Áine Ceannt ( Ní Bhraonáin; 23 September 1880 – 2 February 1954) was an Irish revolutionary activist and humanitarian leader.

Biography

Born Frances Mary Brennan at 28 Upper Camden Street in Dublin on 23 September 1880, she was the daughter of Francis Brennan, who himself had been a

Fenian The word ''Fenian'' () served as an umbrella term for the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) and their affiliate in the United States, the Fenian Brotherhood. They were secret political organisations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries ...

earlier in his life, and sister of

Lily O'Brennan Elizabeth ‘Lily’ O'Brennan (20 August 1878 – 31 May 1948), was an Irish republican, writer and playwright. Background O'Brennan was born in Summer Street, Dublin, the third daughter of Francis Brennan, auctioneer, and Elizabeth Anne Butl ...

and Kathleen O'Brennan. Her mother was Elizabeth Anne Butler. She was educated in the Dominican College,

Eccles Street Eccles Street () is a street in Dublin, Ireland. History Eccles Street began on 6 March 1769 when Ambrose Eccles, Isaac-Ambrose Eccles leased three parcels of land in the area. The street is named after his family, including his grandfather Joh ...

and adopted the name Áine upon joining the

Gaelic League (; historically known in English as the Gaelic League) is a social and cultural organisation which promotes the Irish language in Ireland and worldwide. The organisation was founded in 1893 with Douglas Hyde as its first president, when it eme ...

. It was through her Irish language activism that she met her future husband

Éamonn Ceannt Éamonn Ceannt (21 September 1881 – 8 May 1916), born Edward Thomas Kent, was an Irish republican, mostly known for his role in the Easter Rising of 1916. Background Ceannt was born in the little village of Ballymoe, overlooking the River Su ...

, whom she married in June 1905. Their son, Ronan was born in June 1906. A convinced republican, she joined

Cumann na mBan Cumann na mBan (; but in English termed The Irishwomen's Council), abbreviated C na mB, is an Irish republican women's paramilitary organisation formed in Dublin on 2 April 1914, merging with and dissolving Inghinidhe na hÉireann, and in 191 ...

on its foundation in 1914. She wrote and delivered dispatches during the

Easter Rising The Easter Rising (), 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 aim of establishing an ind ...

. Her husband was one of the signatories of the Proclamation of the Republic and was executed by the British at

Kilmainham Gaol Kilmainham Gaol () is a former prison in Kilmainham, Dublin. It is now a museum run by the Office of Public Works, an agency of the Government of Ireland. Many Irish revolutionaries, including the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising (Patrick Pea ...

on 8 May 1916. Newly widowed, she continued her republican activism, serving as Vice-President of Cumann na mBan and as a member of the

Sinn Féin Sinn Féin ( ; ; ) is an Irish republican and democratic socialist political party active in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The History of Sinn Féin, original Sinn Féin organisation was founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffit ...

Standing Committee. She also played a role in the development of the Sinn Féin Courts, a parallel legal system designed to offer an alternative to the British courts. Áine Ceannt was ardently opposed to the signature of the

Anglo-Irish Treaty The 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty (), commonly known in Ireland as The Treaty and officially the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was an agreement between the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain an ...

in December 1921. She was imprisoned by the

Irish Free State The Irish Free State (6 December 192229 December 1937), also known by its Irish-language, Irish name ( , ), was a State (polity), state established in December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty of December 1921. The treaty ended the three-ye ...

government during the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

in Mountjoy for her anti-Treaty activity. Throughout the war, Ceannt served at the highest levels within anti-Treaty Sinn Féin. In the years that followed, she spearheaded efforts to secure state compensation for the widows and the children of those who had died in 1916 and in the

War of Independence Wars of national liberation, also called wars of independence or wars of liberation, are conflicts fought by nations to gain independence. The term is used in conjunction with wars against foreign powers (or at least those perceived as foreign) ...

. She served as the head of the Children’s Fund of the

Irish White Cross The Irish White Cross was established on 1 February 1921 as a mechanism for distributing funds raised by the American Committee for Relief in Ireland. It was managed by the Quaker businessman, and later Irish Free State senator, James G. Dougla ...

, an American-funded humanitarian organisation founded to assist victims of unrest in Ireland. She was a member of the Executive Committee of the

Irish Red Cross The Irish Red Cross Society (IRCS; also Irish Red Cross or IRC; ) is the National Red Cross Society for the Republic of Ireland. (Northern Ireland comes under the aegis of the British Red Cross.) The society was formally established on 6 July ...

References

*R. F. Foster, ''Vivid Faces: The Revolutionary Generation in Ireland: 1890–1923'', (Allen Lane, London, 2014) *Ann Matthews, ''Dissidents: Irish Republican Women, 1923–1941'', (Mercier Press, Cork, 2012) {{DEFAULTSORT:Ceannt, Aine 1880 births 1954 deaths Irish republicans Irish revolutionaries Cumann na mBan members Burials at Glasnevin Cemetery