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Date Posted: Sun, Apr 22 2007, 12:38:08 PDT
Author: Derry News report
Subject: US honour for rights veteran

From rights.civil@googlemail.com

Derry News, Thursday, April 19th 2008. Report by Darinagh Boyle

US honour for rights veteran

Mary Ellen O’Doherty, the 99 year-old widow of an IRA volunteer who fought in the campaign for independence has been selected for a prestigious Irish-American award.

The Celtic Cross Award will take pride of place in the family’s Crawford Square home alongside her late husband Harry’s decorations-the Tan War and Truce Medals. The latter was struck on the 50th anniversary of the declaration of the ‘Truce’ which sparked off the Civil War.

But Mrs O’Doherty will, this time, be honoured in her own right-for her contribution to the Civil rights movement, social justice, women’s rights and the welfare of prisoners.

Speaking to the Derry News days ahead of her 99th birthday, Mrs. O’Doherty said she was “deeply honoured” by the award.

“Many, many people, especially women, worked tirelessly, often in very difficult circumstances during the civil rights era and long before it for the rights of others. And they did so without any recognition whatsoever. I’m thrilled to receive this award in recognition of my role.”

During the Civil Rights era the O’Doherty’s family home became a melting pot for local leaders and journalists from all over the world.

The Protestant former mill worker, Betty Sinclair who became secretary of the Belfast Trades Council was a frequent visitor in Mary’s home. And on her recommendations journalists from all over the world were directed to Mrs. O’Doherty.

Mary Ellen’s son, Fionnbarra, recalled an occasion when a Pravda correspondent refused to return to Moscow without his mother’s recipe for scone-bread. It was during this time that she came to know the late Mary Holland and retained a life long respect for her coverage of the northern conflict.

But her efforts were not limited to political activism. Mrs. O’Doherty helped equip the city’s first Women’s Aid Centre with the late Kathy Harkin who pioneered what was then a groundbreaking project.

Twist

Mrs. O’Doherty, whose husband was incarcerated in Derry Gaol in the 1930s, was until recently actively involved in various prisoners’ campaigns. In 2003 she addressed a conference on prisoners’ rights in the city and a year before was made an honorary member of the Ladies Division of the AOH.

At the age of 90, she was awarded Pensioner of the Year by Age Concern Derry having been nominated by several local organisations.

More recently she made a presentation to Sheila Kelly, widow of the Late Captain James J. Kelly at a press conference in Derry.

Born Mary Ellen Hegarty in 1908 in the Co. Tyrone village of Ballmagorry outside Strabane, Mrs. O’Doherty spent her early adulthood working as a nursery nurse in Dublin.

And it was this relatively brief interlude in her young life that was to unfold an unusual twist. For the young Tyrone woman had been employed as a nursemaid to William Martin Murphy. He was prime organiser of Dublin employers against the trade unions, led by James ‘Big Jim’ Larkin and James Connolly. The conflict of interests culminated in the famous 1913 Lock-Out.

Picture caption:

Right: Mrs. O’Doherty and her late husband Harry with Dr. Nora Connolly O’Brien, daughter of the Rising Leader James Connolly. Also included is one of Mrs. O’Doherty’s sons, Fionnbarra.

The photo is taken in the family’s home on one of Dr. O’Brien’s visits to Derry in 1977.

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