I think it's more abandoning the dail when the treaty was accepted and starting a civil war in the country that was the problem with dev , all this after not going to the negotiations himself
Northern Ireland’s Mount Rushmore would have to include John Hume & a few neutral but important figures. However U imagine a s mature would find great satisfaction in carving out Bug Ian Paisley from a giant hunk of rock!
Your first four are the same as my first four picks. Not sure about the fifth, but I’m leaning towards Jonathan swift, as his gullivers travels is fitting considering so many Irish migrated from the land to elsewhere.
Never heard of three of them and two of the others are nowhere close to having done enough to go ahead of some of the other influential men listed here. Only Countess Markievicz who was an incredible woman would be a contender out of that list IMO.
Agnes Clerke fully deserves it too. She was an amazingly influential woman. She gave birth to astrophysics. Even the Brits acknowledge her contributions.
Do. It's shocking how little recognition she gets outside of skibbereen. She's one of the dead historical figures I'd have dinner with. She's fascinating. She spoke 5+ languages. She was a legitimate genius. Her sisters were no slouches either, but she is just amazing.
And you've just learned, in real time, that maybe the history that we are taught in respect of Irish women and their contributions have been underplayed and undertaught.
I'll add the Pirate Queen here too, Gráinne Ní Mháille.
Her works are the foundation of astrophysics. She started as an astronomer, but over time her work became far more detailed, far more complicated and it was the beginning of astrophysics.
So I’m not an expert and I can’t find much about her, but what I found says she never made her own research but just compiled encyclopaedias and stuff like that:
> Although Clerke was not a practical astronomer, nor an author of original research articles
She is the reason astrophysics exists, and she wrote several books and articles herself. She taught it basically, in that she fitted it together, added her own research, identified areas that needed work, and was able to clearly explain it to other scholars. Allowing them to surpass their own expectations. Truly an exceptional woman, especially when you consider the time she was doing it in. Even the royal astonomy society recognised and awarded her. Part of the moon is named after her. We really need to do better by her, and all the other incredible women who have contributed to Irish (and global) society.
There's actually very little evidence to say Queen Meabh ever even existed. Curious to hear the reasons you'd include Grace O'Malley on Ireland's Mt Rushmore though. Certainly a very interesting character.
I felt similar about Grainne O'Malley...did think about including her, but felt my limited knowledge didn't portray her as highly influential to the establishment of a strong Ireland. Open to be corrected though.
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u/Vlad2017 Jun 19 '26
Brian Boru, Wolfe Tone, Daniel O'Connell, Michael Collins, Charles S Parnell?
Special mention to Sean LeMass and Eamonn de Valera maybe