Part 2 of author Michael Clemenger’s article the role of the women of Cumann na Bhan who fought in the 1916 Rising and the subsequent civil war.
Read Part 1 of this article here.
The Role of the Catholic Church
The role of the Catholic church had the most profound influence on the foundation of the free state. Their role was pivotal and they became the hidden hand in the formulation of policies that restrained the political influence of women in the new free state. We had replaced one form of tyranny with another more sinister and controlling. They owed their allegiance to the Holy See in Rome in the first instance.
They were greatly influenced by the writings of Pope Pius X who had died in 1914. He warned against the dangers of feminism that was sweeping across central Europe during his reign. The pontiff was opposed to the demands of women for bodily autonomy which was contrary to the churches ideal of the Holy family. Women’s right to abortion. contraception, divorce, education and financial independence were to be opposed at every turn. He was reported to have prayed fervently every day to be spared from meeting political feminists.
Consequently, the Catholic hierarchy brought pressure on the political leaders of the free state to prevent such heresy from spreading to our shores.
WT Cosgrove and Eamon de Valera agreed to be guided by the divine inspiration of the Holy See in the implementation of policies contrary to feminist ideals. As a result, divorce, abortion and contraception laws were introduced into law by WT Cosgrove. It is fair to say that De Valera’s 1937 constitution on the role of women in society was dictated in large part by Dr John Charles Mc Quaid, the archbishop of Dublin. In effect women were relegated to second class citizenship in the new free state.
The Role of Historians
The question I was asked at the recent launch of my book The Secret of the Clay was why do we not know more about the women who took part in the 1916 Rising. I rolled off the names of Dr Kathleen Lynn, Winnifred Carney, Margaret Schindler and Helena Maloney much to their irritation. On reflection afterwards I came to realise that Irish historians since the foundation of the state had whitewashed women out of the pages of Irish history. I accuse them now of a most grievous treachery against their valour and heroism. Even as an undergraduate studying history in Trinity College I was aware of the prejudices of my lecturers. I bore that in mind since they would be setting my exams. I made sure that my answers reflected to some extent their prejudices even if I did not believe a word of what I was writing.
I remember one particular lecturer who had difficulty with even the presence of women undergraduates in his classes. Sometimes his true feelings betrayed him which caused some of these female students to leave his classes. He seemed to linger a little too long in his praise of the heroic effects of the Catholic church to preserve faith and morals.
Historians past and present tend to write copious books on the lives of male political leaders. You would be blinded in any book shop with the number of books written on Michael Collins, Eamon de Valera, Arthur Griffith, Kevin O’Higgins and Sean Lemass. I came across one recently on the life of Eoin Mc Neill – the only man Countess Markievicz admitted that she would have shot on sight. Ye,t on the other hand one would be lucky to find a slim volume on the lives of Dr Kathleen Lynn, Margaret Schindler, Helena Moloney, Elizabeth O’ Farrell or Sheila Grenen – all women who fought on the front line in the 1916 Rising.
Yes, there have been books written on Countess Markievicz but they are spoilt by the repeated lie that she wept pitiful tears when informed that she was to be executed for her part in the 1916 Rising. There is hardly a mention of De Valera’s plea that he was an American citizen when sentence was imposed on him. In summary I think it is fair to say that historians have betrayed the women in 1916 by the sin of omission. I expect that many are aware of Elizabeth O’ Farrell’s last public speech in 1956 that all governments since the foundation of the free state had betrayed the ideals in the 1916 proclamation of equality for men and women.
(c) Michael Clemenger
Read Part 1 of this article by Michael Clemenger on Writing.ie here.
About The Secret of the Clay by Michael Clemenger:
This book was written out of years of curiosity about the iconic image of Padraic Pearse’s surrender to the British forces commanding Officer Major General WHM Lowe in the 1916 surrender in Dublin Ireland. This image had a pair of concealed ankles of a woman whose name I did not know. Why she had been whitewashed out of the surrender picture I presumed was political.
I was surprised to see a full-sized portrait of this iconic picture go on display in Seanad Eireann in March 2021. At last, I had a name for the concealed ankles – Elizabeth O’ Farrell. I decided to find out more about her. I could never have imagined the exciting journey of discovery I was about to encounter.
Why had I not read more about Elizabeth O’ Farrell and other 1916 women in my history studies? The answer came when I discovered that Elizabeth O’ Farrell had been buried in Glasnevin cemetery with a woman by the name of Sheila Grenan.
In writing this historical fiction account of the role of Elizabeth O’ Farrell and Sheila Grenan I have tried to give a flavour of the life these women chose to live together as one until the death of Elizabeth in June 1957.
Order your copy of The Secret of the Clay by Michael Clemenger online here.
And you can read more from Michael Clemenger on Writing.ie here.
