The Irish Countrywomen's Association (ICA; ga, Bantracht na Tuaithe) is the largest women's organisation in

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

, with over 15,000 members. Founded in 1910 as the Society of United Irishwomen, it exists to prove social and educational opportunities for women and to improve the standard of rural and urban life in Ireland. Its central office is in

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

. It is one of the oldest societies of its kind in the world.

History

Inspired by the work of

Horace Plunkett Sir Horace Curzon Plunkett (24 October 1854 – 26 March 1932), was an Anglo-Irish agricultural reformer, pioneer of agricultural cooperatives, Unionist MP, supporter of Home Rule, Irish Senator and author. Plunkett, a younger brother of Jo ...

, a first branch of ''the Society of United Irishwomen'' was founded in 1910 by

Anita Lett Anita Georgina Edith Lett (c 1871– 5 June 1940) was an Irish activist who founded the Irish Countrywomen's Association, originally known as the United Irishwomen. Early life Anita Georgina Edith Studdy was born about 1871 in England to Capta ...

in County Wexford, following by a second towards the end of that year. The wider association was established by a committee meeting at The Plunkett House, the headquarters of the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society, and including

Ellice Pilkington Ellice Pilkington (1 September 1869 – 24 August 1936) was an Irish women's activist and artist. Early life Ellice Pilkington was born Louisa Ellice Benedicta Grattan Esmonde on 1 September 1869. She was the second daughter of John Esmonde a ...

, great-granddaughter of

Henry Grattan Henry Grattan (3 July 1746 – 4 June 1820) was an Irish politician and lawyer who campaigned for legislative freedom for the Irish Parliament in the late 18th century from Britain. He was a Member of the Irish Parliament (MP) from 1775 to 18 ...

, with the support of

. In 1935, the society changed its name to the Irish Countrywomen's Association to avoid any association with the nationalist United Ireland Party (now known as

Fine Gael Fine Gael (, ; English: "Family (or Tribe) of the Irish") is a liberal-conservative and Christian-democratic political party in Ireland. Fine Gael is currently the third-largest party in the Republic of Ireland in terms of members of Dáil � ...

). Working against the rampant antifeminism of 20th-century Ireland, the association worked on teaching and promoting rural housewives to establish home industries, maintain a hygienic home, provide a healthy diet for their families, and take an active role in public and intellectual life. From its earliest days, the association was enthusiastic for the development of an Irish artistic and crafts identity. During the 20th century, the ICA was involved in the promotion of good health, education, and access to basic utilities throughout Ireland. It worked closely with the

ESB Group The Electricity Supply Board (ESB; ga, Bord Soláthair an Leictreachais) is a state owned (95%; the rest are owned by employees) electricity company operating in the Republic of Ireland. While historically a monopoly, the ESB now operates as ...

during its roll-out of rural electrification in the 1950s and 1960s. In 2022 a number of leaks were made to the Irish national media following the unexplained dismissable of three board members. From those leaks, accusations emerged that money has been misappropriated by the organisation since 2018. In January 2023 a number of ICA members protested outside of the ICA headquarters in Dublin in response to the leaks.

Activities

The association runs courses in crafts and skills at its centre An Grianán in Termonfeckin,

County Louth County Louth ( ; ga, An Lú) is a coastal county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster. Louth is bordered by the counties of Meath to the south, Monaghan to the west, Armagh to the north and Down to the ...

. The centre was purchased using funds secured by an ICA sub-committee on "residential courses", which was founded in 1953 and chaired by Máirín Beaumont. This centre was founded by

Muriel Gahan Muriel Françoise Gahan (27 October 1897 – 12 July 1995) was an Irish rural campaigner and a promoter of traditional crafts and of the cooperative movement. Early life Winifred Muriel Françoise Gahan was born in Magherabeg House, near D ...

and

Kathleen Delap Kathleen Delap (27 January 1910 – 29 October 2004) was an Irish activist and feminist. Early life Born Kathleen Hilda Orpen on 27 January 1910 to Charles St George Orpen (1864–1939) and Cerise Maria Darley (d.1950) at home in Lisheens, Car ...

. The centre has a garden house named in honour of the ICA president who oversaw the plans for the centre in the years before it opened, Lucy Franks. As of 2007, the organisation was campaigning on behalf of women who receive wrong cancer diagnoses, and in December 2007 it organised a meeting in Dublin of 1,100 women, one of a series of such meetings around Ireland.

Politics

Two of its former presidents,

Kit Ahern Catherine Ita Ahern (; 13 January 1915 – 27 December 2007) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Kerry North constituency from 1977 to 1981 and a Senator from 1964 to 1977. Ahern was the first woman t ...

and Peggy Farrell, were

nominated by the Taoiseach A candidate, or nominee, is the prospective recipient of an award or honor, or a person seeking or being considered for some kind of position; for example: * to be elected to an office — in this case a candidate selection procedure occurs. * t ...

to serve in

Seanad Éireann Seanad Éireann (, ; "Senate of Ireland") is the upper house of the Oireachtas (the Irish legislature), which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann (the lower house). It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its memb ...

, the upper house of the

Oireachtas The Oireachtas (, ), sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the Bicameralism, bicameral parliament of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of: *The President of Ireland *The bicameralism, two houses of the Oireachtas ...

(the Irish parliament). A third,

Patsy Lawlor Patsy Lawlor (17 March 1933 – 19 December 1997) was an Irish politician, nurse and businesswoman. She was elected to Seanad Éireann on the Cultural and Educational Panel in 1981 as a Fine Gael member. She lost her seat at the 1983 Seanad elec ...

was elected to the

Cultural and Educational Panel The Cultural and Educational Panel () is one of five vocational panels which together elect 43 of the 60 members of Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Oireachtas (the legislature of Ireland). The Cultural and Educational Panel elects five ...

in 1981.

Leadership

Notable former presidents included

Elizabeth Burke-Plunkett The Rt Hon. Elizabeth Mary Margaret Burke-Plunkett, Countess of Fingall (1862–1944), was born in Moycullen, a daughter of George Edmond Burke of Danesfield and his wife Theresa Quin. She became an activist in Irish industrial, charitable and ...

, Lucy Franks,

, Peggy Farrell and

References

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External links