Ellen Sarah Bushell (born 23 January 1884 in The Liberties,

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

, died 11 August 1948 in

County Dublin County Dublin ( or ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland, and holds its capital city, Dublin. It is located on the island's east coast, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. Until 1994, County Dubli ...

) was an Irish textile artist and

political activist A political movement is a collective attempt by a group of people to change government policy or social values. Political movements are usually in opposition to an element of the status quo, and are often associated with a certain ideology. Some ...

. She played a significant role in the

Irish War of Independence The Irish War of Independence (), also known as the Anglo-Irish War, was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (1919–1922), Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and Unite ...

, as a messenger, tailor, gun runner and safe house operator.

Background

Nellie was born to Edward and Ellen Bushell in Francis Street, in 1884. Ellen had died by 1901 when Edward had remarried, and lived in Clanbrassil Street. By the 1911 census, Nellie was living in Newmarket Street, Dublin 8. She took on the trade of her father, weaving poplin and

silk Silk is a natural fiber, natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be weaving, woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is most commonly produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoon (silk), c ...

. She was also an active member of the Irish National Dramatic Company, becoming the Irish National Theatre Society, based in the

Abbey Theatre The Abbey Theatre (), also known as the National Theatre of Ireland () is a theatre in Dublin, Ireland. First opening to the public on 27 December 1904, and moved from its original building after a fire in 1951, it has remained active to the p ...

, where Bushell worked as an usher and ticket agent.

Irish Nationalism

Bushell made

kilt A kilt ( ) is a garment resembling a wrap-around knee-length skirt, made of twill-woven worsted wool with heavy pleats at the sides and back and traditionally a tartan pattern. Originating in the Scottish Highland dress for men, it is first r ...

s for

Fianna Éireann Na Fianna Éireann (The Fianna of Ireland), known as the Fianna ("Soldiers of Ireland"), is an Irish nationalist youth organisation founded by Constance Markievicz in 1909, with later help from Bulmer Hobson. Fianna members were involved in se ...

, the youth republican movement. She soon became a committee member. She worked with Helena Molony and

Eamon Martin Eamon Columba Martin KC*HS (born 30 October 1961) is an Irish Catholic prelate from Northern Ireland who has served as Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland since 2014. Early life and education Martin was born in Pennyburn, Derry ...

. She was involved in storing Republican guns in 1914. The day after the

Easter Rising The Easter Rising (), also known as the Easter Rebellion, was an armed insurrection in Ireland during Easter Week in April 1916. The Rising was launched by Irish republicans against British rule in Ireland with the aim of establishing an ind ...

began she was called into action, helping to evacuate Watkins' brewery, before delivering surrender orders to Marrowbone Lane. Following the rising, she helped conceal rebels such as

Peadar Kearney Peadar Kearney ( ; 12 December 1883 – 24 November 1942) was an Irish republican and composer of numerous rebel songs. In 1907 he wrote the lyrics to "A Soldier's Song" (), now the Irish national anthem. He was the uncle of Irish writers Bren ...

. Later she helped to smuggle Michael Collins out of a Black and Tan-surrounded Abbey. She remained a target of Tans attention throughout the

Irish war of independence The Irish War of Independence (), also known as the Anglo-Irish War, was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (1919–1922), Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and Unite ...

. She was awarded a (modest) military service

pension A pension (; ) is a fund into which amounts are paid regularly during an individual's working career, and from which periodic payments are made to support the person's retirement from work. A pension may be either a " defined benefit plan", wh ...

in 1941, but continued working for the Abbey until 1948.

Death and funeral

Bushell was admitted to the Adelaide Hospital, later dying at home in

Inchicore Inchicore () is a suburb of Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Located approximately west of the city centre, Inchicore was originally a small village separate from Dublin. The village developed around Richmond Barracks (built 1810) and Inchi ...

on 11 August 1948. She was given full military honours, alongside attendance from the Irish theatrical world. Bushell's name is among those remembered on a plaque, unveiled in 1966, in the Abbey commemorating its staff involved in the rising.

References

Textile workers Irish republicans People of the Easter Rising People from The Liberties, Dublin Activists from Dublin (city) 20th-century Irish women Abbey Theatre Theatre people from Dublin (city) 1884 births 1948 deaths {{authority control