Margaret Collins-O'Driscoll

Margaret Collins-O'Driscoll (18 August 1876 – 17 June 1945) was an Irish Cumann na nGaedheal politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin North constituency from 1923 to 1933.

Margaret Collins-O'Driscoll
Collins-O'Driscoll as she appeared in a 1933 piece of election material
Teachta Dála
In office
August 1923 – January 1933
ConstituencyDublin North
Personal details
Born
Margaret Mary Collins

(1876-08-18)18 August 1876
Clonakilty, County Cork, Ireland
Died17 June 1945(1945-06-17) (aged 68)
Cabra, Dublin, Ireland
Political partyCumann na nGaedheal
Spouse
Patrick O'Driscoll
(m. 1901)
Children14
Relatives

Early life

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Margaret Mary Collins was born in Woodfield, Clonakilty, County Cork, on 18 August 1876.[1] The eldest of three daughters and five sons of Michael Collins, a farmer, and Mary Anne O'Brien.[2] She was the eldest sister of the Irish revolutionary leader Michael Collins. She was educated at Baggot Street Training College and was a schoolteacher and school principal before entering politics.[3] A primary-school teacher, for many years she was principal of Lisavaird girls' national school in Clonakilty, and also taught in Dublin.[2]

Politics

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She was the first female Cumann na nGaedheal TD. In 1926 she was elected a vice-president of the party, and was the only female member of the Dáil between September 1927 and February 1932.[2]

She was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Cumann na nGaedheal TD for the Dublin North constituency at the 1923 general election.[4] Socially conversative, she voted in favour of the 1928 Censorship of Publications bill, which banned indecent literature and publications that referred to birth control; and she voted with the government in favour of the 1924 and 1927 juries bills, which restricted jury service for women.[2]

She was re-elected at each subsequent election until she lost her seat at the 1933 general election.[5]

Family

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She married Patrick O'Driscoll on 8 September 1901 at Rosscarbery's Roman Catholic chapel in County Cork. The couple had 14 children: five sons and nine daughters.[2]

Actress Dervla Kirwan is a great-granddaughter of the O'Driscolls.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Births registered in the District of Rosscarbery in the Union of Clonakilty" (PDF). IrishGenealogy.ie. October 1876. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e Coleman, Marie. "O'Driscoll, Margaret Collins-". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  3. ^ "Margaret Collins-O'Driscoll". Centre for Advancement of Women in Politics (QUB). Retrieved 22 September 2008.
  4. ^ "Margaret Collins-O'Driscoll". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
  5. ^ "Margaret Collins-O'Driscoll". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
  6. ^ "Dervla Kirwan | Who Do You Think You Are? | Ancestry.co.uk". www.ancestry.co.uk.