Born as Constance Gore-Booth in 1868, the woman who would become known as Countess and Madame Markievicz was the eldest child of Henry Gore-Booth, an Arctic explorer and AngloIrish landlord who actively provided food for his tenants in Co. Sligo during the famine of 1879-80 and was deeply concerned about their wellbeing. The family split … Continue reading Constance Markievicz – Tales from Wo-Fan’s Land
Was the muse, partner and eventually wife of the most famous Irish writer of the 20th century, James Joyce. Born in Galway. Her father was a baker and her mother a dressmaker. The marriage was not a happy one and she was mostly raised by her maternal grandmother. Two of the boys she fell in … Continue reading Nora Barnacle (1884-1951) – Tales from Wo-Fan’s Land
On appearance, Rosanna “Rosie” Hackett looks like a sweet little old Irish woman but by all accounts, she was a furious unionist and influential member of the labour scene. I first found out about her whilst working in Glasnevin Cemetery where she is buried, the genealogist at the museum angrily showed me her death certificate … Continue reading Rosie Hackett – Tales from Wo-Fan’s Land
History Is Important 