Where would we be without our girlfriends? A lot more miserable is where.
With all due respect to the men in our lives, we'd like to take a moment to give a shout out to our women. Female friendships are powerful things and whether you have one best friend or a whole girl crew, life is better when you have (and are) a good friend.
So, in the spirit of International Friendship Day (that's today btw) here are Team Irish Tatler's thoughts some of the most inspiring, supportive, maddening, and often hilarious, relationships in life: the female friendships.
AMY HEFFERNAN, EDITOR OF IRISHTATLER.COM
"When I was 12, I was faced with the most weighty decision of my then few, short years; to go on to the secondary school for which my primary school was a feeder with my friends, or go to a 'rival' school where I knew pretty much no one (a pinch of salt required here, I grew up in Galway – it wasn't quite the Bloods V Crips).
I chose the 'rival' school and looking back, it's still the best decision I've ever made because, in doing so, I met the most incredible group of 15 girls – all of whom I still consider my best friends today.
I know a friendship group that large might seem excessive, but the strength and depths of personalities, interests and experiences mean I always have the right girl to go to in our 'Sweet Sixteen' WhatsApp group. (It's rarely quiet, as you might imagine.)
We've grown up together and know each other inside and out, good and slightly less-good. Meeting each of them was an integral moment in my life and so to Grainne, Niamh, Thornto, Alex, Ciks, Dee, Lu C, Madden, Dani, Saz, Rois, Ciara T, Adrienne, Jen and Ellen... thanks for being as special as you are."
BRENDA MCCORMICK, MANAGING EDITOR
"My female friends are a cornerstone of my life. Some are like part of my family, others are more ‘pals’ but still play an important role in my life - as I hope I do in theirs.
I think the main thing I’ve learned about friendships over the years is that they are living things. And they are not all the same. They change shape over time and grow bigger - or smaller - and that’s all okay.
You don’t have to be besties with everyone all the time and some friendships work best in a different way. Maybe you have a pal you have your major clubbing nights out with but never have deep ’n’ meaningfuls with, or there’s one that gets you off the couch and to the gym, or one you call when you need serious advice about grown-up things. Life can be a patchwork quilt of pals!
One of my friends once declared that, 'friends should love and support each other’ and that’s all there is to it, really. Whatever your friendships look like, however many there are, if you love and support each other, you’re doing grand."
KATE DEMOLDER, STAFF WRITER
"The majority of my very best female friends live worlds away and even though there are weeks when we're too busy to chat, I know that I could call them at 4 am when anxiety is ripping me apart and they'll be a shoulder to rant at or even be on-hand to organise our next reunion.
What I love about female friendships the most is that they're so romantic and involved. They know the best, worst and most middling things about you and would still take a bullet for you any day of the week. They also know what you're thinking with a look which is something I've never found with male counterparts.
Girls have reputations for being bitchy, mean and vitriolic but my experience with female-centric circles is quite the opposite. Caring, funny, intelligent and flaw-embracing embodiments who are just looking to make your day better in the way only they can."
EMMA BLANCHFIELD, STAFF WRITER
"When I think about female friendships, my head automatically pictures a Taylor Swift-esque size 'squad' that comes with its own WhatsApp group that just never stops buzzing. But in reality, or well, my reality, my female friendships comes in the shape of an extremely small 'squad' who actually don't know one another. Granted, it's strange to not have one solid group of friends but each one of my best friends symbolises a pivotal moment in my life.
They are girls I've met and instantly became friends with from my different walks in life and despite us not being a clique, each one of their friendships is the reason behind my happiness.
They're the ones that listen to what should be a single line text but actually become a ten-minute voice note of my rambles, they're the ones I go to when life is being a b*tch, they're the ones I can always rely on to say yes to a gin and spice bag even if it is only a Wednesday, they're the ones I can trust won't fall asleep when it's 3 am and the Oscar for best documentary short is being awarded and they're the ones who will always, always have my back. Sure my Instagram feed may lack #squadgoal pictures and sure they'll always be a part of me that will worry about not having 'enough' friends but then I always think back to what my English teacher in secondary school told me: it's quality over quantity.
Regardless of their size, there is nothing more important, nothing more powerful than a 'squad' of women who have each other's back. So to the extremely small number of "huns" I'm lucky to call my friends, I love you and thank you for always being enough."
Main image by @jenniferaniston on Instagram
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