Most likely there is a woman, or perhaps several women who shaped the very person you are today. She may have been the one who kissed scraped knees in the playground, who sat up worried when you were late home, who quietly slipped a five-pound note into your coat pocket when you were struggling. She may have taught you to bake soda bread, or to be kind, or simply to get back up again when life knocked you sideways. She is, in the truest sense, the heart of your home.
This 'Mothering Sunday' , celebrated in Ireland on Sunday, 22nd March 2026 let's take a moment to really honour that. Not just with a bunch of flowers grabbed at a petrol station (no judgement, we've all been there!), but with the kind of recognition that says: I see you. I truly see you.
Why do we think an Irish Mother's Day Feels Different?
In Ireland, Mothering Sunday falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent , a tradition rooted in the old custom of returning to your "mother church," the parish where you were baptised. Over time, it became a day to return home to your own mother, and something of that original spirit still lingers.
There is a particular warmth to the Irish celebration of motherhood. Perhaps it's woven into our culture, into the very language of the land, máthair, mother.
Us Busy Women know better than anyone that. The Irish mother has always been a quiet force. Tenacious. Resourceful. Funny as anything when she wants to be, and fierce when she needs to be.
Here's something worth sitting with on that thought: What is one thing your mother or the mother figure in your life taught you without ever saying a word? Let that question rest for a moment before you read on. Maybe a nice prompt for some time in your Gratitude Journal.
The Gift of Being Truly Seen
We live in a world where mothers are often praised in grand, sweeping terms and then quietly expected to get on with everything regardless.
The school runs, the shopping, the worrying, the remembering.
The invisible labour of holding a family together whilst finding space for their own wants and needs, if they're lucky.
This year, one of the most meaningful gifts you can give any mother is the simple act of truly seeing her not just as a role, but as a whole, full, glorious person. A little voice note, a text, even a letter reminding her she is seen.
If you are thinking of sending her a gift , our Daily Guide to Wellbeing Health & Happiness 2026 was designed with this kind of woman in mind: someone who gives enormously and deserves daily encouragement to tend to herself too. It's a beautiful 2026 companion for any mother who's ready to put herself gently back on her own list.
If you are a mum yourself, here's a thoughtful reflection worth exploring before the day arrives: What qualities do I most admire in my mother or mother figure — and which of those qualities am I beginning to recognise in myself?
"Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother." — Oprah Winfrey
Small Gestures, Deep Roots
There's a beautiful old Irish proverb: "Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine" — in the shelter of each other, people live. Nowhere is that truth felt more deeply than in the relationship between a mother and child. We grow in the shelter of her love, and if we're paying attention we learn to become that shelter for others in turn.
This is not about grand gestures. It never really is, in Ireland. A cup of tea made without being asked. A phone call that lasts an hour longer than expected. A handwritten note tucked into a card. A shared laugh over something that happened thirty years ago that's somehow still funny.
If you're looking for a gift that carries that spirit something quiet and meaningful and made to last our Gratitude Journal is a lovely choice. It invites the person who receives it to collect the good things, slowly and intentionally, day by day ALL YEAR LONG. A gift that keeps giving, long after the day itself has passed.
For Mothers Who Are Also Finding Their Way
Most importantly for our busy women, let's not forget the mothers who are in the thick of it right now, the ones with toddlers on their hip and a thousand tabs open in their minds.
The ones navigating new motherhood, single motherhood, or the exhausting beautiful chaos of raising teenagers. The ones who are grieving their own mothers whilst trying to be strong for their children.
Motherhood is not one single experience. It's as varied and complex as we are.
If that's where you are this Mothering Sunday, we want to say this clearly: you are doing better than you think. Progress, not perfection , it's the quiet truth at the heart of everything we do here at Get Up and Go Publications.
Our Diary for Busy Women 2026 was created for women exactly like you — the ones who are building something meaningful one imperfect day at a time. It offers structure without rigidity, encouragement without pressure, and a little beauty to carry with you through the week.
"Motherhood: all love begins and ends there." — Robert Browning
Overall, celebrating the Women Who Shaped Us.
Whether you're planning a family Sunday roast, a long walk by the sea, or a quiet morning with a fresh pot of tea and a phone call home this Mothering Sunday, let's bring intention to the day.
If your mum is still with you, we prompt you to tell her what she means to you. Not in a card-shop sort of way in your own words, in whatever way feels real.
If she's no longer here, perhaps today is a day to remember her in the way that feels right: a story shared, a walk to a favourite place, a recipe made in her honour.
"She is the sun of my life — the gilder of every pleasure, the soother of every sorrow." — Jane Austen
And if you are the mother, the grandmother, the aunt, the godmother, the woman who showed up when it mattered , then this one is for you, too. You deserve to be celebrated every bit as much as you celebrate others.
A Little Something for the Day
Want to send a little Taste of Ireland abroad? Our Irish Get Up & Go Diary 2026 makes a truly thoughtful Mother's Day gift particularly for any Irish women living abroad who'd love a daily thread connecting them back to home. Each page carries the warmth, humour, and wisdom that feels unmistakably, beautifully Irish.
During MARCH when you order an IRISH GET UP AND GO DIARY , we will automatically add in an additional one FREE OF CHARGE.
Because the best gifts aren't really about the thing itself, are they? They're about the message underneath: I thought of you. I know you. I love you.
May this Mother's Day be full of warmth, laughter, strong tea, and the kind of conversation that reminds everyone around the table just how lucky they are.
Happy Mothering Sunday, however that looks to you 💚
