Page 26 - Greystones Archaeological Historical Society

WOMEN IN WORLD WAR I

These two Bray women, Mary Brien and Biddy Whelan
represent hundreds of thousands of women throughout Ireland
who were left to fill in the forms and pick up the pieces of the
fragmented lives that resulted from World War I.

I am sure that these women would have become very
confused at the subsequent disregard paid to their deceased and
injured menfolk by generations to come.

Likewise, I am quite sure that Mary and Biddy and all of the
other Irish women affected by World War I in this county would
have taken pride in the level of remembrance and discussion and
acceptance that this centenary year has inspired in Irish people.

The World War I Memorial at Woodenbridge

Last week as I stood at the
memorial in Woodenbridge
amongst the 1200 names from Co.
Wicklow, most who never came
home, I thought of the people they
left behind. I thought of how proud
Mary Brien and Biddy Whelan and
Bridget Sherry would have been to
see the names of their loved ones
carved in Wicklow granite in such a
beautiful setting.

The real value in all of this
remembering is to ensure that
history does not repeat itself during
Anne Ferris in Woodenbridge
our future lifetimes. To do this
effectively we must remember World War I from all perspectives,
and that includes from the perspective of the hundreds of
thousands of Irish women whose lives it affected.

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