Seanad Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 13 Dec 2000

Vol. 164 No. 20

Adjournment Matter. - Portrait of Countess Markievicz.

Dr. Henry

I wish to share time with Senator Manning. I thank the Minister for coming to the House – it is considered a great honour when the Minister comes to the House for a relevant debate.

Research on this Adjournment Matter was greatly facilitated by the recently published book, Women in Parliament: Ireland 1918-2000, written by our assistant librarian, Maedhbh McNamara, and Senator Paschal Mooney. This splendid book documents the slow progress of the participation of women in political life and quotes from the report of the All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution:

Even casual observation of the Irish political system reveals there is a marked gender imbalance among public representatives. This is another systems weakness because it means the knowledge, experience and sensibility of women are largely absent from the process through which the State seeks to express the values of its people.

The book mentions the foundation of the Women's Political Association and its importance in encouraging women to stand for election in the 1970s. I was one of the founders of the association, the inspiration for which came from Margaret Waugh in Dalkey who felt the political process badly needed women. Gradually the number of women elected has risen from 4.1% of Members of the Oireachtas in 1977 to 12% in 1997. Thanks to by-election victories, women now make up nearly 14% of Members of both Houses. It is agreed that the greater involvement by women has brought a wider range of views to debates and to the legislation we enact.

Following the election in late 1992 for the Dáil and early 1993 for the Seanad 28 women were elected and they decided – the Minister was part of the decision – it would be good if the gallery of portraits of male only politicians was joined by a woman. The first woman elected to the UK Parliament was Irish; the same woman was the first female elected to the Irish Parliament, namely, Constance Gore-Booth, Countess Markievicz. Her important part in the fight for independence in Ireland is well known. She described her occupation as "revolutionary". Patrick Pearse said that without the Fianna, an organisation for boys which she founded and to whom she taught drilling and the use of arms, there would have been no volunteers in 1913 and no Easter Rising in 1916. Her subsequent career as Minister for Labour is known, but not perhaps the dreadful fight she had with her male colleagues to get this position. It is possible to read Kathleen Clarke's description in this book of the fight Countess Markievicz had to put up to become part of the Government. She was the first woman Cabinet Minister in western Europe.

I said I would find a suitable portrait when the group of women decided Countess Markievicz is the woman whose portrait we would like to have hanging in the House, and I did. There was one portrait in Áras an Uachtaráin and another splendid one in the Department of Labour, but the then President and the then Minister were unwilling to let me have either. However, in a basement of the National Gallery, not on view, I located a very fine painting of the Countess in evening dress. It was hung on the stairs and was there from 1993 until this summer when the building work in Leinster House began. It was not very well lit but was admired by many. She gave great pleasure to all who saw her. School children in particular were enthralled to see her and often I heard ushers telling the tale of her life. It is of great importance to show women were involved in our past. It is essential that women are put before all children, particularly girls, so there is some sort of role model for them in political life and so that they understand the importance of everyone in the founding of our State.

I would now like the portrait to be returned. I believe the portrait was sent to the National Gallery for safe keeping and I have no reason to believe this is not correct. The Seanad stairs have long been restored and are more beautiful than ever, but they look very bare without that lady. It is not just a matter of having another painting on the stairs. The importance of the woman for women in politics in Ireland and internationally cannot be underestimated.

The book by Ms McNamara and Senator Mooney points out that she was shortlisted as a woman of the millennium by the UK readers of The Guardian. Not only women Members, but men too, would like to see the portrait of the Countess restored to its former position.

Mr. Manning

I support the case made by Senator Henry and I thank her for raising the matter. I wish to raise a slightly different aspect to this question. As an historian I am struck by the small extent to which we commemorate those who have gone before us. We are very deficient in pictures and memorabilia of the past 100 years and even of the period before the foundation of the State. For example, there is no memorial to the contribution to Irish democracy of the old Irish Party. It is ironic that in the 1930s when much of the heat of battle had died, people such as the Minister's grandfather, W.T. Cosgrave, Sean MacEoin, Sean MacEntee and others paid great tribute to the contribution of the old Irish Party. It is an important part of our tradition, yet, as far as these Houses are concerned, there is not a single memento, apart from the bust of Parnell downstairs. Apart from the very fine portrait by Tom Ryan over the entrance to the Dáil Chamber, there is nothing to commemorate the first or second Dáil. These were the forerunners of these Houses and they deserve to be commemorated in some way so that students and other visitors will realise that our State did not just begin with the foundation of the third Dáil in 1922.

