Women In Ireland

Question 1

Getting the vote

Answer 1

In 1900 women couldn’t vote, had limited education, property rights + could be legally discriminated against in the workplace
Saw suffrage as the key to equal rights
In 1908 Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington founded the Irish Women’s Franchise League
Women in Ireland got the vote in 1922

Question 2

Women in politics

Answer 2

Máire Geoghegan was 1st female gov minister in 1979 - Minister of the Gaeltacht
New Irish state was very conservative, Catholic church was dominant
Divorce + contraception banned
Women couldn’t sit on juries
The 1937 constitution recognised women’s “special role in the home”

Question 3

Education

Answer 3

All universities in Ireland were open to women from 1908 but only 10% of students were women + only those who came from money

Question 4

Employment

Answer 4

Women worked before marriage + gave up their jobs due to marriage bar of 1932 w/ 25% of married women working
1936 Conditions of Employment Act limited no. of women allowed in a job
Women worked as street traders, domestic servents, teachers, in the Belfast mills/the Jacob’s factory

Question 5

Women in the Independence movement

Answer 5

Excluded politically but Cumman na mBan founded 1914+ was an auxiliary force to IVF in 1916
Women’s contributions were ignored/denied + refused military pensions

Question 6

Women fighters/nurses in the Rising

Answer 6

Fighters: Countess Constance Markievicz, Dr. Kathleen Lynn, Margaret Skinneder
Nurses: Elizabeth O’Farrell

Question 7

1st woman in the Dáil

Answer 7

Countess Constance Markievicz

Question 8

1960s Gradual change

Answer 8

Economy expanded, more workers, women 25% of workforce by 1970
Free education + access to universities meant high qualification jobs were available to women
Late Late Show debated controversial topics eg marriage breakdown

Question 9

Irish femenist movement

Answer 9

Irish Women’s Liberation Movement - Nell McCarthy, Mary Keany
Pressed politicians, held protest marches + organised events
Group went to Belfast for the pill + came back with aspirin
Group went to pub ordered 30 whiskeys + 1 pint, when refused pint, they left without paying

Question 10

Change in the 70s

Answer 10

Marriage bar abolished
Anti-discrimination Act 1974 banned gender pay gap
Contraception ban gradually lifted + abolished 1903
Employment Equality Act 1977 outlawed sexism/marital discrimination
Divorce introduced 1996

Question 11

Position of Women @ the end of the century

Answer 11

40% of workforce + 55% of university students
Mary Robinson + Mary McAleese

Question 12

Mary Robinson - Early life

Answer 12

Born in Ballina Mayo, 1944. Studied law at Trinity, King’s Inn + Harvard law + was a Reid professor at Trinity in the 60s

Question 13

Mary Robinson - Political career

Answer 13

Elected to Seanad 1969
Campaigned for women’s rights + to remove marriage bar + contraception ban, supported divorce + opposed anti-abortion ammendment

Question 14

Mary Robinson - Legal career

Answer 14

Brought court cases for the right to free legal aid, gay rights, protection of the Viking site at Wood Quay to Irish + European courts

Question 15

Mary Robinson - Presidency

Answer 15

Labour Party candidate
Reached out to Travellers, queer community, Irish emigrants, the homeless, victims of war + famine in Africa + helped peace process in NI

Question 16

Mary Robinson - the UN

Answer 16

1997 Robinson was appointed UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Has been on the council of elders since 2007 + founded climate justice org