Here are three of the most important women involved in the Irish Revolution and Civil War:
Mary (Molly) Childers:
As a Catholic girl who grew up in Boston, Childers didn’t like the way the Irish Catholics were being treated there. The colleges and resources in Boston were not open to Irish Catholics. She She went to Ireland and became a member of Cumann na mBan, or League of Women. Childers was Michael Collins’ treasurer for a while and her husband Erskine worked alongside Collins. After the treaty was signed, both Molly and Erskine were against it. They began writing papers against the Treaty.
Erskine Childers was arrested for owning a pistol. The one pistol he owned was a gift to him from Michael Collins. Collins’ people executed him soon after he was arrested. Molly Childers continued to work on their newsletter.
In a 1955 letter to Mary Hughes, Childers stated:
“I am very sad about the new IRA actions. Neither Erskine nor I ever believed it would be right to fight partition by force. With the exception of Sean McBride and a couple of others, none of the T.D.s approve. Yet the present Government does nothing to stop the drilling up and down the Country!”
Molly Flannery Woods:
Woods was an Irish journalist and nationalist who was born in County Sligo in 1875. She became a member of Cumann na mBan during the Irish Civil War and was a very active member between 1916 and 1921. At one time she reported directly to Collins and Liam Mellows, his right-hand man. Woods’ husband Andrew Woods was also very active in the Nationalist cause. Molly Woods provided medical aid, smuggling arms and harboring wanted men. Her home became an arms and ammunition depot for the IRA.
Countess (Constance) Markievicz:
Markievicz was a member of the Dáil, but left because she opposed the treaty. Markievicz was also a member of both Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil. She also fought alongside the men as a sniper and was the minister of labor in Ireland at one time. During the Irish Revolution, she was arrested many times, but never executed because she was a woman.
Some other prominent women in the Irish Revolution:
Elizabeth O’Farrell
Gobnait Ní Bhruadair
Kathleen O’Connell
Maire Comerford
Harriette E. Lavery
Kathleen Clarke
Aine Ceannt
Kathleen Lynn
Helena Molony
Mary (Molly) Childers:
As a Catholic girl who grew up in Boston, Childers didn’t like the way the Irish Catholics were being treated there. The colleges and resources in Boston were not open to Irish Catholics. She She went to Ireland and became a member of Cumann na mBan, or League of Women. Childers was Michael Collins’ treasurer for a while and her husband Erskine worked alongside Collins. After the treaty was signed, both Molly and Erskine were against it. They began writing papers against the Treaty.
Erskine Childers was arrested for owning a pistol. The one pistol he owned was a gift to him from Michael Collins. Collins’ people executed him soon after he was arrested. Molly Childers continued to work on their newsletter.
In a 1955 letter to Mary Hughes, Childers stated:
“I am very sad about the new IRA actions. Neither Erskine nor I ever believed it would be right to fight partition by force. With the exception of Sean McBride and a couple of others, none of the T.D.s approve. Yet the present Government does nothing to stop the drilling up and down the Country!”
Molly Flannery Woods:
Woods was an Irish journalist and nationalist who was born in County Sligo in 1875. She became a member of Cumann na mBan during the Irish Civil War and was a very active member between 1916 and 1921. At one time she reported directly to Collins and Liam Mellows, his right-hand man. Woods’ husband Andrew Woods was also very active in the Nationalist cause. Molly Woods provided medical aid, smuggling arms and harboring wanted men. Her home became an arms and ammunition depot for the IRA.
Countess (Constance) Markievicz:
Markievicz was a member of the Dáil, but left because she opposed the treaty. Markievicz was also a member of both Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil. She also fought alongside the men as a sniper and was the minister of labor in Ireland at one time. During the Irish Revolution, she was arrested many times, but never executed because she was a woman.
Some other prominent women in the Irish Revolution:
Elizabeth O’Farrell
Gobnait Ní Bhruadair
Kathleen O’Connell
Maire Comerford
Harriette E. Lavery
Kathleen Clarke
Aine Ceannt
Kathleen Lynn
Helena Molony