Nora Connolly O'Brien
Encyclopedia
Nora Connolly O'Brien was an activist and writer; she was also a member of the Irish Senate
.
The second daughter of James Connolly
and Lillie Connolly
, she was born in Scotland
. In 1904, the family moved to the United States
and moved to Belfast
in 1907. In 1911, the family moved to Dublin where she was a founder member of the Young Republican Party, the female branch of the Fianna.
After the execution of her father following the Easter Rising
in 1916, she became a life-long supporter of the Irish republican movement and of the Irish left wing. In 1918, she toured the US lecturing on the Rising. She took part in the Irish War of Independence
and was briefly imprisoned during the Irish Civil War
. In 1922, she married Seamus O'Brien.
In 1934, Connolly O'Brien supported the Republican Congress
movement, but resigned after it refused to become a political party. During the 1930s, she corresponded with Leon Trotsky
and became a prominent figure on the European non-Stalinist Left. A close friend of the Connolly family William X. O'Brien
later attempted to persuade the Irish government to offer asylum in Ireland for Trotsky.
From 1957 to 1969, she served three terms in the Seanad
as one of the Taoiseach
's nominees
.
Shortly before her death in 1981, she spoke at the 1980 Ardfheis of Sinn Féin
.
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...
.
The second daughter of James Connolly
James Connolly
James Connolly was an Irish republican and socialist leader. He was born in the Cowgate area of Edinburgh, Scotland, to Irish immigrant parents and spoke with a Scottish accent throughout his life. He left school for working life at the age of 11, but became one of the leading Marxist theorists of...
and Lillie Connolly
Lillie Connolly
Lillie Connolly née Reynolds, was born in County Wicklow, a Protestant. She met James Connolly while the latter was serving in the British Army in Ireland. She was working as a domestic servant in Dublin. They were engaged in 1888 and the following years Connolly discharged himself from the British...
, she was born in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. In 1904, the family moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and moved to Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
in 1907. In 1911, the family moved to Dublin where she was a founder member of the Young Republican Party, the female branch of the Fianna.
After the execution of her father following the Easter Rising
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
in 1916, she became a life-long supporter of the Irish republican movement and of the Irish left wing. In 1918, she toured the US lecturing on the Rising. She took part in the Irish War of Independence
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
and was briefly imprisoned during the Irish Civil War
Irish Civil War
The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....
. In 1922, she married Seamus O'Brien.
In 1934, Connolly O'Brien supported the Republican Congress
Republican Congress
The Republican Congress was an Irish republican political organisation founded in 1934, when left-wing republicans left the Irish Republican Army. The Congress was led by such IRA veterans as Peadar O'Donnell, Frank Ryan and George Gilmore. It was a socialist organisation and was dedicated to a...
movement, but resigned after it refused to become a political party. During the 1930s, she corresponded with Leon Trotsky
Leon Trotsky
Leon Trotsky , born Lev Davidovich Bronshtein, was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and theorist, Soviet politician, and the founder and first leader of the Red Army....
and became a prominent figure on the European non-Stalinist Left. A close friend of the Connolly family William X. O'Brien
William X. O'Brien
William X. O'Brien was a politician and trade unionist in Ireland.Born in Clonakilty, County Cork, O'Brien moved with his family to Dublin in 1897, and quickly became involved in the Irish Socialist Republican Party...
later attempted to persuade the Irish government to offer asylum in Ireland for Trotsky.
From 1957 to 1969, she served three terms in the Seanad
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...
as one of the Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
's nominees
Nominated by the Taoiseach
The composition of Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Oireachtas of Ireland, is defined in outline by Article 18 of the Constitution of Ireland, which provides for 11 appointees that are nominated by the Taoiseach...
.
Shortly before her death in 1981, she spoke at the 1980 Ardfheis of Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
.