Athenry Ladies History: Irish Country Women's Association of Athenry by Ronan Killeen

For a while I have been asking about the Irish Country Women's Association and by a small piece of luck by having been given a gift off another Researcher like myself of the old Athenry Journal's. We see only today now that past has become important as future generations will ask question and revise over local history itself. Here is a short summary of the Athenry's 'Irish Country Women's Association'.

In 1910 the Irish Country Women's Association was founded to give women 'a chance to express opinion, socialise, and to take part in handcrafts, debating and cookery'. A lady named Angela Connolly founded the Athenry organisation in 1958. The committee consisted of Mrs. Dr. Brennan (President), Angela Connolly (Hon. Sec.), Mrs. Taylor of the Town House Athenry (Treasurer) and Mrs. Frawley (Co. Organiser Galway) weret the ones who offically started the guild, along with members Mrs. A. Qualter (Aggie Qualter who wrote the history book Athenry Since 1780), Abbey Row, Mrs Ciss Curran, Boyhill; Miss M. Kennedy, ", Mrs Coffey, Old Church St; Mrs. Mary Monaghan of Blaine; Maureen Healy and Mary Donlon (Morrissey).

Subsequently, Angela was appointed Federation President which was a three year term where her duties consisted of 'presiding county meetings, meeting guild members and sorting out any problems' . Anglea, Aggie and a Mrs. Johnson-Green (Oughterard) came first at a County Debate on the subject of 'Manners Maketh Man' but lost to their next opponents who were members known as The Toast Masters Club were the subject was 'Should Ireland Joine N. A. T. O.?'.
  The A. I. C. A. also took a trip to a place known as 'The Grianán' which was the headquarters of the I. C. A. were the then famous singer Máire Ní Scolaidhe visited them and sang for them which the A. I. C. A. appreciated.

If anyone has any info on this subject I would very much appreciated it - contact athenrylohis@gmail.com