Muriel MacDonagh (née Gifford; 18 December 1884 – 9 July 1917) an Irish nationalist, and member of

Inghinidhe na hÉireann Inghinidhe na hÉireann (; "Daughters of Ireland") was a radical Irish nationalist women's organisation led and founded by Maud Gonne from 1900 to 1914, when it merged with the new Cumann na mBan. Patriotic Children's Treat The Inghinidhe origi ...

. Her husband

Thomas MacDonagh Thomas Stanislaus MacDonagh ( ga, Tomás Anéislis Mac Donnchadha; 1 February 1878 – 3 May 1916) was an Irish political activist, poet, playwright, educationalist and revolutionary leader. He was one of the seven leaders of the Easter Rising o ...

, was one of the signees of the

Proclamation of the Irish Republic A proclamation (Lat. ''proclamare'', to make public by announcement) is an official declaration issued by a person of authority to make certain announcements known. Proclamations are currently used within the governing framework of some nations ...

, which led to the

Easter Rebellion The Easter Rising ( ga, Éirí Amach na Cásca), also known as the Easter Rebellion, was an armed insurrection in Ireland during Easter Week in April 1916. The Rising was launched by Irish republicans against British rule in Ireland with the a ...

Early life

Muriel Enid Gifford was born at 12 Cowper Road,

Rathmines Rathmines () is an affluent inner suburb on the Southside of Dublin in Ireland. It lies three kilometres south of the city centre. It begins at the southern side of the Grand Canal and stretches along the Rathmines Road as far as Rathgar to t ...

on 18 December 1884. She was the fourth daughter and eighth child of twelve of Frederick and Isabella Gifford. As a child, she suffered at different times from

rheumatic fever Rheumatic fever (RF) is an inflammatory disease that can involve the heart, joints, skin, and brain. The disease typically develops two to four weeks after a streptococcal throat infection. Signs and symptoms include fever, multiple painful jo ...

and

phlebitis Phlebitis (or Venitis) is inflammation of a vein, usually in the legs. It most commonly occurs in superficial veins. Phlebitis often occurs in conjunction with thrombosis and is then called thrombophlebitis or superficial thrombophlebitis. Unlike ...

. She attended

Alexandra College Alexandra College ( ir, Coláiste Alexandra) is a fee-charging boarding and day school for girls located in Milltown, Dublin, Ireland. The school operates under a Church of Ireland ethos. History The school was founded in 1866 and takes its ...

, and spent a brief time in England training to as a poultry instructor. Returning to Ireland, she trained at Sir Patrick Dun's Hospital, Dublin as a student nurse, but her health suffered from the work.

Nationalism

Along with her sisters, MacDonagh was active in the

Women's Franchise League The Women's Franchise League was a British organisation created by the suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst together with her husband Richard and others in 1889, fourteen years before the creation of the Women's Social and Political Union in 1903. The Pr ...

and Inghinidhe na hÉireann, a nationalist organisation. She was involved in the school meals programme of 1910 to 1911, took part in a 1914 Women's Franchise League fundraiser, appearing in a tableau vivant as Maeve, the Warrior Queen. Less ardently feminist than her sisters, MacDonagh took delight in inviting home activists and artists for a "proper meal". In an outgoing family, she was shy and reserved, known for her gentle manner. In 1908 she was introduced to

by suffragette journalist

Nora Dryhurst Nannie Florence Dryhurst (born Hannah Anne Robinson; 17 June 1856–1930) was an Irish writer, translator, activist and nationalist. Personal life Hannah Anne Robinson was born on 17 June 1856 in Dublin to Alexander Robinson and Emily Egan. Her ...

along with her sisters,

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and

Sidney Sidney may refer to: People * Sidney (surname), English surname * Sidney (given name), including a list of people with the given name * Sidney (footballer, born 1972), full name Sidney da Silva Souza, Brazilian football defensive midfielder * ...

