Frances Condell

Frances Condell (29 June 1916 – 10 November 1986) was the first woman Mayor of Limerick city. She was first elected in 1963 and was the only woman to serve two terms in the city.[1][2][3]

Frances Condell
Born(1916-06-29)29 June 1916
Limerick, Ireland
Died10 November 1986(1986-11-10) (aged 70)
Limerick, Ireland
NationalityIrish
Known forFirst woman Mayor of Limerick city

Early life

Born as Frances Eades on 29 June 1916 Limerick to James Eades and his wife. She was their sixth child but the first daughter. She was educated in St Michael's National School, Barrington Street. She went on to Villiers School and from there to the teacher training college in Coláiste Moibhí. After completing her training there Condell went on to graduate BA from Trinity College Dublin. She returned to her own secondary school as a teacher from 1955 until 1959. When the Shannon Free Airport Development Company was set up Condell worked as the welfare officer to help families settle into the area. She took a new role as public relations officer for Guinness Ireland on a part-time basis in 1964.[1][4]

Political career

In 1960 Condell was convinced to enter local politics and she joined the Limerick Council as the representative of the Ratepayers Association, which made her the first ever female Councillor to Limerick City Council. In 1962 she was elected mayor of Limerick for 1963 and again in 1964. She gained notability when she managed to convince President John F. Kennedy to stop in Limerick city on his Ireland tour to accept Freedom of the city.[1][4][5][6][7][8][9] She also received Senator Edward Kennedy, President Kaunda of Zambia, Cardinal Browne, and Lady Bird Johnson, wife of President Lyndon B. Johnson.[1][4][5]

Personal life

Condell married Robert Condell and had one son, Alan. She had health problems and retired from politics in 1967.[10] Condell also had poetry published in and worked as a journalist for the Limerick Echo, The Church of Ireland Gazette, Woman's Way and The Irish Independent. She died in 1986.[1][4]

References
  1. "Limerick papers of Frances Condell".
  2. "Frances Condell". Askaboutireland.ie. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
  3. Caitriona Clear (17 December 2015). Women's Voices in Ireland: Women's Magazines in the 1950s and 60s. Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 52–. ISBN 978-1-4742-3670-6.
  4. "Frances Condell Papers". University of Limerick. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
  5. "'Isn't he the image of Honey Fitz?'". The Irish Examiner. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
  6. "Frances Condell Delivers Entertaining Welcome". RTÉ Archives. 1963. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
  7. "Limerick's spirit lifted by leaders". The Irish Times. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
  8. Margaret Reed; Joan Lownds (15 May 2018). The Dogs of Camelot: Stories of the Kennedy Canines. Lyons Press. pp. 100–. ISBN 978-1-4930-3162-7.
  9. Kennedy, John F. (1 January 1964). Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: John F. Kennedy, 1963. Best Books on. pp. 541–. ISBN 978-1-62376-903-1.
  10. Ed Walsh; Kieran Fagan (12 October 2011). Upstart. Collins Press. pp. 206–. ISBN 978-1-84889-945-2.
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