Photo: Cumann na mBan
The Fight for Change
The 1900’s marked a new beginning for those Irish women who sought women’s suffrage, better educational opportunities, better working conditions and who supported nationalism. Inghínidhe na hÉireann (Daughters of Ireland), was founded by Maud Gonne in 1900 and represented both nationalism and feminist ideals. In 1907 Sinn Féin admitted women as members. In 1911 the Irish Women’s Workers Union was founded by Delia Larkin, sister to James Larkin, because other trade unions of the time excluded women
In 1913, James Connolly, a committed feminist, established the Irish Citizen Army which admitted women who were given the same rank and duty as men. In April 1914 over 100 women gathered at Wynn’s hotel in Dublin and Cumann na mBan was formed. The leaders were mostly women who were from privileged or solidly middle class backgrounds and who were financially independent. They were largely influenced by James Connolly and supported the 1913 Lockout. There was a strong involvement by women in the 1916 Rising who represented a cross-section of Irish society. Single and married women were involved as well as women from different religious denominations and they included an actress, a doctor, shop-assistants and seamstresses. They trained in first aid, drill signalling and rifle practice.
During the Rising itself women were involved in the most dangerous areas, - carrying explosives, dispatches and ammunition. Some worked as nurses and cooks, although members of the Citizen Army were armed and a number of them took part in the fighting. The Proclamation on Easter Sunday was a radical endorsement of equality for women. Women were not only rebelling against foreign rule, they were rebelling against the accepted norms for women in society. The Proclamation formally recognised the right of woman’s suffrage in a free Ireland. It was a promise that the republican government would be elected by both men and women. The 1916 Rising was a step along the road in the struggle for national independence, women’s equality and the labour movement. When the Rising was over, it was a woman who marched out to initiate the final negotiations for surrender.
Photo: British Army note re possible execution of Constance Markievicz, 3 May 1916
Over seventy women were jailed after 1916. Of 1,600 involved in the Rising 200 were women1. In 1918 women in Ireland obtained the vote at the age of 30 (with property qualifications), while men could vote at 21 with no qualification. In 1922 the Irish Free State gave equal voting rights to men and women. Countess Markievicz was the first woman to be elected to Dáil Éireann in 19192, since then 92 women have been elected. In Ireland today women are significantly under-represented in decision-making structures in Ireland at both national and regional levels. In 2014 only 16.3% (27) of TD’s in Dáil Éireann were women and they accounted for 20.5% of local authorities and just over a third of the membership of Vocational Education Committees3.
Over the past 100 years there have been fundamental changes in Irish society and especially in the role of women, with more women participating in the workforce and in professional positions. During the 1960’s the economy was growing and this was accompanied by an expansion in social spending. Access to healthcare was greatly improved with the choice of doctor scheme. In 1944 the legislation that introduced the payment of child benefits to parents specified the benefit could only be paid to the head of the household (effectively the father) but this changed in 1974 when mothers became the official beneficiaries4. In 1967 free secondary education was introduced and a grant scheme for third level education in 1972. The effect of this legislation meant that the numbers of girls in secondary schools and third level education increased. Irish women today are more likely to have a third-level qualification than men. More than half of women aged between 25 and 35 have a third-level qualification compared with just over four out of ten men5.
Ireland joined the EU in 1973 and the rights of women have improved since then. This was helped by the abolition of the marriage bar in the public service where women were legally obliged to give up their jobs on marriage and accept lower rates of pay for doing the same work as men. Before 1976, women were unable to own their home outright and had no legal share to the family home. A husband could sell the family property without the consent of his spouse.
From the 1990’s onwards women have become more prominent in the world of politics, society and sport. In 1990, Mary Robinson became Ireland’s first female President. She was succeeded in 1997 by Mary McAleese, the world’s first woman to succeed another as President and the first President to come from Northern Ireland. In 2012, Katie Taylor became the first woman to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games in London when women were finally allowed to compete at boxing.
This chapter contains a summary of the lives of some of the women involved in the 1916 Rising and where possible includes a link to their census reports and links to witness statements from the Military Archives.
Sources:
Go to Census 1911
