Ellen Cuffe, Countess of Desart
Encyclopedia
Ellen Odette Cuffe, Countess of Desart, née Bischoffsheim (1 September 1857 – 29 June 1933) was an Irish
politician and company director. She married William Cuffe(1845–1898), the 4th Earl of Desart
in 1881. She was the daughter of Henri Louis Bischoffsheim, a wealthy Jewish banker of German origin.
Lady Desart was interested in the Gaelic revival of the time, and became a member of the Gaelic League and was elected its president succeeding her brother-in-law, Capt. Otway Cuffe who was mayor of Kilkenny. Lady Desart She commissioned the village of Talbot's Inch to be built by the architect William Alphonsus Scott
.
In relation to her support of the Irish Language Lady Desart reminded the people that her own people, the Jews, had in their new Palestine colony revived a forgotten language and used it to re-unite the scattered remnants of their nation.
She was appointed to the Irish Free State
Seanad Éireann
as an independent
member in December 1922 by the President of the Executive Council
. She was one of four women elected or appointed to the first Seanad in 1922. She was the first Jew to serve as a Senator in Ireland. She was appointed for 12 years in 1922 and served until her death in 1933.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
politician and company director. She married William Cuffe(1845–1898), the 4th Earl of Desart
Earl of Desart
Earl of Desart was a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1793 for Otway Cuffe, 1st Viscount Desart. He had already succeeded his elder brother as third Baron Desart in 1767 and been created Viscount Desart, in the County of Kilkenny, in the Peerage of Ireland in 1781...
in 1881. She was the daughter of Henri Louis Bischoffsheim, a wealthy Jewish banker of German origin.
Lady Desart was interested in the Gaelic revival of the time, and became a member of the Gaelic League and was elected its president succeeding her brother-in-law, Capt. Otway Cuffe who was mayor of Kilkenny. Lady Desart She commissioned the village of Talbot's Inch to be built by the architect William Alphonsus Scott
William Alphonsus Scott
William Alphonsus Scott was a well-known Irish Roman Catholic ecclesiastical architectural historian, academic, and architect active throughout late--nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century Ireland. His offices were first located in Drogheda, later located at 45 Mountjoy Square,...
.
In relation to her support of the Irish Language Lady Desart reminded the people that her own people, the Jews, had in their new Palestine colony revived a forgotten language and used it to re-unite the scattered remnants of their nation.
She was appointed to the Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann (Irish Free State)
Seanad Éireann was the upper house of the Oireachtas of the Irish Free State from 1922–1936. It has also been known simply as the Senate, or as the First Seanad. The Senate was established under the 1922 Constitution of the Irish Free State but a number of constitutional amendments were...
as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
member in December 1922 by the President of the Executive Council
President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State
The President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State was the head of government or prime minister of the Irish Free State which existed from 1922 to 1937...
. She was one of four women elected or appointed to the first Seanad in 1922. She was the first Jew to serve as a Senator in Ireland. She was appointed for 12 years in 1922 and served until her death in 1933.