Irish suffragettes remembered a century later

THERE was drama at Dublin Castle last week after a woman smashed a window and was arrested by police.

To mark the centenary of women getting the vote in Ireland, the granddaughter of Irish suffragette, Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, re-enacted her grandmother’s action over a 100 years ago to highlight women's disenfranchisement.

The event was hosted by the Office of Public Works and attended by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Micheál Mac Donnacha.

It included a speech by Hanna’s granddaughter, Micheline Sheehy Skeffingto, from a ‘soapbox’ similar to that used by suffragettes a century ago.

At 5am onJune 13, 1912 Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, on her own, smashed windows in Dublin Castle, the seat of British Government rule, in response to votes for women being excluded from the Home Rule Bill for Ireland.

She was arrested and sent to Mountjoy Prison where she went on hunger strike.

To commemorate the centenary of women getting the vote, Hanna’s granddaughter Micheline, dressed in period costume, smashed a replica window in the Castle at the Ship Street entrance and was then “arrested” by a policeman.

In the coming weeks Dublin City Council will recognise Hanna Sheehy Skeffington’s contribution to Irish public life by erecting a plaque at the Ship Street entrance. 

The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Micheál Mac Donnacha, said: “Hanna Sheehy Skeffington is Ireland’s most famous suffragette and her actions and agitation directly contributed to Irish women winning the vote in 1918.

“Hanna lived in Dublin and was elected to the council so it’s entirely fitting that Dublin City Council recognise her role in Irish political life by erecting a plaque in her honour.

“I very much look forward to unveiling this later in the year.”

The chairman of the OPW Maurice Buckley, added: “The OPW is delighted to host this event celebrating Hanna Sheehy Skeffington who dedicated her life to tackling injustice in general and women’s inequality in particular.”

As a suffragette, a nationalist and a human rights activist Hanna was undoubtedly ahead of her time in challenging the boundaries of what was perceived as a woman’s role. Smashing the windows in Dublin Castle resulted in the first of many prison sen-tences Hanna endured over a 20-year period.

 Indeed, she noted that a wife-beater sentenced the same day received a lighter sen-tence, than her two months in Mountjoy Prison. This event tomorrow (6th February) is about recognising a historic day in Irish public life as well as a celebration of the con-tribution of Ireland’s most committed feminist who played a leading role in the strug-gle for equality. I would like to sincerely thank Micheline Sheehy Skeffington for com-ing here today and for her commitment as the custodian of grandmother’s legacy.”

Speaking about her motivation for staging the re-enactment Micheline Sheehy Skeffington said, “I want to ensure that the courage of the suffragettes is honoured on the centenary of women getting the vote. What they did and what they achieved is incredibly impres-sive. We have the vote today because of them. Power and privilege are never given up easily by any section of society, but things changed through women like Hanna taking a very public and often unpopular stance to demand that change. So, we owe it to them to ensure they are remembered.”