Constance Markievicz: Difference between revisions
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'''Constance, Countess Markiewicz''' ([[4 February]] [[1868]]–[[15 July]] [[1927]]), was an [[Ireland|Irish]] politician, [[Irish nationalism|nationalist]] and [[revolutionary]]. |
'''Constance, Countess Markiewicz''' ([[4 February]] [[1868]]–[[15 July]] [[1927]]), was an [[Ireland|Irish]] politician, [[Irish nationalism|nationalist]] and [[revolutionary]]. |
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Born '''Constance Georgine Gore-Booth''', the elder daughter of [[baronet]] and explorer, Sir Henry Gore-Booth, she lived as a child at the [[Anglo-Irish]] family's ancestral home, [[Lissadell House]] in [[County Sligo]] in western Ireland. Constance and her younger sister, [[Eva Gore-Booth]], were close friends of the Anglo-Irish poet, [[W. B. Yeats]], who frequently visited the house, and were influenced by his artistic and political ideas. |
Born '''Constance Georgine Gore-Booth''', the elder daughter of [[baronet]] and explorer, [[Sir Henry Gore-Booth]], she lived as a child at the [[Anglo-Irish]] family's ancestral home, [[Lissadell House]] in [[County Sligo]] in western Ireland. Constance and her younger sister, [[Eva Gore-Booth]], were close friends of the Anglo-Irish poet, [[W. B. Yeats]], who frequently visited the house, and were influenced by his artistic and political ideas. |
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Constance studied art at the Slade School in [[London]] and then in [[Paris]], where in [[1893]] she met and married [[Poland|Polish]]/[[Ukraine|Ukrainian]] artist, Count Casimir Dunin-Markiewicz. They settled in [[Dublin, Ireland]] in 1903, where she became involved in radical politics through the [[suffragette]] movement and in the Irish nationalist movement, joining [[Sinn Féin]] in [[1908]], and founding the militant nationalist boy scouting movement [[Fianna Éireann]] in 1909. |
Constance studied art at the Slade School in [[London]] and then in [[Paris]], where in [[1893]] she met and married [[Poland|Polish]]/[[Ukraine|Ukrainian]] artist, Count Casimir Dunin-Markiewicz. They settled in [[Dublin, Ireland]] in 1903, where she became involved in radical politics through the [[suffragette]] movement and in the Irish nationalist movement, joining [[Sinn Féin]] in [[1908]], and founding the militant nationalist boy scouting movement [[Fianna Éireann]] in 1909. |
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In 1913, her husband moved to the [[Ukraine]] (possibly because of his wife's activities), and never returned. Shortly thereafter she joined [[James Connolly (nationalist)|James Connolly]]'s [[Irish Citizen Army]] (ICA), and, though a member of the landed gentry, she devoted herself to the cause of [[socialism]]. As a member of the ICA she took part in the [[1916]] [[Easter Rising]], shooting a [[British army|British]] sniper at one point, and was sentenced to death by the [[British government]]. The sentence was commuted to life imprisonment due to her gender, and she was released under the amnesty of [[1917]]. |
In 1913, her husband moved to the [[Ukraine]] (possibly because of his wife's activities), and never returned. Shortly thereafter she joined [[James Connolly (nationalist)|James Connolly]]'s [[Irish Citizen Army]] (ICA), and, though a member of the landed gentry, she devoted herself to the cause of [[socialism]]. As a member of the ICA she took part in the [[1916]] [[Easter Rising]], shooting a [[British army|British]] sniper at one point, and was sentenced to death by the [[British government]]. The sentence was commuted to life imprisonment due to her gender, and she was released under the amnesty of [[1917]]. |
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In the [[Irish (UK) general election, 1918|December 1918 General Election]], while in prison, Markiewicz was elected for the constituency of [[Dublin St Patrick's]] as one of 73 [[Sinn Féin]] [[Member of Parliament#United Kingdom|MP]]s. This made her the first woman elected to the [[British House of Commons]]. However, in line with Sinn Féin policy, she declined to take her seat on |
In the [[Irish (UK) general election, 1918|December 1918 General Election]], while again in prison, Markiewicz was elected for the constituency of [[Dublin St Patrick's]] as one of 73 [[Sinn Féin]] [[Member of Parliament#United Kingdom|MP]]s. This made her the first woman elected to the [[British House of Commons]]. However, her incarceration prevented her from taking up her seat at that time. On her release from prison in 1919, in line with Sinn Féin policy, she declined to take her seat. (''Later that year, [[Nancy Astor]] was elected to the House of Commons, and on [[1 December]] became the first female member of the House of Commons who actually sat in Parliament.'') Instead she joined her colleagues assembled in Dublin as the [[First Dáil|first incarnation]] of [[Dáil Éireann]], the unilaterally-declared Parliament of the [[Irish Republic]]. She was re-elected to the [[Second Dáil]] in the [[House of Commons of Southern Ireland]] elections of 1921. She converted to [[Roman Catholicism]]. |
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Markiewicz served in as [[Irish Minister for Labour|Minister for Labour]] from April [[1919]] to January [[1922]], in the [[Ministries of the First Dáil|Second Ministry]] and the [[Third Ministry of the Irish Republic|Third Ministry]] of the Dáil. Holding cabinet rank from April to August 1919, she became the first Irish female [[Cabinet Minister]]. She was the only female cabinet minister in [[History of Ireland|Irish history]] until [[1979]] when Máire Geoghegan-Quinn was |
