The Changing Experience of Women in Twentieth-Century Ireland

1. The Changing Experience of Women in Twentieth-Century Ireland 37 Chapter 23

2. What Will I Learn? • Explain how the experience of women in Irish society changed during the 20th century • Explore the Nature of History

3. Women in Early Twentieth-Century Ireland Women as second-class citizens

4. Women at Work Early 20th century • Married women • Better-off women • Poorer women • Dublin • Belfast • Women in rural areas • Single women After independence • Similar pattern • Mostly unskilled, lower-paid jobs • Higher emigration rate for women

5. Women at Work Changes from 1960s onwards • More women work outside the home • Married women held onto jobs • New jobs in offices, teaching, nursing and civil service • Limit size of families • Many women worked part-time • Smaller proportion of women managers and senior executives

6. Women in management positions in Ireland earn 16% less than men, according to new research by Europe’s statistical agency Eurostat. The study also found that the average pay gap across the EU is 23%. In Ireland, two out of every five managers are women, according to Eurostat. That places Ireland’s performance in terms of gender equality in management ranks ahead of France, Sweden and the UK. However, male managers are paid 16% more than females in management roles in Ireland. The percentage gap between male and female pay (gender pay gap) in EU Member States, 2015)

7. Women in Education • Limited education in early 20th century • Major change from 1960s onwards • More women in education • Opened up new careers

8. Women and Politics Votes for women • Women could not vote • Could not be elected to parliament • Suffragette campaign • Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington founded Irish Women’s Franchise League • Opposed by Redmond and Carson • Influence of World War I on votes for women • Women over 30 got the vote in 1918 Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington See Skills Book p. 203

9. Women and Politics Women in the independence movement • Women play important role in independence movement • Countess Markievicz first woman elected to parliament but did not take seat • After independence, women over 21 got the vote Countess Markievicz Elizabeth O’Farrell

10. A Conservative Society • ‘A woman’s place was in the home’ • Divorce and contraception banned • Women not allowed to sit on juries • Marriage bar – women gave up civil and public service jobs when they married • Irish Constitution, 1937 – women ‘within the home’ See Skills Book p. 207

11. The 1960s Onwards – How did Women’s Lives Change?

12. Timeline of changes 1958 Ban on married primary teachers lifted 1970Commission on the Status of Women set up Women’s Liberation Movement founded in Ireland 1973 Ireland joined EEC (European Economic Community) (later EU) Women in the public service no longer lose their jobs when they marry Social welfare allowances for single mothers 1974 Anti-Discrimination (Pay) Act 1975 Men and women equally eligible for jury service 1976 EEC compelled Irish government to implement equal pay for women 1977 Employment Equality Act: unlawful to discriminate on grounds of sex or marital status 1979 Contraception allowed for married couples over 18 1996 Divorce referendum passed 2000 Equal Status Act prohibits discrimination

13. The Irish Women’s Liberation Movement Source 1 A publication of the Irish Women’s Liberation Movement (1971) Source 2 Members of the Irish Women’s Liberation Movement

14. The Irish Women’s Liberation Movement Source 4 Equal Rights for Irish Women! Do you think it’s just that … for every 26p (5s 3d) that a woman earns, her male counterpart gets 47p (9s 6d)? Do you think its just that … The Civil Service and all State Bodies, including Radio TelefísÉireann, sack women upon marriage? Do you know that … a mother is not permitted to sign a children’sallowance receipt without her husband’s permission? Irish Women’s Liberation Movement, Chains or Change, [1971]) Source 3 Article 40 of the Irish Constitution promises equal rights to all citizens of the Republic of Ireland. 1,434,970 Irish citizens (at the last count) are not given such rights. These are the women of Ireland. A married woman in Ireland is regarded as the chattel (property) of her husband. … She must have permission from him for all kinds of things … (Irish Women’s Liberation Movement, Chains or Change, [1971]) See Skills Book p. 207

15. Women in Politics – the South Women in Irish general election by decade

16. Mary Harney, former Tánaiste Gemma Hussey, Minister for Education Mary McAleese, former President Mary Robinson, former President

17. Women in Politics – the South Proportion of women in the national parliaments of the European Union member states How does Ireland compare with other states in the EU?

18. Women in Politics – the North • Civil rights in NI in 1960s • Homeless Citizens League • Campaign for Social Justice • NICRA • People’s Democracy march • The Troubles • Price sisters • Peace People Patricia McCluskey, civil rights activist Bernadette Devlin, civil rights activist ‘Thus the founding of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA) is as much the result of their [women’s] groundwork as of the various trade union, republican and civil liberties groups that joined in establishing the organisation in April 1967.’ (Catherine Shannon)

19. Successful sportswomen Katie Taylor, boxer Sonia O’Sullivan, athlete Angela Downey, camogie player

20. Problems Life for Women in the Early 20th Century Vs Late 20th Century • Role in advertising • Traditional male clubs • Break-up of marriages • Gender pay gap • Management gap See Skills Book pp. 203 and 209