Trilogy of Banners: 100 Years of Irish Women
100 Names of Irish Women Banner detail
The reverse side of the 100 Years of Irish Women Banner incorporates a spiral of 100 embroidered names of notable Irish women from 1923 - 2023 bordered by feminist motifs and emblems. The 100 names spiral was created by member of the Collective Petra Bhreatnach and includes the names of women of diverse and inclusive backgrounds who made contributions to Irish life over the last 100 years.
Spiral of 100 Irish Women 1923-2023
1. Lily Yeats, embroiderer and ounder of embroidery department of Cuala Press.
2. Elizabeth Yeats, art teacher and ounder of Dun Emer Press, later called Cuala Press.
3. Constance Markievicz, revolutionary and Minister for Labour of the Republic.
4. Mary Swanzy, cubist painter.
5. Evie Hone, stained glass artist and cubist pioneer.
6. Estelle Solomons, painter and political activist.
7. Kathleen Lynn, medical doctor and Teachta Dála who set up St Ultan’s Children’s Hospital.
8. Rosie Hackett, founder of Irish Women Workers’ Union.
9. Dorothy McArdle, writer, journalist and historian.
10. Hannah Sheehy Skeffington, suffragette and Irish nationalist.
11. Annie Hogan, founding member of Cumann na mBan.
12. Frances Kyle, first Irish female barrister.
13. Mary MacSwiney, republican activist and politician.
14. Augusta Gregory, dramatist, folklorist and co-founder of the Abbey Theatre.
15. Nano Reid, expressionist painter.
16. Gretta Bowen, painter.
17. Annie Patterson, composer, educator and first Irish woman to earn a doctorate in music.
18. Alice Everett, astronomer and mathematician.
19. Peig Sayers, author and seanchaí of the Great Blasket Island.
20. Eileen Gray, architect, interior and furniture designer.
21. Mainie Jellet, painter, pioneer of cubism.
22. Ina Boyle, composer.
23. Alicia Needham, composer and suffragette.
24. Theresa Deevy, dramatist and writer.
25. Rosamond Jacob, writer, suffragette and republican socialist.
26. Elizabeth O’Farrell, nurse and revolutionary who delivered the Easter Rising surrender.
27. Nora Barnacle, muse and wife of James Joyce.
28. Dorothy Stopford Price, physician and vaccination pioneer.
29. Kate O’Brien, novelist and playwright.
30. Magdalene, all the women incarcerated in Magdalene Laundries.
31. Dorothy Cross, multi-media artist.
32. Kathy Prendergast, sculptor, draftswoman and painter.
33. Alice Maher, sculptor, draftswoman and installation artist.
34. Niamh Mc Cann, multi-media artist.
35. Camille Souter, abstract landscape painter.
36. Mary Duffy, performance artist and painter.
37. Edna O’Brien, novelist, memoirist, playwright and poet.
38. Jennifer Johnston, novelist.
39. Iris Murdoch, novelist and philosopher.
40. Elaine Feeny, poet, novelist and playwright.
41. Claire Keegan, writer.
42. Doireann Ní Ghríofa, essayist and poet.
43. Emma Dabiri, writer and broadcaster.
44. Paula Meehan, poet and playwright.
45. Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, Irish language poet.
46. Rita Ann Higgins, poet and playwright.
47. Sarah Clancy, poet and community activist.
48. Mary Robinson; lawyer, Senator and President of Ireland.
49. Bernadette Devlin McAliskey, civil rights leader and UK Member of Parliament.
50. Margaretta D’Arcy, writer, playwright, actress and activist.
51. Lelia Doolan; activist, film maker, producer, and artistic director of Abbey Theatre.
52. Catherine Corless, historian.
53. Vicky Phelan, healthcare campaigner.
54. Christine Buckley, activist and campaigner, director of Aislinn support group.
55. Sr. Stanislaus Kennedy, nun, social activist and member of Irish Council of State.
56. Nell McCafferty, journalist, writer, civil rights campaigner and feminist.
57. Garry Hynes, theatre director and co-founder of Druid Theatre Company.
58. Ruth Negga, actress and producer.
59. Maureen Kenny, bookseller and promoter of Irish writers.
60. Sinéad O’Connor, singer-songwriter, record producer and activist.
61. Dolores O’Riordan, musician and singer-songwriter.
62. Treasa Ní Cheannabháin, sean-nós singer and activist.
63. Eimear Walshe, artist, writer and educator.
64. Nan Joyce, Travellers’ rights activist.
65. Rosaleen McDonagh, disability activist, playwright, author and Traveller.
66. Jocelyn Bell, physicist whose discoveries won the Nobel Prize.
67. Susan McKenna Lawlor, astrophysicist and educator.
68. Katie Taylor, professional boxer and World Boxing Championship gold medalist.
69. Kelly Harrington, amateur boxer and Olympic gold medalist.
70. Aifric Keogh, Olympic rower.
71. Olive Loughnane, race walker and Olympic gold medalist.
72. Nuala Ward, activist and founder of Galway Pride.
73. Ailbhe Smyth, academic, feminist, and LGBTQ activist.
74. Savita Halappanaver, dentist whose death inspired Repeal the Eighth Amendment movement.
75. Patricia Carrick, mother of four and victim of cervical smear test scandal
76. Margaret O’Riada, coordinator of the Galway Traveller Movement.
77. Sharon Murphy, singer-songwriter, musician, survivor of Industrial Schools.
78. Catherine Connolly, barrister, clinical psychologist and independent Teachta Dála.
79. Nicola Caughlan, actress.
80. Sabina Higgins, actress, political activist, patron of the arts.
81. Rev. Lynda Pellow, first female reverend of St Nicholas Church in Galway.
82. Kate O’Toole, actress and producer.
83. Norah Patten, aeronautical engineer and first Irish person in space.
84. Mary Coughlan, singer-songwriter and actress.
85. Patricia Burke Brogan, playwright, novelist, poet and artist.
86. Dr Elaine Dunleavy, Professor of Biochemistry and molecular biologist.
87. Marie Mullen, actress and co-founder of Druid Theatre Company.
88. Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuigh, Irish-language poet.
89. Beibhín Parsons, rugby sportswoman.
90. Patricia Forde, author of children’s books, actor and director.
91. Cliona d’Arcy, Junior Champion heavyweight boxer.
92. Helen Ogbu, community activist, mentor and Galway City Councillor.
93. Islammiyah Kadejo, social justice and community advocate and media entrepreneur.
94. Dolores Keane, folk singer.
95. Moya Cannon, writer and poet.
96. Mary O’Malley, poet.
97. Caroline Stanley, environmental and community activist.
98. Mary Clancy, historian, writer and researcher of women’s history.
99. Marion Merrick, human rights worker, advocate for Palestinian cause.
100. Micheline Sheehy-Skeffington, academic, botanist and equity advocate.
The central spiral of 100 Irish Women is surrounded by panels which represent:
From Top Left clockwise
1. Celtic mother surrounded by healing wild flowers, by Rowena Carr
2. Embroidered patch with traditional Traveller stitches and motifs, by Jane Ward
3. Artists Campaign to Repeal the Eighth Amendment, by Áine Phillips
4. Phoenix Rising, by Helen Flynn
5. Embroidered patch with Irish flag, by Joyce Little
6. Emblems of United Nations UN Women, Irish Country Womens Association ICA and National Women’s Council of Ireland NWC, by Áine Phillips