1 March 2001 Edition
Women must take victory
BY KIERAN CLIFFORD
``Women need to take up more space, insinuate themselves into all aspects of the struggle and ensure that the tenets of the Proclamation of 1916 are adhered to. We are capable of not only training ourselves for victory but we are capable of taking victory.''
This was the message of former republican prisoner Ella O'Dwyer, at last weekend's Dublin Sinn Féin Women's Conference, attended by more than 50 women and men from Sligo, Belfast, Derry and Cavan, in addition to all parts of Dublin. Ella, now working with the Coiste na hIarchimí organising its Women's History Project, spoke passionately about the story of the effort to unite Ireland as a free, democratic socialist republic, working from the blueprint of the proclamation of 1916 and working to all of the issues laid out in that document.
Lucilita Breathnach, Sinn Féin General Secretary, spoke about her individual experiences as a woman involved in politics and her development as a republican and Marie Gavaghan, a former political prisoner in Armagh Jail, spoke of the struggle by women POWs for political status in the prison.
Lucilita recounted her own development as an activist from a young age and recalled some of the more formative events that have shaped her involvement. From her earliest memory of watching on TV as British soldiers shot and killed the people of Derry on Bloody Sunday to protests at Portlaoise, involvement with the Dún Laoghaire Housing Action Groups, marriage, children, trade union organising, and finally her ongoing work with Sinn Féin, Breathnach painted a portrait of an individual and the events that have shaped her and led her to her present role. It is a lifetime of activism and participation that grew out of a refusal to accept the status quo. ``Why republicanism and not any other political concepts?'' she asked. ``For me there was no other political expression in this country that sought the freedom of the individual within society at all levels, seeing equality and the rights of people as paramount, free from oppression.''
Stressing the fact that ``unless women pursue their agendas, raise the issues, form alliances, challenge, form groups to strengthen their position within and without, like everything else it won't happen. As we challenge the system we also must challenge ourselves and never give up, make gains and move on to the next challenge. Power is never conceded, it is taken.''
Lucilita encouraged women to join Sinn Féin, ``a vibrant, progessive political party equal to the task'' and urged women within the party to push themselves and ``not allow important matters to be forgotten about or put on the back burner... let the day come when a women-friendly, truly inclusive equal culture becomes the norm. When women's voices are heard loud and strong.''
Marie Gavaghan discussed her own evolution as a political revolutionary, her time in prison and the impact it has had on her life. Describing herself as ``an ordinary young woman in extrordinary circumstances,'' she told of her time in prison: ``We didn't live in jail but existed in it. We survived through comradeship and we knew that we were pawns in the political equation and that the Brits would use us however they could. But we were strong IRA women and believed in what we were doing. We were and still are political revolutionaries.''
She told of the battles against strip searching, criminalisation and the inhuman conditions in which the women survived, of the discipline needed to ensure that a united front faced the prison regime at all times and how every small victory further solidified their commitment.
As the Honorary Chair of the ``Women's History Project'' Gavaghan described her involvement as arising out of a responsinbility to the likes of Mairead Farrell and Maire Drumm, to ensure that the story is told and recorded, without revisionism. ``The blame for the failure to tell the story of women prisoners lies with us because we have not told them... but the Women's History Project is an effort to rectify the situation and will combat the effort to revise our history, our role in the struggle.''
Also at the conference, Pauline Tully, Sinn Féin Cavan county councillor, presented ``Making the Difference Count'', addressing efforts to solidify the advances made in the struggle for gender equality. Tully stressed the need to get more women elected to local councils, Leinster House, and the Assembly, thus ensuring adequate representation not only of women's issues specifically but of women's views on all the issues; economics, the peace process, housing, education, health etc.
Gina Nicoletti, a community activist from Charlemont Street in Dublin, discussed her own experiences in organising her community around children's issues. What began as a group of mothers seeking better play facilities for their children has now taken on a life of its own in the form of a vibrant community centre, structured summer programmes and organised after-school activities. Without any background in community development. Nicoletti and her team took on the corporation and secured services for their children. From that point they looked at the broader community to assess what else was needed and have now, in addition to being community leaders, become role models for others seeking to affect positive change in their communities. One of the major issues of discussion arising out of Nicoletti' presentation was that of volunteerism, how to get people motivated and started. Nicoletti stressed the challenge of showing people that small initial steps can build to effect great change.
The theme of the conference was `But who will mind the children?', a somewhat ironic title given the difficulty experienced by the organisers in securing creche facilities for the children of those attending. The lack of childcare availability in the city on a Saturday critically pointed up the urgent need for this issue to be addressed on a national level and was a major point of discussion throughout the day.
Two workshops were held during the conference, ``The 1981 Hunger Strike and the Relevance for Women Today,'' and ``What Stops Women becoming involved in Party Politics''.
One of the main points raised in the hunger strike workshop was that women have made innumerable contributions to the cause for Irish freedom which need to be acknowledged and written into history. The discussion on what blocks women from entering party politics centred primarily on the issue of childcare and the fact that the responsibilities for raising a family and running a home still fall primarily on women. Suggestions were made for finding alternative methods of participation for women activists taking into account familial responsibilities. One innovative suggestion was made that republican efforts should be integrated into all realms of an individual's experience, whether it be within the context of trade union membership, community groups or sports clubs etc.
