Firstly I just want to say that I personally thought the lecture on Countess Markievicz was amazing and I think the rest of the class will agree. The lecturer gave straight to the point facts and was made everything really interesting.
Dr. Maryann Valiulis pointed out that women are hidden from history, and although Countess Markievicz (CM) played a big role in 1916 rising not many people no about her.
CM was born in Sligo and was from a fairly well off family her father was a land lord and was caring and sympathetic man during her early years CM wanted to be an artist so she decided to flee to Paris to fulfil her dreams, it is here that she met her husband Cashmere Markievicz. They married in Paris but returned to Dublin shortly after.
CM was always an out spoken woman who rebelled against the conditions for women so it was no surprise when she joined the suffragettes.
At the time of the first meeting CM was attending a ball in Dublin Castle, so she arrived at the meeting all done up in a ball gown! This made people weary of her. But soon after she spoke out on her views about women and Ireland people warmed up to her.
She was among those who protested the visit of Queen Elizabeth. When CM spoke about England and its people she referred to them as slugs.
In 1913 she was involved in a lock out, and it was during this time that she showed her kind heart. She ran the kitchens which were giving the starving people food, and not only did she run them she put a lot of her own money into these kitchens to help out. Although a lot of people grew to love her because of this she earned a few enemies. Sean o Casey hated her! He was continuously writing really mean and hurtful things about her in the paper, he said that she only helped out and gave money to the kitchens for attention! Which I think was a horrible thing to say. There where much easier and cheaper ways to get public attention if that’s all she was after! But even he acknowledged her bravery. She was one of the disciples of James Connelly.
In 1917 she founded Fianna. This was a scouts group for young boys. CM set this up so she could teach young boys how to scout, fight and use a gun, everything necessary for a revolutionary war. Sinn Fein told her not to set up the scouts and told her they did not approve, but she went ahead and did it anyway. It was here that she established reputation as someone who would be very useful in a revolutionary war.
CM was one of the head leaders in 1916 along side James Connolly, Thomas Clark Patrick Pearse, Joseph Plunkett, Eamonn Ceantt, Sean MacDiarmada, Thomas MacDonagh, and Eamonn De Valera. All these people were arrested and imprisoned in Wales. All except CM and De Valera were executed. Eamonn De Valera was excused because of his American status and Countess Markievicz’ death sentence was taken back because they refused to kill a woman. She did not want this so she argued with them to execute her too but they refused and just kept her in prison for awhile instead.
When she came out she became the first woman to be elected to British parliament, although she refused. When Sinn Fein set up the Dail Eireann she was selected to be a Minster for labour and it was 50 years until another women was elected! In 1926 Finna Fail is set up and she decides to go anti-treaty with DeValera.
During the Irish Anglo war she is arrested a number of times of times and her health seriously suffers from this. Even during her sickness she continues to give speeches on women. During her time in hospital even people who did not know her came to visit her and sent her flowers. These were poor times and bread and flowers were expensive so it showed how grateful people were for the work she had done for the country.
On 15 July 1927 she dies. The reasons for her death are unclear some say it was cancer, some say it was her appendix and others say she wore herself out.
She was not aloud to lie in state. She was given a huge funeral at which DeValera spoke out about her.
Even though CM spent her whole life driving and working for a better country she did not succeed because even now what she stood for is still not run in this state. Her whole career was based around labour, nationalism and feminism and although she did not achieve what she wanted to, I think she made such a difference in Ireland.
Nobody can disagree that she is an amazing woman with bags of courage.
Women have played a big role in history and I really agree with Dr. Maryann Valiulis that women are hidden from history and there should be more about them!