‘If you turn on television, invariably it’s men’s rugby, men’s football, men’s darts, men’s racing, men’s men’s men’s men’s,’ The Big Interview: Maura McNally, senior counsel

Maura McNally, senior counsel and chair of the Bar Council, was named Irish woman lawyer of the year in 2020 – and her resilience and good humour has won her fans among her devils, as surely as it helped her break barriers herself

Maura McNally: ‘In every walk of life, there are always going to be some who are more privileged than others.’ Picture: Fergal Phillips

In brief:

Name and role: Maura McNally, senior counsel, chair of the Bar Council

Lives: Clontarf, but originally from Dromod, Co Leitrim

Age: 56

Family: married to Rebecca; they have been together for 20 years

My working day: “My normal working day, when in court, commences at around 8am, when I attend the office just to refresh my knowledge of the brief and to run over matters, and prepare (again) for the trial. I will ...