``Women need to take up more space, insinuate themselves into all aspects of the struggle and ensure that the tenets of the Proclamation of 1916 are adhered to. We are capable of not only training ourselves for victory but we are capable of taking victory.''
This was the message of former republican prisoner Ella O'Dwyer, at last weekend's Dublin Sinn Féin Women's Conference, attended by more than 50 women and men from Sligo, Belfast, Derry and Cavan, in addition to all parts of Dublin. Ella, now working with the Coiste na hIarchimí organising its Women's History Project, spoke passionately about the story of the effort to unite Ireland as a free, democratic socialist republic, working from the blueprint of the proclamation of 1916 and working to all of the issues laid out in that document.
Lucilita Breathnach, Sinn Féin General Secretary, spoke about her individual experiences as a woman involved in politics and her development as a republican and Marie Gavaghan, a former political prisoner in Armagh Jail, spoke of the struggle by women POWs for political status in the prison.
Lucilita recounted her own development as an activist from a young age and recalled some of the more formative events that have shaped her involvement. From her earliest memory of watching on TV as British soldiers shot and killed the people of Derry on Bloody Sunday to protests at Portlaoise, involvement with the Dún Laoghaire Housing Action Groups, marriage, children, trade union organising, and finally her ongoing work with Sinn Féin, Breathnach painted a portrait of an individual and the events that have shaped her and led her to her present role. It is a lifetime of activism and participation that grew out of a refusal to accept the status quo. ``Why republicanism and not any other political concepts?'' she asked. ``For me there was no other political expression in this country that sought the freedom of the individual within society at all levels, seeing equality and the rights of people as paramount, free from oppression.''
Stressing the fact that ``unless women pursue their agendas, raise the issues, form alliances, challenge, form groups to strengthen their position within and without, like everything else it won't happen. As we challenge the system we also must challenge ourselves and never give up, make gains and move on to the next challenge. Power is never conceded, it is taken.''
Lucilita encouraged women to join Sinn Féin, ``a vibrant, progessive political party equal to the task'' and urged women within the party to push themselves and ``not allow important matters to be forgotten about or put on the back burner... let the day come when a women-friendly, truly inclusive equal culture becomes the norm. When women's voices are heard loud and strong.''
Marie Gavaghan discussed her own evolution as a political revolutionary, her time in prison and the impact it has had on her life. Describing herself as ``an ordinary young woman in extrordinary circumstances,'' she told of her time in prison: ``We didn't live in jail but existed in it. We survived through comradeship and we knew that we were pawns in the political equation and that the Brits would use us however they could. But we were strong IRA women and believed in what we were doing. We were and still are political revolutionaries.''
She told of the battles against strip searching, criminalisation and the inhuman conditions in which the women survived, of the discipline needed to ensure that a united front faced the prison regime at all times and how every small victory further solidified their commitment.
As the Honorary Chair of the ``Women's History Project'' Gavaghan described her involvement as arising out of a responsinbility to the likes of Mairead Farrell and Maire Drumm, to ensure that the story is told and recorded, without revisionism. ``The blame for the failure to tell the story of women prisoners lies with us because we have not told them... but the Women's History Project is an effort to rectify the situation and will combat the effort to revise our history, our role in the struggle.''
Also at the conference, Pauline Tully, Sinn Féin Cavan county councillor, presented ``Making the Difference Count'', addressing efforts to solidify the advances made in the struggle for gender equality. Tully stressed the need to get more women elected to local councils, Leinster House, and the Assembly, thus ensuring adequate representation not only of women's issues specifically but of women's views on all the issues; economics, the peace process, housing, education, health etc.
Gina Nicoletti, a community activist from Charlemont Street in Dublin, discussed her own experiences in organising her community around children's issues. What began as a group of mothers seeking better play facilities for their children has now taken on a life of its own in the form of a vibrant community centre, structured summer programmes and organised after-school activities. Without any background in community development. Nicoletti and her team took on the corporation and secured services for their children. From that point they looked at the broader community to assess what else was needed and have now, in addition to being community leaders, become role models for others seeking to affect positive change in their communities. One of the major issues of discussion arising out of Nicoletti' presentation was that of volunteerism, how to get people motivated and started. Nicoletti stressed the challenge of showing people that small initial steps can build to effect great change.
The theme of the conference was `But who will mind the children?', a somewhat ironic title given the difficulty experienced by the organisers in securing creche facilities for the children of those attending. The lack of childcare availability in the city on a Saturday critically pointed up the urgent need for this issue to be addressed on a national level and was a major point of discussion throughout the day.
Two workshops were held during the conference, ``The 1981 Hunger Strike and the Relevance for Women Today,'' and ``What Stops Women becoming involved in Party Politics''.
One of the main points raised in the hunger strike workshop was that women have made innumerable contributions to the cause for Irish freedom which need to be acknowledged and written into history. The discussion on what blocks women from entering party politics centred primarily on the issue of childcare and the fact that the responsibilities for raising a family and running a home still fall primarily on women. Suggestions were made for finding alternative methods of participation for women activists taking into account familial responsibilities. One innovative suggestion was made that republican efforts should be integrated into all realms of an individual's experience, whether it be within the context of trade union membership, community groups or sports clubs etc.