Arcadia Ireland

Tomorrow is International Women’s Day and I thought it was a perfect time to introduce you to some Irish women that you may not have heard of. Some historical, some contemporary and all awesome. Here’s a list of some Irish women you can get to know;

Anne Enright, Author.

While you’re in Ireland it’s definitely worthwhile picking up one of Enright’s books. She writes about Irish life and her most famous book The Gathering won the Man Booker Prize in 2007. The Gathering follows the thoughts of Veronica Hegarty at her brother’s wake. She and her seven siblings are trying to make a sense of his death. Everyone comes together for the wake and hence the name, The Gathering. This is a story of a contemporary Irish family and is a brilliantly written book. Enright was appointed the inaugural Laureate of Irish Fiction by Taoiseach Enda Kenny in 2015.

Mary Robinson, Political figure and Former Irish President.

What a woman! Mary Robinson is the former President of Ireland. She was the seventh Irish President and the first female to be appointed president. She was a transformative figure for Ireland and was incredibly liberal, especially when in a previously conservative role. She did a lot for women’s rights during her presidency in the 1990s including; advocating for the right for women to sit on juries, legalising contraception and she helped to pass the bill that decriminalised homosexuality. She went on to become the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights until 2002.

Constance Markievicz, Independence Fighter.

Arguably one of the most famous female figures in Irish history, Constance Markievicz was certainly a unique woman who took action during Ireland’s 1916 rebellion against the British. She was raised in Co. Sligo and had very wealthy parents. She studied art in France where she met her future husband, Count Casimir Markievicz. She was an incredibly well educated woman and was very passionate about gaining Irish Independence. Constance was not your typical rebellion fighter and even arrived to her first meeting in a ball gown and a tiara! She spent lots of her fortune on the cause and even sold all her family jewellery to pay towards food for the workers with the ICA (Irish Citizen’s Army.) She was second in command and fought alongside the men in St. Stephen’s Green during the Easter 1916 Rising.

Dorothy Stopford Price, Scientist.

Tuberculosis took the lives of thousands of Irish during the mid-1800s. When it peaked in 1904, 16% of Irish deaths were being caused by the infection. It continued to be Ireland’s biggest public health issue right through to the 1950s. Its eradication was largely due to the work done by Dorothy Stopford Price. She became an expert in the field of TB and especially in how it affected children. Stopford Price introduced the BCG vaccine to Ireland and started vaccinating children in St. Ultan’s hospital in 1937. The Irish government eventually adopted the BCV policy in the late 1940s and with Stopford Price’s leadership established the Irish Anti-Tuberculosis League in 1942 which aided the rapid rollout of the BCG vaccine.

Dolores O’Riordan, Musician.

Probably the woman who needs least introduction here, Doloroes O’Riordan was the lead singer of the incredibly popular band The Cranberries. O’Riordan sadly passed away earlier this year and it was a shock to the whole country. She was a fantastic musician with an incredible voice that was recognised all over the globe. O’Riordan was particularly popular in the U.S and of course in her home of Ireland. Her biggest achievements included singing for the Pope, and bringing Princess Diana almost to tears when she performed ‘Ave Maria’ alongside Luciano Pavarotti.

So there you have it. Five Irish women that you may or may not have heard of before. Each of these women were inspirational in their own fields and we are proud to call them our own.

Happy International Women’s Day!