Bridget Dirrane
Encyclopedia
Bridget Dirrane, Irish
centenarian
, (15 November 1894 - 31 December 2003)
of Oatquarter, Inishmore, 15 November 1894. She was the youngest of eight children - Pat (born 1879), Mary, Julia, Joseph, John, George and Margaret Anne. She attended national school and left aged fourteen.
At one time she spent a year as a companion to a member of the Concannon family in nearby Onaght. During this year she met a number of notable figures such as Padraig Pearse, Thomas Ashe
, Eamonn Ceannt
and Joseph Mary Plunkett
, who visited the island in August 1914 or 1915. Others included Austin Stack
and Thomas MacDonagh
. She later recounted:
She left the island to work as a housekeeper and childminder for a Doctor O'Brien in Tuam
around 1916. During that time she was deeply effected by the death of her cousion Michael Wallace on the front lines in France. She left after three or four months because Mrs. O'Brien, an English lady, objected to Bridget teaching her children Irish. She moved to Knockavilla in County Tipperary
to work with her sister Julia as a housekeeper for a priest. The priest, Father Matthew Ryan, had been a prominent member of the Irish National Land League
, encouraged her to join Cumann na mBan
in 1918.
Sent to Mountjoy Jail she went on hunger-strike and became acquainted with Countess Markievicz and Maude Gonne. She lived through the Irish Civil War
, but was appalled that it took place at all. Her last job in Ireland was as a nurse for General Richard Mulcahy
. While there, she met Ned Dirrane, who would later become her first husband.
where she continued her nursing career, became involved in the activities of the Irish community, and married Ned Dirrane. However, Ned died eight years later, the marriage producing no children.
In the course of her work she became friendly with Cardinal Cushing, and became a canvasser for the Kennedy family
. Many years later, she was visited at her home on Aran by William Kennedy Smith
and his mother, Jean Kennedy Smith
.
1990. In 1997 she published her memoirs, "A Woman of Aran".
The Gillan family are buried in Killeany graveyard, Inismore.
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...
centenarian
Centenarian
A centenarian is a person who is or lives beyond the age of 100 years. Because current average life expectancies across the world are less than 100, the term is invariably associated with longevity. Much rarer, a supercentenarian is a person who has lived to the age of 110 or more, something only...
, (15 November 1894 - 31 December 2003)
Early life
Dirrane was born Bridget Gillan to Joseph Gillan (1853-1903?) and Margaret Walsh (1856-?) in the townlandTownland
A townland or bally is a small geographical division of land used in Ireland. The townland system is of Gaelic origin—most townlands are believed to pre-date the Norman invasion and most have names derived from the Irish language...
of Oatquarter, Inishmore, 15 November 1894. She was the youngest of eight children - Pat (born 1879), Mary, Julia, Joseph, John, George and Margaret Anne. She attended national school and left aged fourteen.
At one time she spent a year as a companion to a member of the Concannon family in nearby Onaght. During this year she met a number of notable figures such as Padraig Pearse, Thomas Ashe
Thomas Ashe
Thomas Patrick Ashe born in Lispole, County Kerry, Ireland, was a member of the Gaelic League, the Irish Republican Brotherhood and a founding member of the Irish Volunteers...
, Eamonn Ceannt
Éamonn Ceannt
Éamonn Ceannt , born Edward Thomas Kent, was an Irish republican, mostly known for his role in the Easter Rising of 1916.-Background:...
and Joseph Mary Plunkett
Joseph Mary Plunkett
Joseph Mary Plunkett was an Irish nationalist, poet, journalist, and a leader of the 1916 Easter Rising.-Background:...
, who visited the island in August 1914 or 1915. Others included Austin Stack
Austin Stack
Austin Stack was an Irish revolutionary and politician.-Early life:Stack was born in Ballymullen, Tralee, County Kerry. He was educated at the Christian Brothers School in Tralee. At the age of fourteen he left school and became a clerk in a solicitor's office. A gifted Gaelic footballer, he...
and Thomas MacDonagh
Thomas MacDonagh
Thomas MacDonagh was an Irish nationalist, poet, playwright, and a leader of the 1916 Easter Rising.-Early life:MacDonagh was born in Cloughjordan, County Tipperary...
. She later recounted:
"I was still in Aran when the Rising took place in 1916. I felt quite sad that so many lost their lives and some of these included the men I had made tea and sandwiches for in Concannon's. I had overheard them talking about the Rising, and, being a slip of a girl and thinking I had no English, they took no notice of me. But yet I never told anybody about what I had heard. I kept the béal dúnta (mouth closed) and never breathed a word to anybody."
