How Did Markievicz Contribute To The Irish War Of Independence

Women contributed greatly to the Irish war of Independence. War is quite often thought of in a more masculine sense, so women’s contributions may be slightly overlooked. The creation of Cumann na mBann, the IRA women’s auxiliary organisation happened in 1914 and they were determined to use force against the English influences in Ireland. The Irish citizen was established in 1912 as a women’s suffrage newspaper. It was extremely useful in alerting people to the plight of women and also recruiting people for various suffrage organisations. Contributions by women such as Maud Gonne and Countess Markievicz were extremely important to the Irish War of Independence.

The formation of suffrage movements and organisations which reference a militaristic

She didn’t care much for gender roles and spent a great deal of time with the male leaders of the war of Independence. Markievicz founded the Red Branch Knights some time before July 1909. On the 16th of August 1909 the Irish National Boy scouts changed their name to Fianna na hÉirinn. They elected Countess Markievicz as vice president of the organisation meaning she worked closely with Bulmer Hobson. The boys of the organisation would be extremely helpful in training members of the Cumann na mBan and also in later joining the volunteer forces. Markievicz was present and involved at the reconstitution of The Irish Citizens Army along with other ‘Military minded’ individuals. She was part of the ‘army council’ for the ICA and took the role as treasurer, making her extremely influential in a key element in the Irish War of Independence. During the Lockout of 1913 she learned how to run soup kitchens and experienced the needs and wants of the poor working class of Ireland. When world war broke out in 1914 Markievicz was heavily against Irish men enlisting in the British army and developed an anti-enlistment campaign which brought her to the attention of John Redmond who believed that Irish men should enlist. She spent a brief time in Holloway jail with other arrested leaders on false charges that were later dropped. During the rising she was extremely important as she was second in command to Michael Mallin at St. Stephen’s Green and at the College of Surgeons. When captured she accepted the charges and stated that she was fighting for Irelands freedom. Her death sentenced was changed to life imprisonment solely due to her sex. She was released in 1917 and continued to defy British rule. She became a catholic and possibly due to her long time association with De Valera, she was anti-treaty. In 1919 she became the first women to be elected into parliament and was