Kathleen Clarke
Encyclopedia
Kathleen Clarke, née Daly was a member of Cumann na mBan
, and one of very few privy to the plans of the Easter Rising
in 1916. She was the wife of Tom Clarke
and sister to Ned Daly, both of whom would be executed for their part in the Rebellion. She would later become a member of Sinn Féin
and later a Fianna Fáil
politician who served as a TD
for the Dublin Mid
constituency and was the first female Lord Mayor of Dublin
.
Born Kathleen Daly in Limerick
, she was married to Tom Clarke
, signatory of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic
, one of those executed for his part in the Easter Rising
in 1916. She preferred to be known as Caitlín Bean Uí Chléirigh (Kathleen, Mrs Clarke) and had this inscription on her headstone. Tom Clarke had met her uncle, John Daly
, while in prison, and married Kathleen, 21 years his junior, on his release in 1898. Her younger brother Edward Daly was also executed for taking part in the rising.
Kathleen and Thomas were the parents of three children.
After her marriage she became active in politics was a founder of Cumann na mBan
in 1914.
She was elected unopposed as a Sinn Féin
TD to the Second Dáil
in the May 1921 elections
. She spoke against the Anglo-Irish Treaty
in the Dáil debates in December 1921 and January 1922. She failed to be re-elected in the 1922 general election
but was re-elected to the short-lived 5th Dáil in the June 1927 election
. She again lost her seat in the September 1927 election
and did not regain it. She contested the 1948 general election
on behalf of Clann na Poblachta
.
Following her failure to be elected to the Dáil in 1927 she was elected to Seanad Éireann
in 1928 and retained her seat in two subsequent elections until it was abolished in 1936. She was Lord Mayor of Dublin
from 1939–1941. Following her death aged 94 in 1972 in Liverpool
, she received the rare honour of a state funeral.
She is buried at Deansgrange Cemetery, Dublin.
Cumann na mBan
Cumann na mBan is an Irish republican women's paramilitary organisation formed in Dublin on 2 April 1914 as an auxiliary of the Irish Volunteers...
, and one of very few privy to the plans of the Easter Rising
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
in 1916. She was the wife of Tom Clarke
Tom Clarke (Irish republican)
Thomas James "Tom" Clarke was an Irish revolutionary leader and arguably the person most responsible for the 1916 Easter Rising. A proponent of violent revolution for most of his life, he spent 15 years in prison...
and sister to Ned Daly, both of whom would be executed for their part in the Rebellion. She would later become a member of Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
and later a Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
politician who served as a TD
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
for the Dublin Mid
Dublin Mid (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Dublin Mid was a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas from 1921 to 1923...
constituency and was the first female Lord Mayor of Dublin
Lord Mayor of Dublin
The Lord Mayor of Dublin is the honorific title of the Chairman of Dublin City Council which is the local government body for the city of Dublin, the capital of Ireland. The incumbent is Labour Party Councillor Andrew Montague. The office holder is elected annually by the members of the...
.
Born Kathleen Daly in Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
, she was married to Tom Clarke
Tom Clarke (Irish republican)
Thomas James "Tom" Clarke was an Irish revolutionary leader and arguably the person most responsible for the 1916 Easter Rising. A proponent of violent revolution for most of his life, he spent 15 years in prison...
, signatory of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic
Irish Republic
The Irish Republic was a revolutionary state that declared its independence from Great Britain in January 1919. It established a legislature , a government , a court system and a police force...
, one of those executed for his part in the Easter Rising
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
in 1916. She preferred to be known as Caitlín Bean Uí Chléirigh (Kathleen, Mrs Clarke) and had this inscription on her headstone. Tom Clarke had met her uncle, John Daly
John Daly (Fenian)
John Daly , was an Irish revolutionary, and a leading member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood. Uncle to Kathleen Clarke, wife of Tom Clarke, executed for his part in the 1916 Rising who was a leading member of the IRB, and her brother John Daly , was an [[Ireland|Irish]] revolutionary, and a...
, while in prison, and married Kathleen, 21 years his junior, on his release in 1898. Her younger brother Edward Daly was also executed for taking part in the rising.
Kathleen and Thomas were the parents of three children.
After her marriage she became active in politics was a founder of Cumann na mBan
Cumann na mBan
Cumann na mBan is an Irish republican women's paramilitary organisation formed in Dublin on 2 April 1914 as an auxiliary of the Irish Volunteers...
in 1914.
She was elected unopposed as a Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
TD to the Second Dáil
Second Dáil
The Second Dáil was Dáil Éireann as it convened from 16 August 1921 until 8 June 1922. From 1919–1922 Dáil Éireann was the revolutionary parliament of the self-proclaimed Irish Republic. The Second Dáil consisted of members elected in 1921...
in the May 1921 elections
Irish elections, 1921
Two elections in Ireland took place in 1921, as a result of the Government of Ireland Act 1920 to establish the House of Commons of Northern Ireland and the House of Commons of Southern Ireland. The election was used by Irish Republicans as the basis of membership of the Second Dáil...
. She spoke against the Anglo-Irish Treaty
Anglo-Irish Treaty
The Anglo-Irish Treaty , officially called the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was a treaty between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and representatives of the secessionist Irish Republic that concluded the Irish War of...
in the Dáil debates in December 1921 and January 1922. She failed to be re-elected in the 1922 general election
Irish general election, 1922
The Irish general election of 1922 took place in Southern Ireland on 16 June 1922, under the provisions of the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty to elect a constituent assembly paving the way for the formal establishment of the Irish Free State...
but was re-elected to the short-lived 5th Dáil in the June 1927 election
Irish general election, 1927 (June)
The Irish general election of June 1927 was held on 9 June 1927. The newly elected members of the 5th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 23 June when the new President of the Executive Council and Executive Council of the Irish Free State were appointed....
. She again lost her seat in the September 1927 election
Irish general election, 1927 (September)
The Irish general election of September 1927 was held on 15 September 1927. The newly elected members of the 6th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 11 October when the new President of the Executive Council and Executive Council of the Irish Free State were appointed.-Campaign:The second general...
and did not regain it. She contested the 1948 general election
Irish general election, 1948
The Irish general election of 1948 was held on 4 February 1948. The 147 newly elected members of the 13th Dáil assembled on 18 February when the First Inter-Party government in the history of the Irish state was appointed....
on behalf of Clann na Poblachta
Clann na Poblachta
Clann na Poblachta , abbreviated CnaP, was an Irish republican and social democratic political party founded by former Irish Republican Army Chief of Staff Seán MacBride in 1946.-Foundation:...
.
Following her failure to be elected to the Dáil in 1927 she was elected to Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann (Irish Free State)
Seanad Éireann was the upper house of the Oireachtas of the Irish Free State from 1922–1936. It has also been known simply as the Senate, or as the First Seanad. The Senate was established under the 1922 Constitution of the Irish Free State but a number of constitutional amendments were...
in 1928 and retained her seat in two subsequent elections until it was abolished in 1936. She was Lord Mayor of Dublin
Lord Mayor of Dublin
The Lord Mayor of Dublin is the honorific title of the Chairman of Dublin City Council which is the local government body for the city of Dublin, the capital of Ireland. The incumbent is Labour Party Councillor Andrew Montague. The office holder is elected annually by the members of the...
from 1939–1941. Following her death aged 94 in 1972 in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, she received the rare honour of a state funeral.
She is buried at Deansgrange Cemetery, Dublin.
Sources
- No Ordinary Women: Irish Female Activists in the Revolutionary Years 1900-1923, Sinéad McCoole, O'Brien Press, Dublin, 2004, ISBN 0 86278 883 8