MUIREANN DALTON looks back at the origins of Cumann na mBan and makes the case for forming a new political group in 2021 to organise, educate, mobilise, and empower women within Sinn Féin
A Cumann na mBan Polaitíocht group
in 2021
Organise, agitate, educate, empower. These are all words that come into my head when I think of Cumann na mBan. These brave independent, determined women of 1914 laid the pathway for the generations of women that came after them. Cumann na mBan was established in 1914, on 2 April in Wynn’s Hotel Dublin, with a meeting to announce the establishment of this new organisation for women. They were driven by the ideologies of Irish republicanism and feminism. The primary aims of the organisation as stated in their later constitution included a pledge to “work for the establishment of an Irish Republic by organising and training the women of Ireland to take their place by the side of those who are working for a free Ireland.” Cumann na mBan also pledged “To
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advance the cause of Irish liberty” and “To organise Irish women in the furthering of that objective”. Cumann na mBan were instrumental in the Easter Rising. Women insurgents were positioned in all the main strongholds across Dublin, except Boland’s Mill and South Dublin Union. The majority of the women volunteers not only worked as Red Cross workers, they couriered and acquired rations to the men, they carried dispatches and transferred arms. They also gathered intelligence. This was all done under constant fire and attack from the British. They also arranged the evacuation of the strongholds at the time of surrender, risking life and limb to tend to the wounded. And still found the time to destroy incriminating papers. Winifred Carney refused to be evacuated so as to tend to James Connolly. This was the type of astounding heroism these women showed across Dublin. Cumann na mBan were fighting for the movement of change, a movement of equality, a movement of freedom. After 1916, Cumann na mBan took a leading role in or-
• Mae Burke, Eithne Coyle and Linda Kearns at Duckett's Grove, Co. Carlow, October 1921
ganising prisoner relief and opposing conscription while canvassing for Sinn Féin. As the organisation developed in the war of independence, Cumann na mBan promised to “do all in our power to help families of men who suffer through refusing military service”. They also assisted “in the election of republican candidates, keeping before the public the fact that under the
Cumann na mBan were fighting for the movement of change, a movement of equality, a movement of freedom Republican Proclamation Women are entitled to the same rights of citizenship as men”. They committed themselves to “not take the place of any man deprived of work through refusing military service” (Conscription campaign 1918). These acts of defiance, support, and solidarity can only be admired. The courageousness and steely determination of these women is inspiring. We have to remember that during the war of independence, and the scourge of the
ISSUE NUMBER 3 – 2021 - UIMHIR EISIÚNA 3 anphoblacht
