Agnes O’Farrelly (1874—1951) was an influential figure in the cultural nationalist and women’s rights movements in the early twentieth century.
In 1901, she became the first female Irish language writer, upon the publication of the novella Grádh agus Crádh [Love and Anguish]. She went on to become an Irish-language scholar, the leading female figure in the Gaelic League, president of the Irish-language summer college Coláiste Uladh (est. 1906), and a lecturer and later professor in Irish in University College Dublin. She was an active member of the Irish Association of Women Graduates in 1902 and a chief instigator of Cumann na mBan in 1914. Later in her career she was made life president of the Camogie Association, in acknowledgement of her efforts to promote the sport.
Several of O’Farrelly’s publications have been digitised and made accessible on this site. These include pamphlets, a novella, a collection of edited poetry and travelogue Smaointe Ar Árainn that O’Farrelly wrote about the Aran Islands and from which the image above is taken.
Bhí an-tionchar ag Úna Ní Fhaircheallaigh (1874—1951) ar ghluaiseacht an náisiúnachais chultúrtha, agus ar ghluaiseacht chearta na mban ag tús na fichiú haoise.
Bhí sí ar an gcéad bhanscríbhneoir Gaeilge agus foilsíodh a nóibhille Grádh agus Crádh sa bhliain 1901. Scoláire Gaeilge a bhí inti, ba í an bhean ba thábhachtaí i gConradh na Gaeilge í, bhí sí ina príomhoide ar Choláiste Uladh, Coláiste samhraidh Gaeilge a cuireadh ar bun i nDún na nGall sa bhliain 1906, agus ba léachtóir agus ollamh le Gaeilge í sa Choláiste Ollscoile, Baile Átha Cliath. Ba bhall gníomhach í de Chumann Banchéimithe Ollscoileanna na hÉireann a bunaíodh sa bhliain 1902, agus duine de bhunaitheoirí Chumann na mBan a bhí inti sa bhliain 1914. Níos déanaí ina saol, roghnaíodh í mar Uachtarán Saoil ar Chumann Camógaíochta na hÉireann, mar aitheantas ar an obair mhór a bhí déanta aici chun spórt Gaelach na mban a chur chun cinn.
Tá digitiú déanta ar chuid d’fhoilseacháin Ní Fhaircheallaigh agus is féidir teacht orthu thuas. Tá paimfléid, nóibhille, cnuasach filíochta a chuir Ní Fhaircheallaigh in eagar agus dialann taistil a scríobh Ní Fhaircheallaigh faoi Oileáin Árann ina measc.