March 8, 2026: Why International Women's Day still fills the streets – from Dublin to Paris

It's Saturday morning, and the atmosphere is electric. Not just in Paris, where tens of thousands filled the streets yesterday, but right here at home too. March 8, 2026, is more than just a date on the calendar; it's a reminder that the fight for women's rights is just as urgent today as it was fifty years ago. This year, you can feel something extra in the air – a determination, a sense of anger, but also an immense joy in standing together.

The coalition bringing everyone together: This year's key demands

The focal point for the commemorations in Ireland is, as always, the collective power of grassroots organisations and unions. They've managed to bring everyone together, from trade unions to youth groups, all under one umbrella. This year isn't just about equal pay and violence against women – though that, of course, is the foundation. Several people I chat with on the way to the event point to something else: the threat from the far-right. After seeing what's happening in other European countries, the message is clear: "Rights aren't a given – they were won through struggle, and they can be rolled back." That's exactly what we're seeing in France, where protests against the far-right have grown massive in recent days.

Old phones, brand new rallying cries

As the march weaves through the city, it's the small details that catch your eye. Some have hung messages on the pram, others have spray-painted an old bedsheet. Right beside me, a group is singing along with a brass band – practically an institution in itself here in the city. And in the middle of the crowd, I see everything from brand new tablets to well-worn phones documenting everything that's happening. Some are still faithfully holding onto an older model – you know, the one with the decent camera and battery that lasts. It came out years ago with an old Android version, but it's perfectly grand for capturing a moment like this. Others swear by their tablet for live-streaming. The point is, it doesn't matter what kind of gear you have; everyone's here, everyone's documenting, everyone's sharing.

• March 8, 2026: Events planned in over 40 towns and cities across the country.
• Main event in Dublin: March from Parnell Square to the GPO with speeches from women's rights advocates and union representatives.
• Key issues: The fight against domestic violence, equality in the workplace, and solidarity with women in war and conflict zones.

From collective strength to individual action

What strikes me every year is how this day manages to be both massive and deeply personal at the same time. Yes, we talk about structures and politics. But we also talk about the grandmothers who never got to use their education, the friend who had to leave a violent partner, the daughter demanding to be heard in the classroom. It's at the intersection of the political and the personal that this movement draws its power. When we march together, it's not just for ourselves, but for all those who still don't dare, or for those who went before us. Just like the French women who filled the streets in Nancy and Bourges yesterday – they weren't just fighting for themselves, but for an idea of dignity that knows no borders.

As evening falls, and we pack away the banners, there's a feeling that this is only the beginning. Because as one of the speakers said: "March 8th is one day, but the fight lasts all year." Whether you took part with the latest gear or an older phone in your pocket – you've been part of something bigger. And next year, we'll be back again.