Mary Dolores Cullen (born 1929), was the first woman to become a member of the academic staff at

Maynooth University The National University of Ireland, Maynooth (NUIM; ga, Ollscoil na hÉireann Mhá Nuad), commonly known as Maynooth University (MU), is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland in Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland. It ...

and an Irish women's movement activist. She was the co-founder of the Women's History Association of Ireland.

Biography

Cullen was born in Dublin in 1929. She got her education in

Tramore Tramore (; ) is a seaside town in County Waterford, on the southeast coast of Ireland. With humble origins as a small fishing village, the area saw rapid development upon the arrival of the railway from Waterford City in 1853. Initially, the to ...

County Waterford County Waterford ( ga, Contae Phort Láirge) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is part of the South-East Region, Ireland, South-East Region. It is named ...

and Cork city before going on to complete a master's degree in history in

University College Dublin University College Dublin (commonly referred to as UCD) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath) is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a collegiate university, member institution of the National University of Ireland ...

in 1952. Cullen became a tutor in

St Catharine's College, Cambridge St Catharine's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1473 as Katharine Hall, it adopted its current name in 1860. The college is nicknamed "Catz". The college is located in the historic city-centre of Camb ...

from 1956 to 1958 and returned to her alma mater from 1964 to 1967. She went from UCD to Maynooth University lecturing there until 1994. She was also a part time lecturer in Trinity College Dublin from 1992. Cullen married and had children in the 1960s which was when Cullen discovered second wave feminism and became a notable part of the Irish women's movement. She ensured women's history became accessible to the public. She has been influential in promoting feminism and women's history to more than three decades of students. She founded, with

Margaret MacCurtain Margaret Mac Curtain (1929–2020) was a Dominican sister, Irish historian, writer, and educator. Career Mac Curtain was a native of County Cork, Ireland. She was the daughter of Sean and Ann Mac Curtáin. She received her Bachelor of Arts deg ...

, and was the original president of the Women's history association of Ireland. Cullen was awarded an honorary Doctorate by the

National University of Ireland The National University of Ireland (NUI) ( ga, Ollscoil na hÉireann) is a federal university system of ''constituent universities'' (previously called ''university college, constituent colleges'') and ''recognised colleges'' set up under t ...

in 2011. Annually The MacCurtain/Cullen Prize in Irishwomen's History is awarded in recognition of the outstanding contribution to Irish women's history.

Bibliography

* Female Activists: Irish Women and Change 1900-1960 * Telling It Our Way: Essays in Gender History * Exploration of the Responses of a Social Services Department to the Needs of Black Disabled Elders - SCA (Education) & University of Warwick Monograph S. * Girls Don't Do Honours: Irish Women in Education in the 19th and 20th Centuries * Women, Power and Consciousness: Women in 19th Century Ireland * Female Activists: Irish Women and Change, 1900-1960 * ShoeShine Kids * Women, Power and Consciousness in 19th Century Ireland: Eight Biographical Studies

Sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cullen, Mary D. 1929 births Possibly living people Alumni of University College Dublin Maynooth University Irish feminists People associated with Trinity College Dublin