The role of women in our struggle,

Gemma mcKenna
National Gender Equality Officer
Ógra Shinn Féin

This International Women’s Day, I want to invite you to reflect on the numerous roles women have played throughout our struggle. The role of women is often overlooked in the history of this country but indeed it has been women who have constantly kept the fight for freedom going. It is not only the great leaders such as Mairéad Farrell and Sheena Campbell but the numerous women who names will never be known who have contributed greatly to this movement.Politics and indeed armies have always been male dominated both past and present not only in Ireland but all over the world. However, this has not intimidated women in Ireland coming forth to fight for Irish freedom in whatever capacity they could. Ever since men have taken up arms in the quest for freedom of this island women have joined them. History also tells us that women recognised what needed to be done and often led the way. This is clear as Countess Markievicz was herself a great leader and one of the founding members of Na Fianna Eireann. She also was involved in SF, Inghinidhe na hÉireann and played an active role in the Easter rising alongside Pearse and Connolly.

The position of women in reunification of our island was enshrined in the proclamation where women are said to be equal to men; this was during a time when women didn’t even have the vote. During the latest phase of our struggle women in Ireland came to the fore again in whatever way was necessary.

The women on the falls warned their community of the Brits coming by banging bin lids and when the Falls area was put under curfew in July 1970 it was the women led by Máire Drumm who pushed prams filled with supplies in the besigned area, ignoring the British Army and effectively breaking the curfew. It was majority women who led the anti- H blocks protests and voiced the concerns of the prisoners both in Long Kesh and Armagh. It was women who kept people in ‘safe houses’ and passed on important information. It was often the women who kept a family going when the men were imprisoned or had lost their lives in fighting the British Army. All these various roles should not be overlooked or underestimated, as it was the determination and courage of these ordinary women that kept our struggle alive.

Women also took up their guns in order to fight for a free and socialist Ireland. The women in Armagh Gaol endured the dirty protest along with the men in the H blocks and also took part in the first hunger strike in 1980. Cumman na mBan which was the women’s section of the army played a vital role throughout the war with leading figures such as Máiread Farrell.
Women have also taken on key political roles to advance the struggle; the first woman SF president was Margaret Buckley who took on the role in 1937. Máire Drumm became vice-president of the party in the 1970’s which has been followed by the current vice-president Mary-Lou Mac Donald.

SF is currently leading the way for women in politics as Republican women recognize their role in creating a socialist and united Ireland. They have not left it to the men to fight on their own before and will not do it now. We now have female councilors, MLA’s , ministers and MEP’s because where ever there is struggle for Irish freedom, women will be there in order to ensure the battle is won and the goal of a 32 socialist republic is achieved.