Republican Female Activists from Athy mentioned in 'Rebel Hearts' by Karl Kiely

‘Rebel Hearts’, a biographical list of Republican women activists from County Kildare during the period 1913-1923 was published recently by the County Kildare Decade of Commemoration Committee. Written by the County Kildare archivist Karl Kiely, it is another outstanding contribution to our understanding of the county’s early 20th century revolutionary period. In the Foreword to the work which owes much to Karl’s research amongst the pension and medal applications in the military archives there is a significant and for me a proud claim that the first County Kildare branch of Cumann na mBan was formed in Athy. This followed the founding of Athy’s Sinn Fein Club, whose chairman was the Duke Street shopkeeper Michael Dooley. The book records details of the Athy women who either as Cumann na mBan members or Republican sympathisers furthered the struggle for Irish independence. Mary Anne Brennan was the officer commanding the Maganey Cumann na mBan and following her marriage to Monasterevin Republican Fintan Brennan, both came to live in Athy. Fintan was the District Court Clerk for the District Courts in Athy, Castledermot and Monasterevin and served for a period as President of the Leinster G.A.A. Council. Mary Anne, who died in 1960, is buried in St. Michael’s Cemetery. Alice Lambe was a sister of I.R.A. members Frank and Peter Lambe who lived at Upper William Street. Alice, who worked as a dressmaker, was treasurer of Athy’s Cumann na mBan. She later married James Cowman and was living at No. 7 Bleach Cottages when she died in 1959. Mary Heffernan who was born in Leinster Street, Athy, operated the Prince of Wales Hotel in Newbridge, which during the War of Independence was a venue for meetings of Republican activists and a safe haven for Republicans on the run. Bridget Darby, with an address in Leinster Street, served as principal of Churchtown National School. A member of Athy Cumann na mBan she was also active in the Irish Language Movement and served as secretary of the local Gaelic League branch. Miss Darby, as she was always called, served for many years as a member of Athy Urban District Council and Kildare County Council. Her house at Leinster Street and Bapty Maher’s cycle shop in Duke Street were attacked and damaged by rampaging local ex-British soldiers in July 1919. Mary Hayden of Maganey was a member of Moone Cumann na mBan. She married Garda Michael Darcy in Castledermot in 1932 and died in England 43 years later. The Dooley family of Athy provided more members of the local Cumann na mBan than any other family. Mother of the family was the former Julia Bradley, who like her daughters Hester, Katherine and Julia, was a member of Athy’s Cumann na mBan. Julia Bradley married Michael Dooley, a one-time farmer and later shopkeeper of Duke Street, who was the first Chairman of Athy’s Sinn Fein Club. Her daughter Hester married Joe May who had been imprisoned in Arbour Hill and Ballykinler Internment Camp in 1921. Hester had a distinguished career, serving as Secretary to Oscar Traynor, Officer Commanding Dublin Brigade and later worked for the Director of I.R.A. Intelligence, Colonel J.J. O’Connell. Her sister Julia, known as ‘Gypsy’, also a member of Athy’s Cumann na mBan, later married Bill O’Neill whose father I believe was Station Master here in Athy. Her sister Katherine married Eamon Malone, one-time Commanding Officer of the Carlow Kildare I.R.A. Brigade. The Dooley name is recalled today in the name of the housing estate Dooley’s Terrace, named in honour of Michael Dooley, father of Hester, ‘Gypsy’, and Katherine. A short distance from Dooley’s Terrace another great Irish Republican is remembered in the name Malone Terrace, named after Eamon Malone, husband of Katherine Dooley. The Dooley name remains prominent today in local Athy affairs following the election to Kildare County Council of Brian Dooley, great grandson of the Sinn Fein chairman Michael Dooley. Another extended family connection was made when Cumann na mBan member Julia Bradley, sister of Republican activists John and James Bradley, married Michael May, a founding member of Athy Sinn Fein Club. Michael was a brother of Joe May who married the earlier mentioned Hester Dooley. Also connected was the Republican activist Margaret Byrne, whose husband was Thomas May, a shoemaker based in Woodstock Street, and who were the parents of the brothers Joe and Michael May. Sisters Kathleen and Rose McDonnell were members of the Cumann na mBan in Athy. Unfortunately there is no available information about the McDonnell sisters. Perhaps one of the most intriguing records of a Cumann na mBan member is that relating to Sara Curran, who was a native of Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny. She moved to Athy with her husband a few years after marrying the R.I.C. Constable Francis Murphy. They lived in Townparks and Sara was a member of the Barrowhouse Cumann na mBan. Captain of the Cumann na mBan in Athy was Christina Malone, a native of Barrowhouse and sister of Eamon Malone who for a period served as Officer Commanding the Carlow/Kildare I.R.A. Brigade. Soon after I returned to Athy in 1982 after an absence of 21 years I made the acquaintance of Christina Phelan, as she then was, who lived in No. 1 Convent View. She died in 1987 and to my subsequent embarrassment and regret, despite meeting her several times, I did not realise her connection with Eamon Malone or her leadership of Athy’s Cumann na mBan. It was one of my great regrets that I missed the opportunity of interviewing Christina Phelan. ‘Rebel Hearts’ is a role of honour of women from the County of Kildare who played a part in the struggle for Irish independence. It is sad to relate that while many of these women lived in the same community as ourselves we knew nothing of their involvement in helping to create the freedom we enjoy today. Karl Kiely’s book will help to open our thoughts and our hearts to those brave women who served the emerging Republic with courage and with little expectation of recognition for their contributions.