24 Facts About Sheila Humphreys

Sheila Humphreys, known as Sighle Humphreys, was an Irish political activist and member of Cumann na mBan.

Sheila Humphreys was born Margaret Humphreys at 18 The Crescent, Limerick into a wealthy family and raised at Quinsborough House, County Clare.

Sheila Humphreys was the only daughter of Dr David Humphreys and Nell Humphreys.

Sheila Humphreys's father suffered from tuberculosis and died when she was four years old.

Sheila Humphreys's mother was the sister of Michael Joseph Rahilly, "The O'Rahilly", who was killed during the 1916 Easter Rising.

Sheila Humphreys joined Cumann na mBan in 1919, aged 20, which organisation was founded in response to the dearth of women at the Sinn Fein Convention of October 1917.

Sheila Humphreys served variously as secretary, director of publicity and national vice-president.

Sheila Humphreys was on the committee of the Irish Volunteer Dependants' Fund after the Rising.

Sheila Humphreys was engaged in finding safe-houses for those on the run.

Sheila Humphreys took part in the nationwide 1923 Irish Hunger Strikes.

Sheila Humphreys was finally released on 29 November 1923 after a thirty-one day hunger strike.

Sheila Humphreys played an active part in resisting the raid, though she always denied reports that she was responsible for shooting a Free State soldier who died in the fighting.

Sheila Humphreys was put in solitary confinement and she went on hunger strike in protest.

Sheila Humphreys went on a further hunger-strike, this time for 31 days, when she was among the prisoners confined after the end of the Civil War in May 1923.

Sheila Humphreys continued her involvement with Cumann na mBan after the Civil War, contributing significantly to the republican movement throughout the 1920s and 1930s.

Sheila Humphreys became the Cumann representative on the Republican Council in 1929.

Sheila Humphreys was in Mountjoy Jail in 1926,1927,1928, and 1931.

Sheila Humphreys married Domhnall O'Donoghue, a member of Dublin Brigade IRA.

Sheila Humphreys's husband was imprisoned in 1936 for making seditious speeches.

Sheila Humphreys tried to keep the Cumann going following the president's resignation, in 1941, she briefly served as Cumann na mBan's president.

Sheila Humphreys served as President of the St Vincent de Paul Society, and the Political Prisoners Committee until 1949; although she continued to support the Prisoners Dependants campaigns, necessarily for women.

Sheila Humphreys's causes continued to be consistently those of Sinn Fein: anti-EEC, and very strongly Catholic, promoting the Mass on television, all in the Irish language.

Sheila Humphreys continued to live at their home in Donnybrook for many years.

Sheila Humphreys died, aged 95, at Our Lady's Hospice, Harold's Cross on 14 March 1994 and was interred in Glasnevin Cemetery.