Mary Maher (journalist) facts for kids

Mary Maher (born November 9, 1940 – died November 30, 2021) was an important person in Ireland. She was born in America but became an Irish citizen. Mary was a trade unionist, which means she worked to protect the rights of workers. She was also a feminist, meaning she believed in equal rights for women. On top of that, she was a journalist, writing for newspapers.

Mary Maher helped start the Irish Women's Liberation Movement. This group worked to make life better for women in Ireland. She also became the first editor at The Irish Times newspaper who focused on women's issues. She worked there for 36 years.

Her Early Life

Mary Maher was born in Chicago, a big city in the United States. Her parents were Irish-American, meaning their families came from Ireland. Most of her ancestors were from County Tipperary in Ireland.

Mary grew up in a part of Chicago called Rogers Park. She went to Sacred Heart School there. Later, she earned her diploma from Barat College in Lake Forest, Illinois.

Starting Her Career

Mary Maher began her career as a reporter for the Chicago Tribune newspaper. She worked on the society desk, writing about social events.

In 1965, she moved to Ireland and started working as a journalist for The Irish Times. This was a very important newspaper in Ireland. She stayed with The Irish Times for 36 years, until she retired.

Fighting for Women's Rights

Mary Maher noticed many challenges and changes happening in Irish society. Her newspaper articles often talked about important topics. She wrote about things like equal pay for women and improving poor housing conditions.

She was a founding member of the Irish Women's Liberation Movement. This group worked hard to achieve more freedom and equality for women. Mary was part of a group of strong Irish women journalists. They included people like Nell McCafferty and Geraldine Kennedy. Mary once said this time was when "Irish women were invented."

Mary made history at The Irish Times. She was the first woman on staff to return to work after getting married. She also helped get paid time off for new mothers, which was a big step forward.

Her Later Years

Mary Maher married Des Geraghty in 1969. They had two daughters, Maeve and Nóra. Even though they later separated, they remained good friends. They often worked together on projects about culture and workers' rights.

Mary was a strong supporter of unions throughout her life. She was the first "mother of the chapel" in the National Union of Journalists at The Irish Times. A "chapel" is like a local branch of a union within a workplace. Because of her union work, she often represented her colleagues at meetings. She held several important roles within the union.

Mary retired from her job as an assistant chief subeditor in 2001. She became ill later in life and was cared for in a nursing home. Mary Maher passed away in a hospital in Dublin in November 2021.

See also

• Americans in Ireland