Dear Aoife,
The Cumann na mBan unifom went through several changes which reflected the
different splits experienced by the organisation from 1915-1936.
Consequently, if your photograph was taken around 1928-1930 it is be
possible to put a date on it, particularly if she was wearing a hat.
In the last year I have completed a Ph.D in history called, 'Women activists
in Irish Republican politics 1900-1941, and the uniform of Cumann an mb Ban
was an area of specific study, becase so many of the photographs varied.
There are photographs of women in Cumann na mBan uniforms availible from
1916 right through to the 1950s, these were women who did not let
proscription stop them wearing uniforms or Easter lilies.
Ann Matthews
----- Original Message -----
From: "Aoife Eibhlin Bhreatnach" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2004 11:36 AM
Subject: Re: Visual source material
Thanks to everyone who has answered my call for help! As I
am a complete novice in this area, no information is too
basic.
Aoife
> I would like to reply to Dymphna and Aoife. My name is
> Sinead McCoole and I too have just joined the list and
> have found the topics of great interest. Thanks for the
> mention Tina! I look forward to your book, the web site
> looks great.
>
> Firstly to Dymphna, no, I can't see that a studio would
> have provided a uniform for dress up - (maybe someone out
> there will say otherwise). Cumann na mBan in 1928 was an
> illegal organisation, anti-treaty in the Civil War and
> many of its prominent members such as Sighle Humphreys
> were being imprisoned for their activities at this time.
> (see: the documentary on her called The Struggle,
> Wonderland, 2003) This was the year after Kevin O'Higgins
> assassination - it just does not seem likely (what do the
> list think?). The denial about membership was common,
> even among close family members - idle talk could be mean
> raids, loss of employment and isolation, see introduction
> to my book No Ordinary Women (O'Brien Press/University of
> Wisconsin, 2003).If you could send me a picture I can look
> at if for you and confirm if it is a Cumann na mBan
> uniform. A number of women were photographed in their
> uniforms. Some of them are in the same setting so it was
> probably a group from one Cumann that came together and
> did photographs at the same time - it is possible that
> your mother was given a uniform for the photo shoot - but
> it would be clear from the picture if the uniform was ill
> fitting. Most women in the early years made their own
> uniforms. There are wonderful examples in the Kilmainham
> Gaol, Annie Cooney's that she finished making on Good
> Friday 1916. Later examples were mass produced - but by
> later I mean the 1940s.
>
> Aoife - I have worked as a picture researcher for the past
> 6 years so I have a vast collection of images (copies) -
> so I am sure I can help you. As to books that look at
> photographs as sources? In my own work it was impossible
> to separate visual items and objects from the written
> material. I am different in the sense I have worked on
> exhibitions as the starting point. My books and
> documentaries have come out of an original search for
> material. I have been fortunate to be in the position to
> collect material. Certainly photographs are an
> underutilized source - your work sounds fascinating - with
> more information on your work and I can focus my mind.
>
> Sinéad McCoole
> 3, The Nurseries,
> Ballybrack Village
> Co Dublin.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dymphna Lonergan"
> <[log in to unmask]> To:
> <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2004
> 2:37 AM Subject: Re: Visual source material
>
>
> > I'm a new subscriber and delighted that a topic of
> > interest to me has come up so quickly! I have a colour
> studio photo of my mother taken in a Cumann
> > na mBan uniform when she was sixteen (she was born in
> > 1912). My mother died in 1990. In 2003 I met with her
> > eldest sister (now dead too, I'm grieved to say) who had
> a sparkling memory. She insisted that my mother was
> > never a member of Cumann na mBan, and that the studio
> > would have provided the uniform as a dress up. This
> > rings true to me, as while my mother was a staunch
> republican and we grew up on stories of her family's
> involvement in
> > storing guns in their shop in Dublin during the Black
> > and Tan era, she never mentioned belonging to Cumann na
> mBan. The photo came to light after
> > her death.
> > If anyone knows whether Dublin photographic studios at
> the time used Cumann
> > na mBan photos for dress ups, I'd appreciate knowing. I
> would also like to
> > know if there is a description of the Cumann na mBan
> > uniform so I could compare it with the photo.
> >
> > slan
> >
> > Dymphna
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > At 11:29 20/10/04 +0100, you wrote:
> > >Hi Aoife,
> > >Sounds like an interesting project! You are probably
> > aware of Sinead >McCoole's work on archival material and
> photographs in relation to the women
> > >of Cumann na mBan - much of which derives from her work
> at Kilmainham Gaol.
> > >Linda Connolly and I have just completed work on a
> study of the second-wave
> > >feminist movement in Ireland which is based on archival
> documents, including
> > >photographs, which we use as primary material in the
> > book: _ Documenting >Irish Feminisms_ forthcoming
> > Woodfield Press (hopefully this side of >Christmas!)
> See www.ucc.ie/wisp for further information on the
> > project. >All the best with the research,
> > >Tina O'Toole
> > >
> > >Dr. Tina O'Toole
> > >Department of Languages & Cultural Studies
> > >University of Limerick
> > >
> > >-----Original Message-----
> > >From: Aoife Eibhlin Bhreatnach
> > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] >Sent: 20 October 2004
> > 11:04 >To: [log in to unmask]
> > >Subject: Visual source material
> > >
> > >
> > >Hello all,
> > >
> > >I have just started work on urban class cultures in
> > Ireland, >from 1890 to just after independence. I am
> > interested in >using photographs as source material,
> > rather than simply >illustrations.
> > >
> > >I have never attempted this before, so I was wondering
> > >whether anyone has any experience of this? Are there
> > any >inspirational books I should read? In an Irish
> > context, I >haven't come across a methodology that
> > interrogates photos >as source material, so any
> > suggestions from any specialism >would be appreciated.
> > >
> > >Thanks!
> > >Aoife Bhreatnach
> > >
> > >Dr Aoife Bhreatnach
> > >IRCHSS Post-Doctoral Fellow
> > >Department of Modern History
> > >NUI Maynooth
> > >Co Kildare
> >
> > Dr Dymphna Lonergan
> > Professional English Administrator
> > 8201 2079 room 261 Humanities
> > The Irish Language in Australia, Australian English,
> Hiberno English, Irish
> > Australian writing
> >
> >
Dr Aoife Bhreatnach
IRCHSS Post-Doctoral Fellow
Department of Modern History
NUI Maynooth
Co Kildare
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