Storm Agnes...Remembering Women in Irish History
“For most People, History is what is in the History books, and what is not there has not happened.”
Mary Cullen, The Irish Times, October 17th 2012
The Historian Mary Cullen made this comment at the end of a long article called “ A History of Her Story”, in which she examined the experiences of women in twentieth-century Ireland.For a long time she acknowledges that women were absent from the History Books.
As part of their History Module, some Transition Year students are focusing on the “Forgotten role of women in Iriash History”. They look at the role played by women in shaping the Ireland, even the world, we live. It is a fascinating ,and sometimes troubling story ,and now in the History Books.
On this wet, stormy September day , we remember today a very famous West Cork woman, Agnes Mary Clerke.
Agnes, which is the first of 21 storm names in a newly releases list refers to Agnes Mary Clerke, the Skibbereen-born astronomer, who lived on Bridge Street, where a shopfront still bears the family name.
She is credited as being the founder of what is today referred to as ‘Popular Science.’ From a young age, the fascination of this young girl from Skibbereen with astronomy led to a career that contributed directly to space exploration, and walking on the Moon.
As she got older , she became widely recognised by her contemporaries and peers – winning a number of scientific prizes ,and was eventually elected as an honorary member of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1903. Only the third woman to that point to be “granted” such an honour.
Agnes was widely accomplished, and broke through many gender barriers – she even has a crater named after her, by NASA but she still remains unknown to many.
After today, may she become more of a household name !
Commemorative plaque in Skibbereen for Agnes and her sister Ellen . Ellen and another sister Aubrey distinguished themselves mainly (although not exclusively) in literature and law.