100 Bliain: Ordinary Women in Extraordinary Times

In this episode of Fianna Fáil: In Our Own Words and to mark our Centenary year Senator Alison Comyn and historian Anne Twomey explore the legacy of Cumann na mBan Anne is a member of the Shandon Area History Group and co-author of the book Ordinary Women in Extraordinary Times (2020) and to women discuss Cumann na mBan’s importance in securing an independent Ireland, how this has been largely overlooked but is now being brought to the fore by the work of Anne and others across the country. They talk about the pivotal role of Irish women during the War of Independence , particularly in Cork and the remarkable lengths women like the Wallace sisters and Muriel Swiney went to, running the gauntlet of curfews, gathering intelligence, transferring weapons while running households and businesses. This is a must listen, a fascinating episode about the women who worked for the cause behind the scenes.