Alice Glenn
Encyclopedia
Alice Glenn is a former Irish
Fine Gael
politician.
as a Fine Gael
candidate. She was unsuccessful on that occasion but was elected to Dublin City Council
in 1974 for the Drumcondra
ward. She was also an unsuccessful candidate in the 1977 general election
. Glenn was eventually elected on her third attempt at the 1981 general election
. She lost her seat eight months in the first general election of 1982. She regained her seat in the second election in November 1982.
She was the first woman elected to the Fine Gael national executive, the first woman member (in 270 years) of the Dublin Port and Docks Board and the first woman Chair of the Eastern Health
Board.
Glenn was known for her strong social conservative views. In 1983 she was one of eight Fine Gael TDs to defy the party and vote against the Fine Gael-Labour
coalition's proposed wording to the Pro-Life constitutional amendment
on abortion.
The government's wording included a negative prohibition, namely that nothing in the constitution should be interpreted as granting a right to abortion. Glenn, along with Joe Doyle
and other colleagues endorsed the Fianna Fáil
alternative wording that granted a "right to life to the unborn, with due regard to the equal right of the mother". On legislation to make contraception available to people over 18, she said "What man wants anything to do with a girl who has been used and abused by any man who comes along with condoms?".
She was fiercely against the legalisation of divorce
. The proposal to legalise divorce was defeated in a referendum in 1986. (The constitutional change was passed nine years later in the Fifteenth Amendment
). Glenn was famously quoted as saying that women voting in favour of divorce would be like "turkeys voting in favour of Christmas".
Glenn failed to be renominated by a Fine Gael
selection convention in Dublin Central in November 1986. She resigned from the party and fought the 1987 general election
as an Independent candidate but failed to be elected polling 4% of the vote and losing her deposit. She retired from politics following the loss of her Dublin City council seat in 1991.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
Fine Gael
Fine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
politician.
Early and private life
Alice Glenn was born in Dublin in 1927. She was educated locally before attending the Haslem School of Dress Designing. She subsequently worked as a dress-maker.Political career
Glenn first became involved in politics when she contested the 1973 general electionIrish general election, 1973
The Irish general election of 1973 was held on 28 February 1973. The newly elected 144 members of the 20th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 4 March when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
as a Fine Gael
Fine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
candidate. She was unsuccessful on that occasion but was elected to Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council is the local authority for the city of Dublin in Ireland. It has 52 members and is the largest local authority in Ireland. Until 2001, it was known as Dublin Corporation.-Legal status:...
in 1974 for the Drumcondra
Drumcondra
Drumcondra is the name of several places:* Drumcondra, Dublin, Ireland, a residential area on the Northside of Dublin.** Drumcondra railway station** Drumcondra F.C., former football club...
ward. She was also an unsuccessful candidate in the 1977 general election
Irish general election, 1977
The Irish general election of 1977 was held on 16 June 1977 and is regarded as a pivotal point in twentieth century Irish politics. The general election took place in 42 parliamentary constituencies throughout Ireland for 148 seats in the lower house of parliament, Dáil Éireann. The number of...
. Glenn was eventually elected on her third attempt at the 1981 general election
Irish general election, 1981
The Irish general election of 1981 was held on 11 June 1981, three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 21 May. The newly elected 166 members of the 22nd Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 30 June when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
. She lost her seat eight months in the first general election of 1982. She regained her seat in the second election in November 1982.
She was the first woman elected to the Fine Gael national executive, the first woman member (in 270 years) of the Dublin Port and Docks Board and the first woman Chair of the Eastern Health
Board.
Glenn was known for her strong social conservative views. In 1983 she was one of eight Fine Gael TDs to defy the party and vote against the Fine Gael-Labour
Labour Party (Ireland)
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish...
coalition's proposed wording to the Pro-Life constitutional amendment
Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland
The Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland introduced a constitutional ban on abortion. It was effected by the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution Act, 1983, which was approved by referendum on 7 September 1983 and signed into law on the 7 October of the same year.-Changes to the...
on abortion.
The government's wording included a negative prohibition, namely that nothing in the constitution should be interpreted as granting a right to abortion. Glenn, along with Joe Doyle
Joe Doyle
Joe Doyle was an Irish Fine Gael politician. He was a long-standing public representative for the Dublin South East constituency...
and other colleagues endorsed the Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
alternative wording that granted a "right to life to the unborn, with due regard to the equal right of the mother". On legislation to make contraception available to people over 18, she said "What man wants anything to do with a girl who has been used and abused by any man who comes along with condoms?".
She was fiercely against the legalisation of divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
. The proposal to legalise divorce was defeated in a referendum in 1986. (The constitutional change was passed nine years later in the Fifteenth Amendment
Fifteenth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland
The Fifteenth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland repealed the constitutional prohibition of divorce. It was effected by the Fifteenth Amendment of the Constitution Act, 1995, which was approved by referendum on 24 November 1995 and signed into law on 17 June 1996.-Changes to the...
). Glenn was famously quoted as saying that women voting in favour of divorce would be like "turkeys voting in favour of Christmas".
Glenn failed to be renominated by a Fine Gael
Fine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
selection convention in Dublin Central in November 1986. She resigned from the party and fought the 1987 general election
Irish general election, 1987
The Irish general election of 1987 was held on 17 February 1987, four weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 20 January. The newly-elected 166 members of the 25th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 10 March when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed.The general election took place in...
as an Independent candidate but failed to be elected polling 4% of the vote and losing her deposit. She retired from politics following the loss of her Dublin City council seat in 1991.
External links
- Alice Glenn's electoral history (ElectionsIreland.org)
- Sources: McNamara, Maedhbh and Paschal Mooney. Women in parliament: Ireland; 1918-2000. Dublin, Wolfhound, 2000.