Mary Spring Rice facts for kids
Mary Ellen Spring Rice (born September 14, 1880 – died December 1, 1924) was an important Irish activist in the early 1900s. She worked hard for Ireland's independence.
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Mary Spring Rice's Early Life
Mary Spring Rice was born in London to a wealthy Anglo-Irish family. Her father was Thomas Spring Rice, the 2nd Baron Monteagle of Brandon. Her family lived on a large estate called Mount Trenchard House in Ireland. This home overlooked the River Shannon.
Her family was very open-minded. They encouraged everyone to think for themselves. They also loved Irish culture. Mary and her brothers learned to speak fluent Irish at home.
Working for Irish Independence
Before the First World War, Mary Spring Rice held many meetings at her home. These meetings were for Irish nationalist groups and the Conradh na Gaeilge, which promoted the Irish language. She became good friends with Douglas Hyde, who helped start the Conradh na Gaeilge.
The Howth Gun-Running
In 1913 and 1914, Mary Spring Rice took part in a secret operation. This was called the Howth gun-running. It involved bringing weapons from Germany into Ireland. These weapons were for an Irish uprising.
Mary and her friend Molly Childers helped raise money. They collected £2,000 to buy 900 Mauser rifles from Germany. Many of these guns were later used in the 1916 Easter Rising. Mary even sailed on a yacht called the Asgard to help collect the guns. She also helped unload them when they arrived in Ireland.
Helping During the War
During the Irish War of Independence, Mary continued to help. She let her home, Mount Trenchard, be used as a safe place for Irish Republican Army (IRA) fighters. The family boat was also used to move men and weapons across the Shannon Estuary.
She helped train local women to be nurses. These nurses cared for wounded Irish nationalists. Mary also carried messages for the IRA. She traveled between Limerick and Dublin. Even while doing this, she kept up her social life. She invited important politicians to Mount Trenchard. She hoped to convince them to support Irish independence.
Mary Spring Rice's Death
Mary Spring Rice became ill with tuberculosis in 1923. She passed away on December 1, 1924, in a hospital in Wales. She was buried at Mount Trenchard in County Limerick, Ireland. When her coffin arrived at Foynes railway station, many people came to honor her.
