Hanna Sheehy Skeffingon - Republican & Feminist - May 22nd, 2010

Margaret Ward is the author of Hanna Sheehy Skeffingon: A Life published in1997 and is Director of the Women’s Resource and Development Agency, a regional organization for women established in 1983 and located in Belfast with a mission to ‘advance women’s equality and participation in society by working to bring about social, political and economic change for women’. She was previously assistant director with the think tank Democratic Dialogue. Her academic posts have included research fellow in history at Bath Spa University, lecturer of history at the University of the West of England and research fellow at the institute of Irish Studies, Queen’s University of Belfast. In the 1980’s she was Women’s Officer in the Community Services Department of Belfast City Council. She has lectured extensively on the role of women both in Irish history and in contemporary society. Dr. Ward’s publications include Unmanageable Revolutionaries: Women and Irish Nationalism: biographies of Maud Gonne and Hanna Sheehy Skeffington: an edited collection In Their Own Voice; women and Irish nationalism: and (with Louise Ryan) Irish Women and nationalism: soldiers, new women and wicked hags and Irish Women and the Vote: Becoming Citizens.

The talk will take place (weather permitting please God) almost 133 years after the date she was born and in close proximity to the house she was born into - close-by the Sheehy Skeffingtom Memorial in Kanturk Town Park. The talk will be held indoors in downtown Kanturk venue should the day prove unkind to us. (please keep an eye on the website and media postings for updates.......) 

This talk will be followed by a session of traditional music and song with guest musician, the Cork-based fiddle player, Lisa O'Sullivan who will be joined by some of her female music friends for the performance.  Refreshments will be available and entrance is free of charge.

Hanna Sheehy Skeffington Memorial Kanturk Town Park

Click on the text titlle to download this article by Margaret Ward..............

THE POLITICAL CAREER OF HANNA SHEEHY  SKEFFINGTON – CHALLENGING FEMINISM AND REPUBLICANISM