Kathleen Clarke: Revolutionary Woman

by Kathleen Clarke, Helen Litton

A UNIQUE, ABSORBING, FIRSTHAND ACCOUNT OF AN ACTIVIST DURING THE MOST EXCITING PERIOD IN IRISH HISTORY

New edition to celebrate the renewed interest in 1916 and women’s history - contains new material not published in previous editions.

Kathleen Clarke was entrusted with all the plans and decisions of the Irish Republican Brotherhood prior to the Rising. In its aftermath her husband, Tom Clarke, and her only brother, Ned Daly, were both executed.

Kathleen’s story is one of incredible personal courage and commitment. As well as being an authentic and fascinating description of one of the most dramatic periods of Irish history. The book documents the setting up of Cumann na mBan, the O’Donovan Rossa funeral, Kathleen’s time in prison with Countess Markievicz and Maud Gonne MacBride. It also covers the Black and Tan raids, the Treaty, the Civil War, and Kathleen’s time as Dublin’s first female Lord Mayor.

A compelling and genuine first hand account of an activist during the most exciting and turbulent period of Irish history – the only first person account of 1916 ever published. This personal and vivid description offers a unique female perspective on 1916 and is illustrated with rare historical material and photos.

Genres: Irish Literature

368 pages, Paperback

First published March 28, 2008

About the author

Kathleen Clarke was a political activist and wife of Tom Clarke, the first signatory of the Easter 1916 Proclamation. She knew and worked with many of the major figures in modern Irish history, like Eamon De Valera, Michael Collins, Padraig Pearse and James Connolly.

Reviews

[Aoife · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from O’Brien Press in exchange for an honest review.

Kathleen Clarke is more often known as ‘just’ the wife of Irish 1916 Easter Rising leader Thomas Clarke but she was so much more than that. In this book, a memoir written by Kathleen herself and edited by her grandniece Helen Litton, Clarke tells her story from early childhood in a Fenian family, to marrying a man and helping to change the course of Irish history.

I thought this book was just so, so interesting and I feel like I both learned about Kathleen Clarke, a truly extraordinary woman, and parts of Irish history that I had a. forgotten and b. never learned in the first place.

I loved seeing how Clarke talked about particular powerful men in Irish history and her true feelings towards them, and how they also treated her. She dropped a lot of truth bombs about how things went in the Irish Parliament at the time in the years leading up to the Treaty that caused the Irish Free State to come about, and it was really well-written.

Clarke is a really modest woman. She did so much within the Rising and the years afterwards and in the Civil War and she suffered so much, and lost a lot. But she kept going. Yet, she isn’t mentioned in the history books which is so frustrating. I loved that she made pains to mention a lot of other women that were involved at the time and again, were never mentioned in history books. I also loved her weird relationship/friendship with Countess Markievicz.

I cannot recommend this enough for Irish people and those interested in Irish history - Clarke wasn’t a suffragette though she was a wonderful female leader, so don’t go into it if you’re looking for a suffragette book.

[Amy Lyden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating firsthand story from an impressive rebel woman. Very inspiring how principled she was. I found her writing varied from dry and factual to silly and anecdotal with little warning or transition, which made it a bit of a roller coaster when trying to focus. A background knowledge in Irish history is essential for full understanding though the footnotes are quite helpful.

[Jamila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting