Josephine Ryan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Josephine Ryan
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_Mulcahy_and_his_wife_Josephine.jpg)
Ryan and husband Richard Mulcahy
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Mary Josephine Ryan
29 December 1884 Tomcoole, Wexford, Ireland
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| Died | 11 April 1977 (aged 92) Dublin, Ireland
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| Nationality | Irish |
| Other names | Josephine Mulcahy |
| Spouse(s) | Richard Mulcahy |
| Children | 6, including Neillí |
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Mary Josephine Ryan (born December 29, 1884 – died April 11, 1977) was an important Irish Nationalist. She was also known as Min to her friends. She was a member of Cumann na mBan, a women's Irish republican group. She played a part in the 1916 Easter Rising and the Irish War of Independence.
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Early Life and Education
Mary Josephine Ryan was born in Tomcoole, near Taghmon in County Wexford, Ireland. Her parents were John Ryan and Eliza Sutton. She went to school at Loreto Abbey in Gorey and Dublin. She also attended a boarding school called The Ursuline in Thurles.
After finishing high school, she studied at the Royal University of Ireland. She learned English, German, and French. She graduated in 1908 from the National University. Before this, she spent some time studying in France and Germany.
Teaching Career Abroad
Mary Josephine Ryan worked as a teacher in Germany for two years. She taught English there. Then, she taught in London for four more years. All of her sisters also taught English in Germany or France after they graduated.
The sisters came up with a clever way to stay in touch. They sent a large notebook to each other. Each sister would write a letter in it before sending it to the next. This notebook traveled all over Europe. It helped the Ryan sisters stay connected.
While in London, Ryan kept in touch with other Irish people who lived abroad. These people shared her dream of an independent Ireland. After World War I ended, Ryan moved back to Ireland.
Family and Connections
Before she got married, Mary Josephine Ryan lived with her sister in Ranelagh for a few years. She was a very smart and practical woman. Her many nephews and nieces loved her. She was always full of ideas when she met with her sisters. They planned things for themselves, their husbands, and their children.
Ryan was interested in current events. Her family was very supportive of Irish independence. Many of her 11 brothers and sisters were involved in the Easter Rising and later wars.
Notable Siblings
- Her brother James became a politician.
- Her sister Nell was the first woman elected to Wexford County Council.
- Two other sisters, Mary Kate and Phyllis, married Seán T. O'Kelly. He later became the second President of Ireland.
Meeting Seán Mac Diarmada
While in college, Ryan met Seán Mac Diarmada. He later became one of the leaders of the Easter Rising. After college, she moved to London. She went to London University to get her teaching certificate. In 1914, she started a local branch of Cumann na mBan there.
In 1915, she returned to Dublin. She taught German at the Rathmines Technical School. Mac Diarmada asked her to go to Germany because she spoke German so well. But her sisters advised her not to go. Instead, Joseph Plunkett was sent.
Ryan was engaged to Seán Mac Diarmada. He said she was the woman he would have married if he had lived. She was one of the last people to visit him. This was before he was executed by the British after the Rising.
Role in the 1916 Easter Rising
Mary Josephine Ryan was very involved in the events leading up to the Easter Rising. Early on the morning before Seán Mac Diarmada was executed, she visited him with her sister Phyllis. She later shared details of this visit.
Delivering Messages
Ryan was at a house where some of the Rising's leaders met. They decided to call off the event for Easter 1916. Ryan was sent to Wexford by Eoin MacNeill with this message. She delivered the message. However, she hoped the Rising would still happen. She told the men in Wexford her own opinion. Then she returned to Dublin to see what would happen.
Even though she was close to one of the leaders, Ryan did not know all the plans. She only knew that something big was about to happen. She also knew her fiancé was very busy and stressed.
During the Rising, Ryan carried messages for the rebellion. She also took messages to the wives of three captured British officers. She saw The O'Rahilly give orders to treat the British prisoners in the GPO (General Post Office) with respect. The prisoners later confirmed that they were treated well and kept safe.
After the Surrender
After the Rising ended, Ryan was not arrested. She was not in any of the main battle locations. She had gone home when a sniper shot a dog near her. This happened while she was heading back to the GPO.
She and Louise Gavan Duffy went to Jacob's Factory on Sunday morning. They watched the men there surrender. None of the women at that location were arrested. The British officer in charge was not interested in arresting the women.
Later, a conversation between Ryan and Mulcahy was recorded for RTE. This was for the 50th anniversary of the Rising. They discussed Ryan's experiences during that week. This conversation helped people understand the events better.
Life After the Rising
After the Easter Rising, Ryan traveled to America. She went to tell John Devoy a first-hand account of what happened. On June 2, 1919, she married General Richard Mulcahy in Dublin. They had six children: Padraic, Seán, Risteárd, Elizabeth, Neillí, and Maura.
Challenges During the War
At the start of their marriage, they lived in a flat. The British military often raided this flat. Ryan had her first child there. During the Irish War of Independence, Mulcahy was often on the run. This meant he had to hide from the authorities. The family lived in old buildings that Pearce had used for St Enda's School.
Eventually, Mulcahy's mother asked them to leave. The frequent raids by the Black and Tans were damaging the house. In September 1920, Ryan went to stay with her sister Agnes in Belfast for several months.
After Michael Collins died, the family moved to Lissenfield House. This house was next to Portobello barracks. Collins had held meetings at their old addresses, so it was not safe to stay there. Mulcahy then took over leadership of the army. He later became commander-in-chief of the Irish Army. He also led the Fine Gael political party from 1944 to 1948.
Community Involvement
Ryan was acknowledged for her work with the Wounded Soldiers’ Comforts Fund after the Civil War. She worked with her sister Phyllis for the Army Benevolent Fund. This was even though they had been on different sides during the war.
Ryan was the treasurer of the ladies' committee of the 43rd Battalion. This committee was led by Kathleen Lemass. They knitted pullovers and socks for the local Defence Force. She was considered a possible candidate for the Seanad (Irish Senate) in 1925.
She also helped raise money for the Central Catholic Library. She organized bridge tournaments for this cause. She also helped raise funds to build a new Catholic church in Cabra.
Ryan was the president of the Loreto Past Pupils Union. She was also part of the fundraising committee for the Meath Hospital.
Later Years
Ryan and her family lived in Portobello until 1966. They raised their six children there. Ryan was very good at managing her household. She had help from servants. On the few acres of land attached to the house, they kept chickens and dairy cows. They also grew fruits and vegetables.
Richard Mulcahy died in 1971 at the age of 85. After his death, Ryan lived with another woman from Wexford, Maggie. They lived in her son Seán's house.
Eventually, Ryan was admitted to Our Lady's Hospice in Harold's Cross, Dublin. She had dementia. Mary Josephine Ryan died there a few days later on April 11, 1977, at the age of 92.
Legacy and Recognition
In June 2020, a new public park in her home county of Wexford was named in her honor. The park has many features for families and the community. These include a playground, picnic area, and dog park. It also has a memorial garden, walking track, and places for events. There are play spaces, wildflower meadows, and art displays. Benches in the park are dedicated to each of the Ryan siblings.
