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Email: info@searcs-web.com
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Email: info@searcs-web.com |
| Eithne O'Donnell [neé Coyle] was born near Falcarragh,
County Donegal.
In 1918 she founded the first Cumann na mBan unit in West Donegal while her brother Donal was a
Commandant in the 1st Northern Division of the Volunteers.
and during the War of
Independence she kept an IRA 'safe house' in County Roscommon where she was arrested by
the Black and Tans in 1921. O'Donnell was court-martialed and sentenced to one year's imprisonment for 'activities
prejudicial to the Defence of the Realm'. She was imprisoned in Mountjoy Gaol from where she, together with
Linda Kearns MacWhinney,
May Burke and Eileen Keogh,
escaped in October, 1921 by using duplicate keys to get out of the Wing and then scaling the prison wall. O'Donnell went to Donegal where she enforced a Sinn Féin ban on Northern
Ireland manufactured goods by holding up trains and was dubbed the 'Donegal Amazon' and
'the gunwoman' in local newspapers. O'Donnell opposed the
1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty
and on hearing of the Free State attack on
the republicans in the Four Courts she returned to Dublin in June, 1922. She was arrested
in November, 1922 and interned in Mountjoy Gaol and in the North Dublin Union Internment
Camp with Mary MacSwiney and
Margaret Skinnider, among others.
O'Donnell was released in
December, 1923. She remained a member of Cumann na mBan and was elected that organisation's President in 1926 and again in the
1930's. She married Bernard O’Donnell, an IRA activist from Donegal, in 1935. The extract below is from O'Donnell's article 'The History of Cumann na mBan' published
in An Phoblacht, April 8th, 1933. ©
In 1913 a few ladies decided to hold a meeting in Whynne's Hotel for the purpose of discussing the possibility of forming an Organisation for women who would work in conjunction with the recently formed Irish Volunteers and who would be pledged to help that body in any action which they would decide on for breaking the connection with England. In the following May, [1914] at a representative meeting which was held in the Pillar Room in the Mansion House, Cumann na mBan was launched*. The first Branch of the Organisation that was formed was the Ard Chraobh. These women held their first meetings in Brunswick Street, in fact they met there continually till after the Rising in 1916. Inghinndhe na h-Eireann** club was in existance for over twenty years previous to the formation of our Organisation, did magnificent work at an unpopular period when to hold an Irish outlook or to profess Nationalism was not only 'unladylike' but 'disreputable'. These women were mainly responsible for the loyal reception which was given to our noble king and queen George and Mary of England - when they honoured this distressed country of ours by their royal presence on July 8th, 1911. Amongst the other Punch and Judy side shows which were organised by the Castle hacks and time-servers in this country was a large illuminated photograph of his majesty which was displayed at the foot of Grafton Street for the edification of the mere Irish. It is evident that his Majesty's beauty did not appeal to members of Inghinndhe na h-Eireann for it is recorded that monstrous outrage was committed by one bold disloyal lassie, who seized a fat comfortable brick and smashed poor George's photograph. This disloyal subject was, of course, lodged in Mountjoy jail for the Safety of the Realm [It was Helena Maloney]. It is worth quoting William Rooney's remarks on the women of Ireland during this period. 'The women' he says, who succeeded in gathering together 30,000 children to signify their contempt for the Queen of England and her satellites will, I am sure, do much more.' 'You know, he continued, how much the women with Irish hearts who will recognise the duty of sacrifice and glory in the cause they love, who have men's courage and men's determination to do the right thing when the time comes. I think that Inghinndhe na h-Eireann will go far in creating such a generation of Irishwomen.' Shortly after the creation of Ard Chroabh, Inghinndhe na h-Eireann became affiliated with Cumann na mBan. Subsequently Craobh Cholm Cille was formed in Blackhall Street and then the Fairview Branch was formed. The formation of four branches provided an organised group of women for each volunteer battalion. The country soon followed and branches sprung up in Killarney, Cork, Limerick, Tralee, Dingle, Enniscorthy and Wexford Town. In 1914, the Redmondite party became alarmed at the rapid growth of the militant organisation over which they had no control. They therefore decided to seek representation on the Volunteer Council, in order to curb the growing militant spirit and to induced the Irish Volunteers to abandon their efforts in seeking to overthrow the might of England by force of arms, and to seek concessions for the robber instead. The members of the Executive Council who were always anxious to prevent a split and ill-feeling amongst Irishmen, granted representation to the Redmondite party. They very soon had occasion to regret their decision. John Redmond, the leader of that party in the British House of Commons, in a speech delivered in the territory of that famous outlaw, Michael O'Dwyer, declared that the Irish Volunteers would fight and die for England in the fields of Flanders and Gallipoli. Well, indeed might the men and women of our race blush with shame, when hearing from this man who was in a responsible position at the time, that our volunteers were willing to help England in her campaign of blood, lust and greed. This outrageous statement, which was made without the sanction of the Volunteers, aroused the fiercest indignation in their ranks and the controlling council of that body split into two different camps. The faithful members immediately issued a manifesto reiterating their objective to fight for Ireland and against her hypocritical oppressor who whined for poor little Belgium and canted about the liberty of small nations, while she, herself, held Ireland, one of the most ancient nations of the earth, in bondage. Cumann na mBan during this crisis stood firm and watchful, holding to the constitution and agreeing with the men who issued the manifesto repudiating Redmond and his nominees on the Executive Council. Owning to the steadfast attitude of our Organisation, we lost some members but adherence to principle always brings its rewards and hundreds of recruits flocked to our ranks. A scheme of activities was drawn up about this time which embraced 1) First Aid lectures; 2) Home Nursing; 3) Signalling; 4) Arms. The use, care, cleaning, loading and unloading of rifles and revolvers was taught; 5) A miniature rifle practise in the Fr Matthew Hall in Fairview, and the Inghinndhe Hall in Camden Street, was keenly taken up by some of our members. 6) Physical drill was practised at each branch meeting, because Cumann na mBan realised that discipline was one of the most essential things in the Organisation. 7) Irish classes were held, and our members were requested to acquire a knowledge of their own language. Punctuality was insisted upon, and misfortune overtook anyone who dared to turn up one minute after the hour fixed for parade. © Searc's Web Guide 1997-2008 * The first meeting was in April, 1914. ** Inighnidhe na hÉireann was founded in 1900. |
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