Kildare TD and Vótáil 100 Committee travel to London to honour Countess Markievicz

By Kim O'Leary

Last week Britain formally recognised the first female MP elected to Westminster when the Vótáil 100 committee presented a portrait of Countess Constance Markievicz to the speaker of the House of Commons.

The committee was organised to mark the 100th anniversary of women in 1918 gaining the right to vote, travelled to London on Wednesday 18 July to make the presentation.

Sitting TD for South Kildare, Fiona O’Loughlin, a member of the committee said, “It was an historic occasion when the portrait of the MP was presented to John Bercow. It is the first time that Ms Markievicz will be formally recognised by the Houses of Parliament in Westminster as the first woman elected as a Member of Parliament in Britain,”.

“Markievicz became the first female MP (and subsequently TD) when she was elected by voters in the Dublin St Patrick’s constituency in the historic December 1918 British general election. She also became one of the first female cabinet ministers in the world and was minister for labour in the governments set up by the Dáil between 1919 and 1922," said Deputy O'Loughlin.

Deputy O'Loughlin said that the visit proved to be 'a wonderful occasion to acknowledge and celebrate' the legacy of Countess Markievicz and a key event in the celebration of the centenary of women gaining the right to vote.