Cumman na mBan Pin

One of those present at this first meeting was Áine O’Rahilly (South New Chapel TD 35) like many of those who attended she had a significant connection to the Irish Volunteers. Her brother Michael Joseph also known as The O’Rahilly was an important founding member of that organisation. She described that day and the objectives of Cumann na mBan:
“I was present at Wynn’s Hotel at the foundation meeting
of Cumann na mBan in the early part of 1914. I think Mrs. Wyse-Power with a group of women had already held small peliminary meetings to discuss
Jennie Wyse Power (1858-1941)
the proposal made by Eoin MacNeill at the Rotunda in November 1913 that the women should form an organisation to co-operate with the Volunteers, as the Ulster Women’s Council was organised to help the Ulster Volunteers.
There were not more than
a dozen women present but they represented all shades
of Nationalist opinion. They decided to call the organisation The Irish Women’s Council,
in Irish Cumann na mBan. At this time the objects of the organisation were set out by Mrs. Wyse Power in the book called Leabhar na mBan namely:
1 – To advance the cause of Irish Liberty.
2- To organise Irish women in furtherance of this object.
3 – To assist in arming and equipping a body of Irishmen for the defence of Ireland.
Louise Gavan Duffy (1884-1969)
4 – To form a fund for these purposes to be called a Defence of Ireland fund.”
The first provisional committee of Cumann na mBan comprised of:
Agnes O’Farrelly (President), Jennie Wyse-Power, Agnes MacNeill, Nancy O’Rahilly, Mary Colum, Louise Gavan-Duffy, Maire Tuohy and Maureen MacDonagh O’Mahoney.