Over the years very distinguished Ministers, leaders of other parties and so forth have made a huge contribution, but there is no memorial or even an indication that they served in these Houses. I hoped, when the Members' and visitors' bars were refurbished, the opportunity would have been taken to include some photographic collection there to commemorate some of these people. We may now be at a stage where some dedicated space within the buildings will be found to house a continuing exhibition of the history of Irish democracy through portraits or other items. There are very good interpretation centres and they are part of all great organisations. I do not have the answer tonight, but this is something that, as Houses of the Oireachtas and as a country, we should consider to see whether we can meet the case I make in this regard. I thank Senator Henry and support her case, and I thank the Minister.

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera)

I thank Senator Henry for raising this issue. Countess Markievicz was born Constance Gore-Booth in 1868. She died in 1927 following an eventful and historic life. During her lifetime she played a very significant role in Ireland's history and was an outstanding woman who contributed much to the foundation of the State.

In the 1918 general election she became the first woman to be elected to the House of Commons. She did not take her seat as she supported the Sinn Féin policy of abstentionism. Following this she was made Minister for Labour during the first Dáil in 1919-21, but spent much of this period in prison. It is with this in mind that I stress just how important it is to conserve her portrait, the painting of the first female Minister of the Dáil.

The National Gallery of Ireland bought the painting of Countess Markievicz in 1953. The painting dates from 1899 when the countess was 31 years old. Her then husband to be, Count Casimir Markievicz, painted the portrait. The countess was also a competent artist and she studied art in London and Paris.

In 1993, the National Gallery temporarily lent the painting to the Seanad to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the countess's election to the House of Commons. It was brought back from the Seanad to the National Gallery in 1999 when building and redecoration works commenced in the Seanad.

When it was returned to the National Gallery, the painting was inspected to assess its condition. I understand that experts in the National Gallery have determined that there has been a noticeable deterioration in the painting. This may be due to variations in the temperature and humidity in this building.

The painting is at the moment in a stable condition, although the canvas has a very fast speed of degradation of fibres. Regrettably, the canvas chosen by the artist is of very poor quality. It is probable that the canvas does not contain pure linen fibres but a mixture of fibres. As a result, the degradation of the painting is roughly three times higher than that of pure linen. A full report on the condition of the portrait is to be shortly submitted to the board of the National Gallery which will consider the best course of treatment for this important work. I expect to hear from the board within the next week.

Because she was such a notable female figure in the history of our democracy, it is essential that the portrait of Countess Markievicz be rehung here in the Houses of the Oireachtas. I will be discussing with the National Gallery the arrangements that will be necessary to have the portrait displayed again in this House in the light of its recommendations for conservation.

Senator Henry referred to the fact that we have seen an increase in the representation of women in the Houses of the Oireachtas, certainly since 1977. I remember feeling even more lonely then on my election as a woman. It is most important that we have someone like Countess Markievicz as a role model for other young women and all who are interested in taking on the responsibilities of public office. There is a very lovely picture of the countess in the Cabinet room which is there to give inspiration when needed from time to time. It was interesting to hear Mrs. Clinton's reference yesterday to the need for women of all political shades to come together and give the support that is necessary if further female representation is to be forthcoming over the years. She said that out of 100 Senators in the United States, only 13 are women, ten being Democrats and Republicans. We do not have the numbers of women we would like in politics in Ireland, but we can boast of an improvement on the US statistics.

I listened carefully to what Senator Manning said. We live in an age of interpretation. There must be the opportunity and potential to look at the case he makes with regard to the history of the Houses to which we belong. Whereas the bar might have been suitable in some respects from the point of view of some former Members, others might not feel as comfortable in that set ting. The Senator has put forward the view that perhaps there should be a dedicated space. That is something about which I would be interested to hear more from the Senator. We should get our heads together and consider how we should commemorate the parliamentarians who went before us and set in train the traditions we now follow.

To recap for Senator Henry, it is essential that the countess's portrait is rehung in the Houses of the Oireachtas. I look forward to hearing from the board of the National Gallery which has promised to report to me next week on this issue.

Dr. Henry

I thank the Minister for her reply. The Senator-elect, Mrs. Clinton, said that she would be back and I would not like it if the portrait of the countess were not hanging on the stairway when she returns.

The Seanad adjourned at 8.40 p.m. until 10.30 p.m. on Thursday, 14 December 2000.