She left the island to work as a housekeeper and childminder for a Doctor O'Brien in Tuam
Tuam
Tuam is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The name is pronounced choo-um . It is situated west of the midlands of Ireland, and north of Galway city.-History:...
around 1916. During that time she was deeply effected by the death of her cousion Michael Wallace on the front lines in France. She left after three or four months because Mrs. O'Brien, an English lady, objected to Bridget teaching her children Irish. She moved to Knockavilla in County Tipperary
County Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
to work with her sister Julia as a housekeeper for a priest. The priest, Father Matthew Ryan, had been a prominent member of the Irish National Land League
Irish National Land League
The Irish Land League was an Irish political organization of the late 19th century which sought to help poor tenant farmers. Its primary aim was to abolish landlordism in Ireland and enable tenant farmers to own the land they worked on...
, encouraged her to join Cumann na mBan
Cumann na mBan
Cumann na mBan is an Irish republican women's paramilitary organisation formed in Dublin on 2 April 1914 as an auxiliary of the Irish Volunteers...
in 1918.
Nationalist years
The following year she moved to Dublin, working for the Chevasse family. Chevasse was a supporter of the national cause and was under surveillance by the British. Opening the door one day, Bridget was seized by several soldiers but nevertheless managed to letter she had just received from her cousion, Coleman Dirrane, concerning activities on the island:
"The officer in charge began to question me and I answered him trí Ghaeilge ar fad (through Irish all the time). He was furious and said many a person was shot dead for less. I answered him defiantly "I have only one life to give, but if I had a thousand to give, I'd give them for the same cause." I told him to go ahead and shoot. He put down the revolver down by his side and said "Get over there and put your coat on, you are under arrest.""
Sent to Mountjoy Jail she went on hunger-strike and became acquainted with Countess Markievicz and Maude Gonne. She lived through 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....
, but was appalled that it took place at all. Her last job in Ireland was as a nurse for General Richard Mulcahy
Richard Mulcahy
Richard James Mulcahy was an Irish politician, army general and commander in chief, leader of Fine Gael and Cabinet Minister...
. While there, she met Ned Dirrane, who would later become her first husband.
Boston and the USA
Bridget moved to the USA in 1927, where she was to remain for the next thirty-nine years. She arrived in BostonBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
where she continued her nursing career, became involved in the activities of the Irish community, and married Ned Dirrane. However, Ned died eight years later, the marriage producing no children.
In the course of her work she became friendly with Cardinal Cushing, and became a canvasser for the Kennedy family
Kennedy family
In the United States, the phrase Kennedy family commonly refers to the family descending from the marriage of the Irish-Americans Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. and Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald that was prominent in American politics and government. Their political involvement has revolved around the...
. Many years later, she was visited at her home on Aran by William Kennedy Smith
William Kennedy Smith
William Kennedy Smith is an American physician whose work focuses on landmines and the rehabilitation of people disabled by them....
and his mother, Jean Kennedy Smith
Jean Kennedy Smith
Jean Ann Kennedy Smith is an American diplomat and a former United States Ambassador to Ireland. She is the eighth of nine children born to Joseph Patrick Kennedy, Sr. and Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald and is their last surviving child. She is the sister of the 35th U.S. President, John F. Kennedy,...
.
Retirement and return to Aran
She retired in 1966 at the age of 72, and returned to Aran. She lived with her brother-in-law, Pat Dirrane. They were great friends, and both thought it best to get married "to protect our good name." Patrick died on Ash WednesdayAsh Wednesday
Ash Wednesday, in the calendar of Western Christianity, is the first day of Lent and occurs 46 days before Easter. It is a moveable fast, falling on a different date each year because it is dependent on the date of Easter...
1990. In 1997 she published her memoirs, "A Woman of Aran".
"You may ask what will I leave behind when I go for good? It won't be riches. What I will leave is the sunshine to the flowers, honey to the bees, the moon above in the heaves for all those in love and my beloved Aran Islands to the seas. Agus sin a bhfuil (That's it)."
The Gillan family are buried in Killeany graveyard, Inismore.
External links
- http://www.rte.ie/news/1999/1114/aran.html
- http://www.ino.ie/DesktopModules/Articles/ArticlesView.aspx?TabID=544&ItemID=4134&mid=7779
- http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/th/read/IRISH-AMERICAN/2004-01/1073880635