Over the last few months, we have seen a rise in Irish culture and the pride that comes along with being Irish.
After being repressed for centuries, we have had many revolutionaries fighting for our equal rights and for our independence such as Patrick Pearse, Michael Collins and James Connolly. But who were the women fighting for independence? Here are some Irish women in history whose memories should be celebrated!
Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington (1877-1946)
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Hanna (Johanna) Sheehy-Skeffington was one of Ireland’s most prominent suffragists and nationalists. Alongside her husband Francis and friends Margaret and James Cousins, Hanna founded the Irish Women’s Franchise League, a militant suffrage organisation, in 1908 where she and women all over the country aimed to obtain equal voting rights for women.
In 1911 Hanna also was one of the founders of the Irish Women’s Workers Union which was an independent branch of the Irish Transport and General Workers’ Union. Hanna took part in throwing rocks at Dublin castle’s windows after the third Home Rule Act where women were excluded from voting, a symbol to show that they were smashing male rule in Ireland. She ended up losing her teaching job due to her actions.
In 1919, Skeffington was elected as a candidate for Sinn Féin and was declared director of organisation for Sinn Féin in 1921. Skeffington was strongly against the Anglo-Irish Treaty, she viewed Ireland’s newfound ‘independence’ as a compromise and was a strong Republican at heart however, she always put women’s rights first.
Skeffington was ultimately let down by Ireland’s new constitution as the new state laws gained way more independence for men than it did for women with articles like 41.2.1 and 41.2.2 which are still in place today. Skeffington was willing to push boundaries and take extreme risks for gender equality in Ireland and should be remembered as a brave, pioneering woman.
Anne Devlin (1781-1851)
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Anne Devlin was an Irish heroine and nationalist from Co. Wicklow. Anne grew up with a Republican mindset with her father, brother and many cousins being members of the Society of United Irishmen. In 1803, Anne began working as a housekeeper for Robert Emmet, a fellow Irish Nationalist and leader, where she was able to access meetings Emmett held in preparation for another rising. The aim of this second rising was to finally overthrow the British Crown and Protestant Ascendency in Ireland.
Anne played a crucial role in this nationalist movement by sending messages to spread the word, moving arms and other supplies and in planning the rising itself. The rising was unfortunately unsuccessful and resulted in bloodshed within the streets of Dublin. This failed attempt had caused Emmett to go into hiding. Anne helped keep his location private however, soon Anne and her family suffered the consequences of being involved with nationalist ideals and were seized by government forces.
Anne was then interrogated and tortured in an attempt to find out information on the second rising and Robert Emmett. Anne completely refused to speak of any of the events even with the extreme conditions she was under. Anne’s entire family were also jailed throughout this time as a bargaining tool to force her to confess which resulted in the death of her younger brother.
Anne’s name hides in the shadows of Robert Emmett even though she risked just as much as he did for the independence of Ireland and its people and for that she deserves to be remembered!
Rosie Hackett (1892-1976)
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Rosie Hackett was an Irish revolutionary and trade union leader most known for her support during the 1913 Dublin Lockout. During her teenage years, Rosie worked in horrific conditions in Jacob’s Biscuits factory. The conditions were so awful that at the age of 18 Rosie helped to organise a strike of 3,000 women who worked in the factory. The women were successful and managed to receive better working conditions as well as increased pay.
Rosie then co-founded the Irish Women Workers Union (IWWU) which helped protect women from working in extreme conditions. During the Dublin Lockout which began in August 1913 and lasted until January 1914, Dublin was dealing with extreme poverty. Rosie, as well as the other women within the IWWU, worked throughout those months helping feed the strikers and set up a soup kitchen in Liberty Hall.
Due to Rosie’s heavy involvement in the strike she lost her job in the Jacob’s factory and proceeded to work as a clerk for the IWWU where she grew connections with the Irish Citizens Army. Rosie, alongside other republicans, occupied St. Stephen’s Green and the Royal College of Surgeons during the 1916 Rising and was heavily involved with Irish revolutionaries such as James Connelly and even served time in prison.
After the rising Rosie continued to work in Liberty Hall for over forty years and in 1970 was awarded a gold medal for being involved in the trade union for sixty years. Rosie was an outstanding and courageous role model who stood up for workers’ rights as well as the freedom of the Irish people.
Lady Jane Wilde (1821-1896)
Mother of the distinguished poet Oscar Wilde, Jane Wilde was a nationalist Irish poet herself during the 19th Century who wrote under the pseudonym “Speranza”. During Jane’s life, she grew up heavily involved in the republican mindset and spent the majority of her time supporting the “Young Ireland” movement.
Jane channelled this Republican mindset into her work where she published many different articles and poems that were pro-independence in one of Dublin’s newspapers, The Nation. The paper was closed due to one of Jane’s articles where she called for an “armed revolution in Ireland”. Jane was also a major feminist and promoted equal rights for women and supported many female suffragettes.
Jane suffered great misfortune throughout her life such as the death of her daughter and husband as well as a scandal affair between her husband and another woman. Throughout all of this difficulty, Jane became prolific throughout her work while her nationalist theme remained running through each piece.