When people think of famous Irish women who’ve shaped Irish society, names like Mary Robinson, Mary McAleese and Sinéad O’Connor usually come to mind first. But Ireland’s history is full of other remarkable women whose stories deserve just as much attention. Here are five Irish female trailblazers whose achievements broke barriers in cooking, law, motorsport, firefighting and medicine.
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A few years ago, to mark International Women’s Day, Tesco Ireland partnered with the Women’s Museum of Ireland to curate an exhibition celebrating five pioneering Irish women. Their stories are so good, they’re well worth revisiting any time of year — not just around International Women’s Day on 8th March.
The five women include the mother of Irish cookery, the first Irish woman to be called to the bar, a professional motor racing driver, one of Ireland’s first female firefighters, and an award-winning surgeon.
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Five Irish Female Trailblazers
Myrtle Allen
#### The first Irish woman to hold a Michelin Star
Born in Cork in 1924, Myrtle Allen became known during her lifetime as the Mother of Modern Irish Cooking. As founder of the Ballymaloe dynasty, she focused on local produce and an ever-evolving, seasonal menu — a genuinely revolutionary approach for the time.
She also made history as the first Irish woman to hold a Michelin Star, awarded from 1975 to 1980. Through her weekly newspaper columns in The Farmers Journal, she taught generations of Irish people how to cook, championing Irish producers and Irish women in equal measure.
Averil Deverell
#### One of the first women ever called to the bar in Ireland or the UK
Averil Deverell was born in Dublin in 1893. She drove an ambulance in France during the First World War. Then, in 1919, the law changed to allow women to become barristers, and — after studying at Trinity College — she was admitted to King’s Inns.
In 1921, she became one of the first female barristers ever called to the bar in Ireland or the UK, alongside fellow Irish woman Frances Kyle. She went on to become the first woman ever to appear before the Privy Council in London.
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Rosemary Smith
#### The first Irish woman to break into professional motor racing
Born in Dublin in 1937, Rosemary Smith was first taught to drive by her father when she was just 11. Her passion for driving carried her into the notoriously male-dominated world of motorsport, where she broke through the gender barrier to win races and rallies internationally.
She drove in the Monte Carlo rally eight times, winning the Coupe des Dames on several occasions, and in 1965 she won the Tulip Rally outright — beating every male driver to the finish.
Celina Barrett
#### One of Ireland’s first ever full-time female firefighters
In 1994, Celina Barrett broke the mould by becoming one of Ireland’s first full-time female firefighters. Throughout her career, she has been a strong advocate for women in the fire service, working to support and encourage more women to join the profession.
Dr Emily Winifred Dickson
#### The first woman to hold a fellowship at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
Dr Emily Winifred Dickson was born in Co. Tyrone in 1866. Rejected by Trinity College’s medical school because of her gender, she applied instead to the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. As the only female student, she excelled academically, winning the silver medal for surgery, and went on to become the first woman to hold a fellowship there, in 1893. Despite this, she was refused a position at the Rotunda Hospital because she was a woman.
Undaunted, she practised as a gynaecologist, eventually working at Dublin’s Richmond Hospital. She remained deeply committed to women’s emancipation throughout her life, and her personal lobbying helped secure women’s admission to the British Medical Association, of which she became one of the first female members in 1892.
The Women’s Museum of Ireland
The Women’s Museum of Ireland is a virtual museum dedicated to formally recognising the role of women in Irish history. Its partnership with Tesco Ireland brought the stories of these five trailblazers to life in Tesco stores around International Women’s Day, helping a wider audience discover achievements that don’t always make it into the history books.
You can still explore each woman’s story, along with videos and podcasts, on the Women of Ireland website. The museum’s goal is to inspire a new generation of women in Ireland and beyond to continue these kinds of achievements.
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Over to you now — had you heard of these five Irish female trailblazers before? Tell us in the comments below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the Irish female trailblazers featured in this article?
The five women are Myrtle Allen (the first Irish woman to hold a Michelin Star), Averil Deverell (one of the first women called to the bar in Ireland or the UK), Rosemary Smith (a pioneering professional motor racing driver), Celina Barrett (one of Ireland’s first full-time female firefighters), and Dr Emily Winifred Dickson (the first woman to hold a fellowship at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland).
Why aren’t these women as well known as figures like Mary Robinson or Mary McAleese?
Many trailblazing women’s achievements in fields like cooking, sport, law and emergency services haven’t received the same public recognition as those in politics or the arts. Projects like the Women’s Museum of Ireland aim to change that by documenting and sharing these stories more widely.
Where can I find out more about these women?
The Women of Ireland website, run by the Women’s Museum of Ireland, has profiles, videos and podcasts covering each woman’s story in more depth.
Are there other inspiring Irish or international women my kids should know about?
Yes — see our related reads above, including 10 Inspiring Women Of The Last 100 Years and 20 Brilliant Books to Celebrate Bold Girls, for more ways to introduce children to trailblazing women.
Related Articles
- 10 Inspiring Women Of The Last 100 Years
- Headstrong: 52 Women Who Changed Science – And The World
- 20 Brilliant Books to Celebrate Bold Girls
Save This For Later
Loved discovering these stories? Bookmark this article or share it with someone who’d enjoy it — it’s a great one to revisit around International Women’s Day, or any time you want a bit of inspiration.
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