The Secret of the Clay – A Love Story.
Elizabeth O’ Farrell and Sheila Grenan – Women of 1916
The Secret of the Clay 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 held a fascination for me for years.
It contained a pair of concealed ankles of a woman whose name I did not know. When I enquired of my history teacher in secondary school who the ankles belonged to – all I got was a disapproving look.
Imagine my surprise when I saw a full-sized portrait of this iconic picture go on display in Seanad Eireann in March 2021. The artist was Sinead Guckian from Co Leitrim. At last, I had a name for the concealed ankles – Elizabeth O’ Farrell. She was the inspiration for this book and so I decided to find out more about her. The unveiling in Seanad Eireann of her portrait at last made some small step to right a great wrong to Elizabeth O’Farrell.
The only woman I was aware of, that had fought in the 1916 Rising was Countess Constance Georgine Markievicz who died back in 1927. I have always loved that quote from Countess Markievicz.
‘Dress suitably in short skirts and strong boots . . . Leave your jewellery in the bank and buy yourself a gun.’
Elizabeth O Farrell
There is a lot written about her but why not Elizabeth O Farrell? I was surprised that her name is rarely mentioned in the annals of the history of the period as she played a major role in negotiating the terms of the surrender in the 1916 Rising.
I read that she was buried in Glasnevin cemetery in the republican plot. When I went to visit the grave, I was taken aback about what I discovered. Could I have unearthed the secret of the clay as I read the inscription ‘and her faithful comrade and lifelong friend’. I could not escape the conclusion that this was a relationship of some intimacy.
As I researched further, I began to realize that there were a cohort of lesbian couples who had taken an active part in the 1916 Rising. Could this have been the reason why they were whitewashed out of the pages of Irish history. However, it was only when I read the treaty debates of 1920 to 1921 that I stumbled upon another possibility. These women were all members of Cumann na Bhan- the women’s section of the Irish Republican Army. They voiced concern that the acceptance of the Anglo-Irish treaty terms negotiated by Collins and Lloyd George were deemed a direct betrayal of the aspiration of a 32 county independent Ireland.
The Secret of the Clay
In writing The Secret of the Clay this past year I have asked students studying honours leaving certificate history if they could name the ankles of the woman in the Pearse – General Lowe photograph. No student could name her.
As an amateur historian I was less persuaded by the accepted historical accounts of that period in Irish history. It was believed that the women of Cumann na Bhan were the cause of the subsequent bitter civil war.
For her entire life Elizabeth O’ Farrell remained faithful to the 1916 proclamation which the signatories had sacrificed their life for. The great consolation in her life was her comrade, Sheila Grenan.
Together over the years they railed against the partition of the island of Ireland. They were never reconciled with the betrayal of the aspiration of the 1916 Rising and particularly incensed by the secondary role that women were expected to play in the new Ireland. This is reflected in the policies of successive governments which expected women to know their place in the home.
Bravery and Sacrifice
I believe the Irish nation had done a disservice to their bravery and sacrifice. Neither Sheila or Elizabeth lived to see a woman become a minister in any government from 1922 to 1979 under Cosgrove, De Valera, John A Costello, Sean Lemass or Jack Lynch. My book is in many ways a homage to a woman who refused to settle for less than a 32-county independent Ireland.
I suspect that both Elizabeth and Sheila would be highly amused that the recent head of the government was a gay man, not to mention a recent lesbian cabinet minister. It would be enough to have de Valera and John Charles Mc Quaid turn in their graves.
Perhaps the famous quotation of Henry Ford that ‘history is more or less bunk’ has some validity in the context of Ireland and is still as reliant today as when he first wrote it.
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. I dedicate this book The Secret of the Clay to all the inseparable women that Elizabeth and Sheila were fortunate to know.
(c) Michael Clemenger
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 online here.
And you can read more from Michael Clemenger on Writing.ie here.
