As Mother’s Day approaches, messages of love and bouquets of flowers are being prepared to express gratitude and acknowledgment of the sacrifices mothers make. This special Sunday was an opportunity to reflect on what motherhood signifies to different women.
Newstalk presenter and a mum of four, Ciara Kelly, shared her views on motherhood which has had a profound impact on her life. Although she initially did not aim to become a mother, she has since embraced it, acknowledging its challenges and admitting it has fundamentally shaped who she is today. Kelly shares her journey of self-transformation from being a guarded young woman in her twenties when she first became a mother, to becoming a more open and less self-centered person.
Kelly expresses the depth of her maternal love as being unconditional and boundless, stating there is no extent to what she wouldn’t do for her children. Despite the significance of motherhood, the importance of Mother’s Day to Kelly is relatively low. She shares that of course she appreciates her children marking the day, but it is more important to her how caring they are throughout the year.
Kelly’s eldest son, Oisín, lives in Australia. The two generally communicate every Sunday, a ritual that is independent of Mother’s Day. She shares that his absence is felt every day, it is not amplified on Mother’s Day alone.
Comedian and mother of three, Emma Doran’s views on motherhood vary based on the day.
Currently engrossed in a phone call upstairs, feeling rather positive due to solitude, she anticipates how swiftly her mood may shift in the next 10 minutes when she must embark on a trip to purchase dog food. Motherhood, despite its immense importance and rewards, constantly occupies her life, blending with every facet she encounters, including ones that are unrelated to being a mother.
Doran was introduced to motherhood at the young age of 18, an immensely shifting experience that bestowed clarity and ambition upon her. She remarks that she is only now beginning to comprehend it fully; to dismiss the guilt, to stop herself from getting burnt out, and to take into consideration that caring for her own might not be a bad idea.
Her main source of guidance and wisdom about motherhood would have been her own mother. Recognising that the way she takes on motherhood has to be different than how her mum did is enlightening. In her mother’s generation, the roles at home were clearly demarcated. Although there’s a desire to be a mirror of one’s own mother, the societal changes and economic situation of today’s world make it completely unfeasible. Add to that, she admits she wouldn’t really want that as well, indicating an inner conflict.
Her youngest child is nine, while her eldest will be turning 21 come May and she’s only just getting the hang of things now. It’s akin to barely figuring out her menstrual cycle, only to expect it to cease soon, she remarks. For Mother’s Day, a visit to her own mother is a must; however, the specifics of the day aren’t of much significance, but she does appreciate the charm of a handcrafted card.
Emer O’Neill, a TV presenter and mother of three, chuckled when she discovered that Sunday was Mother’s Day. O’Neill admits that she appreciates receiving small tokens of affection like hand-drawn cards or a flower picked up by her kids on their way back from school. Yet, she believes that a day is hardly adequate to celebrate motherhood and playfully suggests a ‘mother’s month’ instead.
O’Neill also talks about how her mother plays an instrumental role in her life and deserves a special day of thanks. She admits that motherhood consumes her and that her children are her world. O’Neill has always yearned for a bustling home filled with family, which is a sharp contrast from her singular childhood in a one-parent household. Despite getting the larger family she desired, O’Neill finds herself in contemplative moments, question how she ended up where she is, and if she’s fit enough to parent.
Indeed, motherhood, according to O’Neill, acts as a mirror for self-reflection on one’s upbringing, leading parents to decide which practices to continue and which to abandon in the raising of their own children.
Similarly, Ranae von Meding, who works in marketing, along with her wife Audrey Rooney, decided to start a family almost instantly after establishing their relationship. They are now the proud parents of three children, the youngest of whom, Ali, was welcomed to their nest just five weeks ago.
She confidently declares, “I always knew motherhood was in my destiny, whether it came through IVF, adoption or fostering,” Her proudness stemming from being a mother outweighs every other role she plays. If a need arose to sacrifice all her other aspects, she’d retain her motherhood identity.
Ranae von Meding sees Mother’s Day as a commemoration of the entire spectrum of maternal experience – the heartache, the hilarity, the bliss, the torment, the accomplishments, the contentment, the sorrow. “Becoming a mother has been a revelation, proving that I possess more strength and resilience than I ever imagined I could,” she comments.
Mother’s Day holds special significance and resonance for von Meding, given her miscarriage in the previous year. “We lost our little one on the 16th of March last year. My partner and I tied the knot on Mother’s Day and given our family has two mums, Mother’s Day means a great deal to us.
Our two little ones are currently school-going. They believe it’s a jolly good time because they get to join their peers in making Mother’s Day cards. Uniquely enough, while most of their mates make one card, they have the privilege of crafting two, a fact they find quite extraordinary.
“Mother’s Day represents a commemoration of the countless facets that define a mother – the losses, laughs, delights, distresses, triumphs, joys, melancholies,” von Meding reflects. “These are the elements that characterise us as mothers. We observe that. We see every day as Mother’s Day in our home.”
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