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Gill, Maire, 1891-1977

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1891-03-24 - 1977-05-15

Biographical Note

Mollie Gill was born in 1891, and lived in Murphystown, County Dublin, Ireland. Her name is alternatively spelled "Molly," but she more commonly used the Irish spelling of her name, Máire Ní Ghiolla. At the age of seventeen, she went to work at the Dun Emer Press as an assistant to Elizabeth Corbet Yeats. That same year, Elizabeth and her sister, Lily Yeats, left Dun Emer Press to set up Cuala Industries, which included a printing shop and an embroidery shop, and Gill went with them to continue her work as a printer. She remained an employee until 1969. Gill became a member of Inghinidhe na hÉireann, an Irish women's nationalist organization, and later became one of the first members of Cumann na mBan. In 1921 she stood with Cumann na mBan when they rejected the Anglo-Irish Treaty and, in May 1923, Gill was arrested and imprisoned at Kilmainham Gaol for a few months. Like many women in Cumann na mBan, Gill was involved in camogie, an emerging sport for women, and served as the first president of Cumann Camógaíochta na nGael, or The Camogie Association, from 1923 until 1941. She represented camogie on the organizing committee of the Tailteann Games and went on to win a gold medal as captain of the Leinster team in 1928 and in 1932 when they won the first All-Ireland championships. Gill died in 1977.

Social Networks and Archival Context (SNAC) Identifier

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

Loretta Clarke Murray collection of women in revolutionary Ireland

 Collection
Abstract

This collection includes papers and artifacts of women and organizations involved in the fight for Irish independence. A majority belonged to Máire Gill and relate to her work with Cumann na mBan, a women’s Irish republican organization, as well as her work with Cuala Press and the women’s sport of camogie. Additionally, there are materials relating to women’s suffrage. Of note are a banner made by Maud Gonne and a journal of Margaret Skinnider’s involvement in the 1916 Easter Rising.

Restrictions on Access

Collection is open for research; a portion is available digitally.

Dates: 1893 - 2008; Majority of material found within 1916 - 1950