Markiewicz served in as [[Irish Minister for Labour|Minister for Labour]] from April [[1919]] to January [[1922]], in the [[Ministries of the First Dáil|Second Ministry]] and the [[Third Ministry of the Irish Republic|Third Ministry]] of the Dáil. Holding cabinet rank from April to August 1919, she became the first Irish female [[Cabinet Minister]]. She was the only female cabinet minister in [[History of Ireland|Irish history]] until [[1979]] when Máire Geoghegan-Quinn was appointed to the then junior cabinet post of [[Irish Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs|Minster for the Gaeltacht]] for Fianna Fáil. |
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Markiewicz left government in January 1922 along with [[Eamon de Valera]] and others in opposition to the [[Anglo-Irish Treaty]]. She fought actively for the [[Irish republican|Republican]] cause in the [[Irish Civil War]], and joined [[Fianna Fáil]] on its foundation in [[1926]]. She was not elected in the [[Irish_general_election,_1922|Irish General Election of 1922]] but was re-elected in the 1923 and June 1927 elections. |
Markiewicz left government in January 1922 along with [[Eamon de Valera]] and others in opposition to the [[Anglo-Irish Treaty]]. She fought actively for the [[Irish republican|Republican]] cause in the [[Irish Civil War]], and joined [[Fianna Fáil]] on its foundation in [[1926]]. She was not elected in the [[Irish_general_election,_1922|Irish General Election of 1922]] but was re-elected in the 1923 and June 1927 elections. |
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She died on [[July 15]], [[1927]] after a short illness |
She died at the age of 59, on [[July 15]], [[1927]] after a short illness, and is buried in [[Glasnevin Cemetery]], Dublin. |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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Revision as of 15:32, 18 October 2005
Constance, Countess Markiewicz (4 February 1868–15 July 1927), was an Irish politician, nationalist and revolutionary.
Born Constance Georgine Gore-Booth, the elder daughter of baronet and explorer, Sir Henry Gore-Booth, she lived as a child at the Anglo-Irish family's ancestral home, Lissadell House in County Sligo in western Ireland. Constance and her younger sister, Eva Gore-Booth, were close friends of the Anglo-Irish poet, W. B. Yeats, who frequently visited the house, and were influenced by his artistic and political ideas.
Constance studied art at the Slade School in London and then in Paris, where in 1893 she met and married Polish/Ukrainian artist, Count Casimir Dunin-Markiewicz. They settled in Dublin, Ireland in 1903, where she became involved in radical politics through the suffragette movement and in the Irish nationalist movement, joining Sinn Féin in 1908, and founding the militant nationalist boy scouting movement Fianna Éireann in 1909.
In 1913, her husband moved to the Ukraine (possibly because of his wife's activities), and never returned. Shortly thereafter she joined James Connolly's Irish Citizen Army (ICA), and, though a member of the landed gentry, she devoted herself to the cause of socialism. As a member of the ICA she took part in the 1916 Easter Rising, shooting a British sniper at one point, and was sentenced to death by the British government. The sentence was commuted to life imprisonment due to her gender, and she was released under the amnesty of 1917.
In the December 1918 General Election, while again in prison, Markiewicz was elected for the constituency of Dublin St Patrick's as one of 73 Sinn Féin MPs. This made her the first woman elected to the British House of Commons. However, her incarceration prevented her from taking up her seat at that time. On her release from prison in 1919, in line with Sinn Féin policy, she declined to take her seat. (Later that year, Nancy Astor was elected to the House of Commons, and on 1 December became the first female member of the House of Commons who actually sat in Parliament.) Instead she joined her colleagues assembled in Dublin as the first incarnation of Dáil Éireann, the unilaterally-declared Parliament of the Irish Republic. She was re-elected to the Second Dáil in the House of Commons of Southern Ireland elections of 1921. She converted to Roman Catholicism.
Markiewicz served in as Minister for Labour from April 1919 to January 1922, in the Second Ministry and the Third Ministry of the Dáil. Holding cabinet rank from April to August 1919, she became the first Irish female Cabinet Minister. She was the only female cabinet minister in Irish history until 1979 when Máire Geoghegan-Quinn was appointed to the then junior cabinet post of Minster for the Gaeltacht for Fianna Fáil.
Markiewicz left government in January 1922 along with Eamon de Valera and others in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Treaty. She fought actively for the Republican cause in the Irish Civil War, and joined Fianna Fáil on its foundation in 1926. She was not elected in the Irish General Election of 1922 but was re-elected in the 1923 and June 1927 elections.
She died at the age of 59, on July 15, 1927 after a short illness, and is buried in Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin.
See also
Further reading
- Anne Marreco - The Rebel Countess: The Life and Times of Constance Markievicz (1967)
- Diana Norman - Terrible Beauty: A Life of Constance Markievicz, 1868-1927 (1987)
- Anne Haverty - Constance Markievicz: Irish Revolutionary (1993)
- Joe Mc Gowan Constance Markievicz: The People's Countess (2003)