Gifford sisters facts for kids
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The Gifford sisters were a group of sisters from Dublin, Ireland. Most of them were important figures in the Irish republican movement. This movement wanted Ireland to be an independent country, separate from British rule.
The sisters lived during a very important time in Irish history, known as the Irish revolutionary period. This was when Ireland fought for its freedom. Two of the Gifford sisters even married men who signed the 1916 Proclamation. This was a special document that declared Ireland's independence.
Their parents, Frederick and Isabella Gifford, were from the middle class in Dublin. They were considered unionists, meaning they wanted Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom.
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The Gifford Family Background
The Gifford family had an interesting mix of backgrounds. Their father, Frederick Gifford (born around 1835), was a Catholic lawyer. Their mother, Isabella Julia Burton (born around 1847), was the daughter of a rector (a type of priest) in the Church of Ireland, which is a Protestant church. They got married in 1872 in a Protestant church in Dublin.
Isabella's father died when she was very young. She and her brothers and sisters were raised by their uncle, a famous painter named Frederic William Burton.
From the 1880s, the Gifford family lived on Palmerston Road in Rathmines, a part of Dublin. They had many children: six daughters and six sons.
The boys in the family were raised as Catholics, like their father. However, they remained unionists, meaning they supported Ireland staying with Britain. They mostly worked outside of Ireland.
The girls were educated at Alexandra College, a well-known school. Even though they were raised as Protestants, four of the sisters later became Catholic. All the sisters, except for one named Ada, became strong supporters of Irish independence.
The Gifford Sisters
The Gifford sisters played different but important roles in Irish history. Here are some details about each of them:
Katherine Anna (Katie)
Katie Gifford was born in 1875 and passed away in 1957. She married Walter Wilson in 1909. Katie lived in Wales for a while. After her husband died, she returned to Ireland. She worked for the new Irish government as a civil servant. She also worked for the Irish White Cross, an organization that helped people affected by the conflicts. Later, she became a French teacher.
Helen Ruth (Nellie)
Nellie Gifford was born in 1880 and died in 1971. She married Joseph Donnelly in 1918. Nellie was a socialist, meaning she believed in fairness and equality for all people. She was very active in the Dublin lockout, a big workers' strike in 1913. She also joined the Irish Citizen Army, a group that fought for workers' rights and Irish independence.
During the Easter Rising in 1916, Nellie played a brave part. She was an aide to Constance Markievicz, another famous Irish rebel leader. They were involved in fighting at Stephen's Green and the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin. After the Rising, Nellie was put in jail. When she was released, she went to the United States. She returned to Ireland after the Irish Civil War ended.
Ada Gertrude
Ada Gifford was born in 1882. She was an artist and later moved to the United States. Unlike her sisters, Ada was not known for being involved in the republican movement.
Muriel Enid
Muriel Gifford was born in 1884 and died in 1917. She trained to be a nurse. Muriel married Thomas MacDonagh in 1912. Thomas MacDonagh was a poet and one of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising. He was one of the men who signed the 1916 Proclamation.
Muriel and Thomas had two children, Donagh and Barbara. Muriel sadly died in 1917 while swimming at Skerries, a town by the sea in County Dublin.
Grace Evelyn
Grace Gifford was born in 1888 and died in 1955. She was a talented artist and cartoonist. Grace married Joseph Mary Plunkett on May 4, 1916. Joseph Plunkett was another leader of the Easter Rising and also signed the 1916 Proclamation.
Their wedding was very dramatic. They got married just hours before Joseph Plunkett was executed by the British authorities after the Easter Rising. Grace's story is one of the most famous and heartbreaking from that time.
Sidney Sarah Madge
Sidney Gifford was born in 1889 and passed away in 1974. She married Arpad Czira. Sidney was a journalist and wrote under the pen name John Brennan. Later in her life, she became a broadcaster for Radio Éireann, which was Ireland's national radio station.
