Shot at for singing and forced ‘shearing’ – toll paid by women during the Civil War

Records show Ireland in 1920s ‘was not a safe place’ for women

NEW research has highlighted the extent to which women were subject to aggression and intimidation during the Irish Civil War – up to and including having shots fired at them in their homes, and having their heads forcibly sheared.

The information has emerged from the newly released records of compensation claims from the time.

It illustrates how some women suffered badly during the conflict.

Dr Gemma Clark, of the University of Exeter, said: “Revolutionary Ireland was not a safe place for many Irishwomen, however there is little evidence sexual violence was widespread during the conflict.

“The records suggest violence against women was not used in a systematic way to realise political or military objectives.

“But it’s important to remember that people then, as now, may have been reluctant to report sexual assault. The highly damaging legacies of the Civil War ought not to be forgotten, and these papers give information about the violence and intimidation suffered by people which otherwise would have gone unrecorded.”

In one extract from the records, Mary Barry recounted how she and three other girls came under fire at Dillons Cross, Co Cork, in December 1922. Ms Barry wrote that she and the girls had been “singing a song in support of the Treaty when a shot rang out and I fell”.

She attributed the attack to “civilians believed to be antiTreaty or supporters of antiTreaty forces”.

A “party of Irregulars” carried out a night-time raid at Patrick Callanan’s home in Dromelihy, Co Clare, in December 1922, shooting his daughter Mai in the foot.

It is not clear if the shooter, William Campbell, meant to injure her foot but records show Mai was suspected of informing the government troops at Kilrush of “the whereabouts of Mr Campbell and other Irregulars”.

Serious attacks also took place in the home, where women suffered severe violence. Bridget Barry from Co Cork hid under a kitchen table when “machine gun fire and bullets came through [the] back door”. She had given water to “rebels” who came to her front door and the National Troops subsequently opened fire on her home.

Dr Clark’s investigations of possible cases of sexual assault were made difficult by omissions and obscure language in the sources.

Women were more forthcoming in compensation claims, by contrast, about forced hair-shearing than sexual assault or rape.

Anne White, a housekeeper for a priest in Co Cork, was assaulted when the house was raided by armed men in April 1923.

Her sister Mary, also a servant, and the priest, “remonstrated” with the raiders but they were threatened with revolvers – and Mary was “badly dragged about and assaulted”, which, according to the compensation claim, resulted in lasting physical and psychological damage rendering her unable to work or care for elderly parents.

Anne was forced into a car by the raiders and taken away to an unoccupied house five or six miles away, where she was kept and her hair cut off.

The research is published in the journal ‘Irish Historical Studies’.

The claims committee considered 6,616 applications, paying out more than £269,000 to the injured and dependants of the deceased.