From Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
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Minister Catherine Martin T.D. announces today a new photo essay from Mná100 in partnership with Education Centre Mountjoy Prison.
The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin T.D. has launched a new photo essay from Mná 100 titled ‘Inside Out’, as part of the Decade of Centenaries Programme 2012-2023.
In this photo essay, Mná100 focuses on mass imprisonment of women in Mountjoy Prison, Kilmainham Gaol and the North Dublin Union. Mná100 worked in partnership with City of Dublin ETB teachers and students from the Education Centre Mountjoy to create this photo-essay focusing on the experiences of the imprisoned women. Using images of artefacts from the Mountjoy Prison Museum, along with the voices of students from the History class, it looks at the story of these women’s imprisonment.
During 1922-23, there were mass arrests of women throughout the country, including writers, elected TD’s, activists and suffragettes. Correspondence was restricted and censored and several of the women went on hunger strike up to their release in December 1923.
Minister Martin said:
“This is a very powerful, insightful and moving piece of work, which illuminates the terrible conditions experienced by women prisoners during a very traumatic time in our history. A century ago, their voices were unheard, confined within the prison walls. Now, we properly acknowledge their stories, through words, images and artefacts. In turn, we are richly rewarded with a deeper understanding of our history, in all of its complexity.
“This interactive photo essay highlights the mass imprisonment of women that took place during this turbulent time of our history. By combining the imagery, text and audio clips from the History class students, this photo essay takes you on a journey through the experiences of these women while they were imprisoned, as well as their life beyond prison walls. This is a hugely valuable and lasting educational resource for all students of History.”
In the first months of 1923, there was a mass arrest of ‘suspect women’ who opposed the establishment of the Irish Free State. The women political prisoners included writers - Dorothy Macardle and Lily O’Brennan; elected TDs - Mary MacSwiney and Kate O’Callaghan; well-known activist - Maud Gonne MacBride; and suffragettes such as Mary Bourke Dowling. Prisoners also included women deported from London, Liverpool and Glasgow. By February 1923, Annie MacSwiney wrote that ‘nearly 300 women’ were in prison. As detailed in the General Prison Board of Ireland papers in the National Archives, female internees were not allowed visits or parcels, and correspondence was limited and censored.
During this time, there were several hunger-strikes in prison - in November 1922, Mary MacSwiney was on hunger-strike in Mountjoy for 24 days. Her sister, Annie MacSwiney, also undertook a hunger strike outside the prison at this time. In February 1923, Annie MacSwiney was imprisoned and went on hunger-strike and after 15 days was released. In March, Nell Ryan, sister-in-law of Richard Mulcahy, Commander in Chief of the Army, also went on hunger-strike for release. She was almost 30 days without food when she was released on 25 April 1923.
In 1939, former political prisoner, Nell Humphreys nee O’Rahilly, commissioned the stain glass windows in the Mountjoy prison chapel from Harry Clarke’s studios. The three windows were installed in the prison later that year.
The project ‘Inside Out’ was created in partnership between Mná100 and the teachers and students of the City of Dublin Education and Training Board (CDETB) Educational Service to Prisons and the Education Centre in Mountjoy Prison. They have marked the events of 100 years ago through an examination of the architecture of the prison dating from the 19th century and the artefacts that remain. As we reflect on a traumatic time in our history in the events of the Civil War, remembering those who were imprisoned helps us to understand how events of the past impacted on the lives of that generation, and the generations that followed.
History Teacher Paula Egan said:
“The importance of prisoners’ voices - both past and present - being heard, lies at the heart of this History project. By allowing prisoners’ words and creative work to filter from the inside to the outside… walls, which previously silenced and separated, can become sites of learning and reflection. Considering the role played by prison and prisoners in the birth of the State, it is fitting that prisoners from Mountjoy Education Centre can contribute towards the Decade of Centenaries Programme.”
You can view the photo essay at www.mna100.ie here
Note for Editors:
Mná100 is an online women’s initiative, for the final phase of the Decade of Centenaries Programme, supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. It continues the work in highlighting the role of women in the revolutionary period through various mediums such as photo essays, films, podcasts and articles. Visit www.mna100.ie to learn more.