Meet Hildegarde from Oranmore.

In 2008 Hildegarde won the AIMS Best Actress Award for her role as Eliza Doolittle in the Galway Patrician Musical Society's production of My Fair Lady. She has played numerous leading roles and is part of the Galway based operatic group Bel Canto. Hildegarde is a lady who is used to being in the public eye.

Hildegarde, who lives in Galway City, is a down to earth lady who has had an interesting and diverse life. Starting her studies in NUIG, a degree in Economics and a masters in French resulted in Hildegarde studying and working in France. When she returned to Galway she worked for several multinationals before deciding she would like to become a National School teacher. But there was always more going on, Hildegarde has been actively involved in the community and loved volunteering for different organisations and charities. In 2007 she was the Co-ordinator for People in Need in Galway and helped raise over €300,000. Being able to see how this money helped so many different people Hildegarde decided that a life in Politics could be on the cards for her.

She is a politician because she wants to make positive change. To date Hildegarde has been the Mayor of Galway, served on Galway City Council, was elected to the Seanad by An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny T.D., and is currently a serving TD for Galway West - South Mayo. She is Chairperson of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment and is the only member from the West of Ireland on the Special Oireachtas Committee on the Future of Healthcare. Hildegarde believes Galway has so much to offer but really wants to bring all the different areas of Galway to work together. She is currently working many projects, one of which is the proposed construction of a new acute hospital at Merlin Park on a phased basis. For more information on what Hildegarde is doing check out her page here.