Kathleen Cruise O'Brien facts for kids

Kathleen Cruise O'Brien (born April 24, 1886 – died February 12, 1938) was an Irish woman who worked hard for women's rights, especially the right to vote. She was also a strong supporter of the Irish language and a dedicated teacher.

Early Life and Education

Kathleen was born Katherine Mary Joseph Sheehy in Loughmore, a place in County Tipperary, Ireland. This was on April 24, 1886. She was the youngest of six children. Her parents were David Sheehy and Elizabeth "Bessie" Sheehy. Her older sister, Hanna, also became a famous activist.

When Kathleen was born, her family moved to Dublin. Her father was a well-known member of the Irish Parliamentary Party. This party worked to get more power for Ireland within the British parliament.

Kathleen went to school at a Dominican convent in Eccles Street. Later, she studied abroad as an exchange student in Amiens, France, from 1906 to 1907. After that, she returned to Ireland to study the Irish language at University College Dublin. To get even better at Irish, she spent time on the Aran Islands in County Galway.

Her mother often hosted gatherings at their home. Many interesting people visited, including the famous writer James Joyce. Some people have even suggested that a character in one of his stories was inspired by Kathleen.

Working for Change

Kathleen believed strongly that women should have the right to vote. In November 1908, she helped start the Irish Women's Franchise League. This group worked to get voting rights for women in Ireland. Her sister Hanna was also a founding member.

She was also active in a group called the Young Ireland Branch (YIB). This was a part of the United Irish League (UIL), and it was special because it allowed women to join. Kathleen was elected as a vice president of this group in 1910.

Marriage and Family Life

On October 1, 1911, Kathleen married a journalist named Francis Cruise O'Brien. Her family was not happy about the marriage. They didn't like his political views or that he didn't have a steady job. Only her sister Hanna and Hanna's husband supported the marriage.

Kathleen and Francis lived in Rathmines, Dublin. They had one son, who later became a well-known writer and politician named Conor Cruise O'Brien.

Teaching and Writing

After she got married, Kathleen started teaching Irish part-time at the Rathmines technical college. She was very dedicated to the Irish language. She wrote textbooks in Irish using the name Caitlín Níc Shíothaigh. In the 1920s, she even created an Irish language version of Gregg shorthand, which is a fast way to write.

Kathleen also wrote plays. One of her plays, called Apartments, was a short comedy. It was performed at the famous Abbey Theatre in September 1923. She wrote this play under the name Fand O'Grady.

Challenges and Later Life

During World War I, Kathleen's family had different ideas about supporting Britain. She helped convince her husband not to give speeches encouraging people to join the army.

The year 1916 was very sad for Kathleen. Three of her brothers-in-law died that year. Her husband, Francis, passed away in December 1927. After his death, Kathleen faced financial difficulties and had to work even harder. She worked full-time at the Rathmines School. She also supervised annual state exams for Irish in convent schools in the west of Ireland.

Even though she was a Catholic, Kathleen chose to keep her son, Conor, in a liberal Protestant school. This was the school her husband had chosen for him. She did this despite pressure from some religious leaders.

Kathleen Cruise O'Brien died at her home on February 12, 1938, after having a stroke.