, on a visit to St Enda's School. Dryhurst advised Thomas to "fall in love with one of these girls and marry her", to which he replied laughingly "That would be easy; the only difficulty would be to decide which one". The Gifford sisters remained acquaintances with Thomas until the autumn of 1911, when the couple had a short and intense courtship. They would meet secretly in galleries and museums, and had copious correspondence. When he was appointed assistant lecturer to

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 December 1911, they married on 3 January 1912. They had one son,

Donagh MacDonagh Donagh MacDonagh (22 November 1912 – 1 January 1968) was an Irish writer, judge, presenter, broadcaster, and playwright. Personal life MacDonagh was born in Dublin on St Cecilia's Day in 1912. He was still a young child when his father Th ...

, and one daughter, Barbara MacDonagh Redmond. The family lived first at 32 Baggot Street, and later at 29 Oakley Road, Rathmines.

Later life

MacDonagh suffered with poor health and depression, which led to periods of convalescence and confinement. When her husband was arrested after the Easter 1916 Rising, she was unable to see him before his execution on 3 May 1916, which heightened the intensity of her bereavement. Devastated by his death, and estranged from her parents due to their disapproval his involvement in the Rising, she lived with the Plunketts at Larkfield, Kimmage briefly, and then with relatives of her husband's in

Thurles Thurles (; ''Durlas Éile'') is a town in County Tipperary, Ireland. It is located in the civil parish of the same name in the barony of Eliogarty and in the ecclesiastical parish of Thurles (Roman Catholic parish), Thurles. The cathedral ch ...

, County Tipperary. She later returned to Dublin to rent rooms in a Plunkett family property, 50 Marlborough Road. With two young children to support, she was nearly destitute, but like the other widows and orphans of the executed leaders of the Rising, they were aided by the Irish Volunteers Dependents' Fund, in her case with £250. She also served as an officer and committee member on this aid association. Her husband named her as his literary executor, and she prepared a collected edition of his poetry that was published in October 1916. The success of this volume, and his bestselling ''Literature in Ireland'', due to be published at the time he was executed, eased her financial difficulties somewhat. She converted to Catholicism on 3 May 1917. MacDonagh died while swimming in the sea during a holiday with other 1916 widows and orphans in

Skerries A skerry is a small rocky island, usually defined to be too small for habitation. Skerry, skerries, or The Skerries may also refer to: Geography Northern Ireland * Skerries, County Armagh, a townland in County Armagh * Skerry, County Antrim, a ...

, County Dublin on 9 July 1917. She had almost not attended the holiday, as her son was in hospital having been injured in a fall. It is believed that she was attempting to swim to

Shenick Island Shenick Island or Shenick's Island () is an island that lies east of Skerries, County Dublin, Ireland. It is populated only by seals that harbour on the western side of the island and a few different species of seabirds nest there. It may be re ...

from Skerries, it is thought she may have wanted to place a tricolour flag on the island's

Martello Tower Martello towers, sometimes known simply as Martellos, are small defensive forts that were built across the British Empire during the 19th century, from the time of the French Revolutionary Wars onwards. Most were coastal forts. They stand up ...

. Her body was found near Loughshinny Island, and as there was no water in her lungs, it was concluded that she died of

heart failure Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome, a group of signs and symptoms caused by an impairment of the heart's blood pumping function. Symptoms typically include shortness of breath, excessive fatigue, a ...

and not drowning. As there was great interest in the 1916 widows and their families, her funeral at

Glasnevin Cemetery Glasnevin Cemetery ( ga, Reilig Ghlas Naíon) is a large cemetery in Glasnevin, Dublin, Ireland which opened in 1832. It holds the graves and memorials of several notable figures, and has a museum. Location The cemetery is located in Glasne ...

attracted a large crowd of mourners estimated at 5,000 in the funeral procession. Following her death, there was a legal custody battle between the Giffords and the MacDonaghs over Donagh and Barbara. Their aunt Mary MacDonagh, a nun known as Sister Francesca and with whom MacDonagh had grown close, won custody. Even though several of her siblings offered to take the children, she placed them in a foster home. On the centenary of her death, a festival took place in Skerries in MacDonagh's memory.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:MacDonagh, Muriel 1884 births 1917 deaths Burials at Glasnevin Cemetery Gifford sisters Irish suffragettes People from County Dublin Women in war in Ireland Muriel