. Finding someone who has experienced what you are going through can be a great comfort if you are struggling.

The world of media is a fascinating one – and it’s constantly evolving.

Anne Marie Coleman lives a jet-set life in her role at Coca-Cola. As Chief of Staff to the Head of HR for the entire company, the role is undoubtedly demanding and rewarding in equal measure. She is married to Kevin and they have three daughters.

Carmel Kelly is a woman who knows how to get the job done. She is the Director of Operations at the TF Royal Hotel and Theatre in Castlebar, one of the largest indoor entertainment venues in Ireland.

Noo Chocolates has become an instantly recognisable brand. Mary Corrigan is the brains behind the artisan chocolate company, based at The Quay in Ballina.

Like a lot of people who participate in voluntary organisations or support groups, Maria Moylett has found herself involved in helping birth mothers who had their children adopted because of her own experience.

Orla Gillespie (nee Hearns) took a leap of faith two years ago – a leap that has resulted in ensuring she is changing lives and supporting those who need it most every day.

Annette Maughan is a busy woman. As chief executive officer of Moy Valley Resources, based in Ballina, there are literally a million and one different things going on in her working life.

Sarah Lavelle had not envisaged herself working and living on her native Achill Island. But she is doing just that, as she runs the Achill Island Kitchen in Dooagh and immerses herself in local community projects.

Mary B Gallagher describes Achill as her heart, and sitting chatting to her, it’s easy to understand why. A native of the island, she has lived and worked there all her life.

Mari Corduff is the Cake Queen! But like many other businesswomen, it’s not something she set out to be. Mari owns The Cake Queen coffee shop in Belmullet and produces novelty cakes for all occasions as well.

Melissa Gilligan is a creative person – there is no getting away from that. A beautician by trade, she always found joy in seeing a vision and bringing it to life. And that’s exactly what she has done with the Old Kirk and Manse in Hollymount.

Sheila Moffatt lives and breathes her work. She founded the Moffatt School of Irish Dancing nearly three decades ago and over the years the school has produced top champion dancers and Sheila is an experienced adjudicator herself. But that’s not all.

We’ve all heard stories about people who moved back to the West during or after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Lourda McHugh is a woman driven by the deeply personal experience of breast cancer to make real changes for those who find themselves in the same position today.

Maria Boland is a naturally caring person. Her family has been in the undertaking and pub business in Swinford for years. Maria herself went to the UK at 18 and qualified as a nurse, a job which brought her to other countries and various specialties.

Tereasa McGuire has done many things in her life so far. She was a teacher, an assistant pharmacist, a local politician, and is now a qualified psychotherapist and death doula.