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Women’s involvement, p, 2
Ballydehob, p, 17, 29
Bandon, p, 8
Bantry, p, 41
Clonakilty, p, 11
Drimoleague, p, 55
Kinsale, p, 12
Rosscarbery, p, 12, 16, 55
Schull, p, 20, 22, 28
Skibbereen, p, 6, 15, 21, 30, 36
2nd May, Nominations and Withdrawals, p, 37
Durrus/Kilcrohane, May 1914, p, 43
O’Brienite Rowdyism Priests Jeered in Durrus, p. 34
Bantry, United Ireland League, Not Playing the Game, p, 54
Rosscarbery Election Addresses June,p, 55
Election Results, p, 65
Election Related Arson, Brahalish, Durrus, p 67
This is a snapshot including a number of newspaper reports on the lead up and aftermath of the 1914 election for parts of West Cork. it is not exhaustive nor does it deal with the tensions and splits within the Irish Parliamentary Party.
Women are making an appearance. It looks like they are acting within lage family networks some of which probably stretch back to the 18th century and earlier rather than as individuals as would now be the case.
The networks consist of closely linked family groups by marriage. They are largely hidden from view, prosperous dn from early Grand Jury records appear aaas contractors. Despite political and religious differences with the local landowning families and Magistrates they seem from the records to be a good relationship with for example some of the contracting families acting as sureties for Baronial Constables (cess tax collectors) and acting as cess payer representatives.
Within a few short years the country would be transformed by World War 1, the conscription crisis of 1917, the Irish Parliamentary Party supported enlistment. Many of those elected were on recruiting platforms..
Re World War 1 somewhere between 35,000 and 50,000 Irish born men died. Denmark, smaller than Ireland, was independent and neutral. The estimate for Danes lost is 700. Res Ipsa Loquitur.
By 1922, the Anglo Irish War had ended with the Treaty between Ireland and the United KIngdom, The Irish Parliament Party was wiped out in the 1917 elections by Sinn Féin. Ireland was partitioned and the Irish Civil War commenced.
Although the Irish Parliamentary Party disappeared, the very detailed information of those named in the newspaper showed that many of their descendants are still active politically in various political parties. Truly politics is in the blood
Women’s Involvement
The first County Councils were formed in 1899 following the passing of the previous year of the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898. The Act achieved breakthroughs on many fronts. The right to vote for local elections was extended to all householders including, for the first time at any level of democracy, women.
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For the 1899 elections women were able to stand for election to the Rural District Councils which were a sub-division of the Councils proper and a number of women were elected to such positions. Irish women were given the right to vote. But not every woman – just women over 30, who had property rights or a university education.The law that changed things was called the Representation of the People Act, 1918. The act also gave the vote to all men over the age of 21. When it was passed, because of the criteria around a ‘property qualification’, this meant that just 40% of all the women in the UK could vote.
Miss Brown 1913 possibly Mary Brown, Myross.
1914 Elections
In the 1914 elections the term assentor used here not distinguishing between proposer adn seconder.
Baltimore:
P. H. Bowne, Church St., Baltimore.
Assentor, Mary E. Browne, Baltimore
Caheragh:
Timothy Burke, Glounphuca, assentor Mary Daly, Cloncugger
Castlehaven South:
J. O’Shea, Drisheenamore, Skibbereen, assentor, Elizabeth O’Driscoll, Reenacussane
Clonakilty
Elected Minnie McCarthy
Myross:
Candidate Mary Ellen Browne, 1911 possibly shopkeeper, born England has Irish,single aged 50.
Rosscarbery
G. Wycherley
Assentors:
Mary O’Neill, Market Square, Ross, in 1911 widow, aged 36, draper and hotel owner, 3 servants, has Irish. Eliza Barry, Ross, 1911 census widow, aged 54, shopkeeper, has Irish.
Schull:
Edward Roycroft, J.P.,
Mary O’Sullivan, Durrus, 1901 probably widow, publican, 46.
Julia Brown nee O’Mahony, Ahagouna, her mother Mercy Peer of Huguenot ancestry, widow husband RIC Sergeant. Dora 2nd woman to qualify as a solicitor in Ireland. Dorothea Browe, later Mrs O’Reilly Mother nee O’Mahony, Ahagouna, Durrus, father Sergeant RIC died of Cholera Mitchelstown Workhouse 1900 leaving 8 children “Apprentices to Jasper Wolfe, Skibbereen, then Crown Prosecutor for West Cork, later independent TD. 1920s, Dorothea Browne, 2nd Woman to Qualify as a Solicitor in Ireland. Her mother was Mrs. Brown, nee O’Mahony, Ahagouna. She went on to found the firm of PF O’Reilly with her husband which is still operational. Her husband later Fine Gael Senator and Taxing Master of the High Court.
He sister, Dr Julia Marcella Browne, daughter of Julia Browne and qualified in 1917 and became the first woman Medical Officer of Health in Stepney in London and presided over a major reduction in maternal mortality,
Agnes Gilhooley, Durrus, 1911 single retired National Teacher, aged 65, has Irish probably sister to James Gilhooly, M.P., Bantry.
Julia Leahy. 1901 census widow 63, shopkeeper, one servant.
Skibbereen
C. O’Shea, J.P., Independent.
Assentors:
Margaret O’Shea.
Margaret Browne, 1911 probably Baltimore, aged 26, wife of Patrick Henry Brown 33 shopkeeper he also ran.
Julia Coughlan, Coolnagurrane. Agnes L. Casey, Inane. Margaret A. Collins, Barnahulla.
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West Cork History 