30 Facts About Alice Glenn

Alice Glenn was an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as a Teachta Dala for the Dublin Central constituency from 1981 to 1982 and 1982 to 1987.

Alice Glenn was an outspoken critic of contraceptives, abortion, divorce and other attempts to liberalise Irish society, and much of her commentary was deemed memorable and influential.

Alice Glenn refused to retract the comments and she was widely condemned as sectarian and bigoted, including by members of her own party.

Alice Glenn resigned rather than be expelled by Fine Gael, and attempted to stand as an independent at the 1987 general election, but her vote collapsed.

Alice Glenn remained in local politics until 1991 but thereafter exited public life.

Alice Glenn was born in 1921 at Usher's Quay, Dublin, the eldest of ten children of Leo Duffy, a car mechanic, and his wife Mary, a dressmaker.

Alice Glenn grew up on the quays, later moving with her family out to the inner suburb of Cabra.

Alice Glenn was educated locally before attending the Haslem School of Dress Designing.

The early years of their marriage were marked by tragedy and difficulty; following the birth of their first child, Alice Glenn suffered two stillbirths.

Alice Glenn was raised in a family which had always supported Fine Gael and thus was so inclined herself.

Already active in a number of women's social clubs in inner-city Dublin, Alice Glenn joined her local Fine Gael branch and rapidly advanced in seniority.

Alice Glenn rebounded by becoming a Dublin City Councillor for the Drumcondra local electoral area the next year in 1974.

An early example of her conservatism was demonstrated in 1978 when Alice Glenn made a speech in which she suggested 10,000 Irish women should give up their jobs in the public sector in order to decrease men's unemployment.

Alice Glenn was an unsuccessful candidate for Dublin Finglas constituency at the 1977 general election.

Alice Glenn attempted to rebound by seeking to become a senator, however here too she was unsuccessful.

At the October 1982 Fine Gael ardfheis, Alice Glenn embarrassed Garrett FitzGerald by reminding delegates of his pledge to introduce a constitutional amendment that would uphold the status quo on abortion in Ireland, a decision FitzGerald was in the process of reconsidering.

Alice Glenn entered into her first full term as a TD, and into her period of greatest prominence within Irish politics.

Alice Glenn, along with Joe Doyle and other colleagues endorsed the Fianna Fail alternative wording that granted a "right to life to the unborn, with due regard to the equal right of the mother".

In February 1985 Alice Glenn lost the party whip again voting against the bill to grant those over 18 the right to purchase contraceptives she was readmitted to the party in November 1985 when it became clear to Fine Gael they had no other viable candidates in her constituency to replace her with.

In 1986 the Fine Gael-Labour government held a referendum to legalise divorce in Ireland and during the campaign over the summer, Alice Glenn became one of the most outspoken voices on the anti-divorce side.

Alice Glenn was able to capture the fears of many women when, as part of the campaign, she quipped that women voting for divorce was like "turkeys voting in favour of Christmas".

Besides conflicting with the majority of Fine Gael TDs, Alice Glenn further estranged herself from the party by condemning the government's plans to reform childcare laws as well as touting eurosceptic viewpoints.

In November 1986, just days before a Fine Gael selection convention in Dublin Central, Alice Glenn caused a political and social scandal after she described leaders of all other faiths in Ireland besides Catholicism as "enemies of the people".

Alice Glenn retired from politics following the loss of her Dublin City Council seat in 1991.

Alice Glenn was a highly vocal and prominent social conservative during her time as a TD.

Alice Glenn opposed moves to introduce divorce, abortion and contraceptives to Ireland and rejected calls to reform childcare, suggesting such legalisation would interfere with the family.

Alice Glenn cited Arthur Griffith and Daniel O'Connell as political heroes, and welcomed comparisons to Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher.

In 1985, Alice Glenn was name checked on the Christy Moore song Delirium Tremens.

Alice Glenn raised the daughter herself for several years until she went to live with her mother in Australia, which left Alice Glenn in anguish.

Alice Glenn died on 16 December 2011, the day before her 90th birthday.