Thekla Beere
Encyclopedia
Thekla Beere was an Irish civil servant who chaired the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
in 1970 and was secretary of Ireland Department of Transport & Power
.
Thekla Beere was born at Streete, County Westmeath
, where her father, the Rev. Francis Beere, was the Church of Ireland
rector. She attended Alexandra College
, Dublin and did a moderatorship in Legal and Political Sciences and an LL.B at Trinity College, Dublin
.
She joined the Civil Service
in 1924 and worked initially in the Statistics Branch. In 1925, she won a Rockefeller scholarship and traveled extensively in the USA before resuming her Civil Service career. From 1939, she worked in the Department of Industry and Commerce where during World War II she worked in the area of supply with the then Minister Seán Lemass
. She became Assistant Secretary of that Department in 1953. She was the first woman to achieve the rank of Department Secretary at Transport and Power in 1959.
An honorary degree of Doctor of Laws was conferred on her by Trinity College
in 1960. After her retirement in 1967 she was active in public life, serving as a governor of Alexandra College
and as a director of The Irish Times
. She was requested by the Government to chair the Commission on the Status of Women in 1970 and the Beere Report was presented to the Minister for Finance in December 1972.
Beere had a lifelong interest in the proceedings of the Statistical and Social Inquiry Society of Ireland and was its president. She was a Governor of the Irish Times Trust and chairwoman of the International Labour Office in Geneva
. She was a member of the organising committee, which on 7 May 1931 set up An Óige
(The Irish Youth Hostelling organisation), of which she was President from 1968 to 1974. She also had an extensive interest in the arts in particular the paintings of Cecil King.
United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
The Commission on the Status of Women is a functional commission of the United Nations Economic and Social Council , one of the main UN organs within the United Nations.Every year, representatives of Member States gather at United Nations Headquarters in New York to evaluate progress on gender...
in 1970 and was secretary of Ireland Department of Transport & Power
Department of Transport (Ireland)
The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport is a department of the Government of Ireland that is responsible for transport policy and overseeing transport services and infrastructure. The Department is led by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport who is assisted by two Ministers of State...
.
Thekla Beere was born at Streete, County Westmeath
County Westmeath
-Economy:Westmeath has a strong agricultural economy. Initially, development occurred around the major market centres of Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its military significance, and its strategic location on the main Dublin–Galway route across the River Shannon. Mullingar...
, where her father, the Rev. Francis Beere, was the Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
rector. She attended Alexandra College
Alexandra College
Alexandra College is a private, single-sex school located in Milltown, Dublin, Ireland. It serves girls from ages 4 to 19 as boarding or day pupils. The school is one of the most prestigious in Ireland and ranks highly in Leaving Certificate results tables...
, Dublin and did a moderatorship in Legal and Political Sciences and an LL.B at Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
.
She joined the Civil Service
Civil service
The term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
in 1924 and worked initially in the Statistics Branch. In 1925, she won a Rockefeller scholarship and traveled extensively in the USA before resuming her Civil Service career. From 1939, she worked in the Department of Industry and Commerce where during World War II she worked in the area of supply with the then Minister Seán Lemass
Seán Lemass
Seán Francis Lemass was one of the most prominent Irish politicians of the 20th century. He served as Taoiseach from 1959 until 1966....
. She became Assistant Secretary of that Department in 1953. She was the first woman to achieve the rank of Department Secretary at Transport and Power in 1959.
An honorary degree of Doctor of Laws was conferred on her by Trinity College
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
in 1960. After her retirement in 1967 she was active in public life, serving as a governor of Alexandra College
Alexandra College
Alexandra College is a private, single-sex school located in Milltown, Dublin, Ireland. It serves girls from ages 4 to 19 as boarding or day pupils. The school is one of the most prestigious in Ireland and ranks highly in Leaving Certificate results tables...
and as a director of The Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
. She was requested by the Government to chair the Commission on the Status of Women in 1970 and the Beere Report was presented to the Minister for Finance in December 1972.
Beere had a lifelong interest in the proceedings of the Statistical and Social Inquiry Society of Ireland and was its president. She was a Governor of the Irish Times Trust and chairwoman of the International Labour Office in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
. She was a member of the organising committee, which on 7 May 1931 set up An Óige
An Óige
An Óige , or the Irish Youth Hostel Association is the Hostelling International's association for the Republic Of Ireland....
(The Irish Youth Hostelling organisation), of which she was President from 1968 to 1974. She also had an extensive interest in the arts in particular the paintings of Cecil King.