Mary Teresa Hayden (1862 – 12 July 1942) was an Irish historian, Irish-language activist and campaigner for women's causes.

Biography

Mary Hayden was educated initially at the Dominican College, Eccles Street and then at

Alexandra College Alexandra College ( ir, Coláiste Alexandra) is a fee-charging boarding and day school for girls located in Milltown, Dublin, Ireland. The school operates under a Church of Ireland ethos. History The school was founded in 1866 and takes its ...

in Dublin. She attended the

Royal University of Ireland The Royal University of Ireland was founded in accordance with the ''University Education (Ireland) Act 1879'' as an examining and degree-awarding university based on the model of the University of London. A Royal Charter was issued on 27 Apri ...

where she graduated with a BA (1885) and an MA (1887) in Modern Languages. With Agnes O'Farrelly she campaigned for women's rights in the university. A campaigner for gender equality and noted as a public speaker, she was a prominent member of the Dublin Women's Suffrage Association. She was a member of the

Gaelic League (; historically known in English as the Gaelic League) is a social and cultural organisation which promotes the Irish language in Ireland and worldwide. The organisation was founded in 1893 with Douglas Hyde as its first president, when it em ...

and friends with Padraig Pearse. However, she opposed violence and disapproved of the 1916 Easter Rising. In 1911 she was elected to the senate of the

National University of Ireland The National University of Ireland (NUI) ( ga, Ollscoil na hÉireann) is a federal university system of ''constituent universities'' (previously called '' constituent colleges'') and ''recognised colleges'' set up under the Irish Universit ...

and in 1915 was appointed Professor of History at

University College Dublin University College Dublin (commonly referred to as UCD) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath) is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a collegiate university, member institution of the National University of Ireland ...

, a position she retained until her death. Ruane, Medb ''Ten Dublin Women''. Dublin, 1991. Hayden worked with Mary Gwynn to establish the Irish Catholic Women's Suffrage Association (ICWSA) in 1915. She helped to form the Women's Social and Progressive League as a political party committed to opposing the 1937

Constitution of Ireland The Constitution of Ireland ( ga, Bunreacht na hÉireann, ) is the fundamental law of Ireland. It asserts the national sovereignty of the Irish people. The constitution, based on a system of representative democracy, is broadly within the traditio ...

and any regressive consequences it would entail. She opposed articles 40, 41, and 45 concerning the status of women. A biography of Hayden ''Mary Hayden: Irish Historian and Feminist'' by Joyce Padbury was published by Arlen House in 2020.

Publications

* ''A Short History of the Irish People'' by Mary Hayden and George Moonan(1921) * ''Diaries of Mary Hayden 1878–1903'' edited by Conan Kennedy (National Library of Ireland/Morrigan, 2008) * ''The Mysterious Mary H.'' : A Selection of Writings by Mary Hayden (1862–1942) (Morrigan Books, 2008).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hayden, Mary 1862 births 1942 deaths Alumni of the Royal University of Ireland Academics of University College Dublin 20th-century Irish historians Irish women non-fiction writers People educated at Alexandra College Irish women's rights activists Irish language activists Women historians Irish suffragists