Mary Kenny
Mary Kenny | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 4, 1944 Dublin, Ireland |
| Occupation(s) | Broadcaster, journalist, playwright |
| Years active | 1966–present |
| Known for | Founding member of the Irish Women's Liberation Movement, columnist for Irish Independent |
Mary Kenny (born 4 April 1944) is an Irish broadcaster, journalist, and playwright. As a founding figure of the Irish Women's Liberation Movement, she played a leading role in advancing feminism in Ireland and frequently writes columns for the Irish Independent. Often referred to as "the grand dame of Irish journalism," she currently resides in England.
Early life
Kenny was born in Dublin and raised in Sandymount. She was expelled from her convent school at age sixteen. She had one sister named Ursula.
Career
Her journalism journey began in 1966 at the London Evening Standard, initially contributing to the "Londoner's Diary" column before moving on to general feature writing. In the early 1970s, she held the position of woman's editor at The Irish Press.
Irish Women's Liberation Movement
As a founding member of the Irish Women's Liberation Movement, Kenny is often seen as its leading figure. In March 1971, she took part in an IWLM demonstration by leaving Haddington Road church after the Archbishop of Dublin denounced contraceptives, describing it as "Church dictatorship." She defended her protest in a letter to The Irish Times, echoing Ian Paisley’s sentiment that "Home Rule is Rome Rule."
In 1971, Kenny joined fellow Irish feminists Nell McCafferty and June Levine on the "Contraceptive Train" journey from Dublin to Belfast to buy condoms, which were illegal in the Republic of Ireland at that time. Later that year, she returned to London to become Features Editor at the Evening Standard.
"Ugandan discussions"
In 1973, Kenny was involved in a notable episode with a former Ugandan cabinet minister during a social gathering. This encounter inspired poet James Fenton to create the euphemism "Ugandan discussions" for sexual relations. The term was first published in Private Eye magazine and later acknowledged by the BBC among "The 10 most scandalous euphemisms."
Works
Kenny has contributed articles to prominent newspapers across Ireland and Britain, such as the Irish Press, Irish Independent, The Times, The Guardian, The Irish Catholic, The Daily Telegraph, and The Spectator. Her writings explore topics including feminism, Catholicism in Ireland, and a biography of William Joyce.
Historian Roy Foster described her book Crown and Shamrock: Love and Hate between Ireland and the British Monarchy (2009) as "breezy, racy and insightful". Additionally, she authored the play Allegiance, which starred Mel Smith as Winston Churchill and Michael Fassbender as Michael Collins, showcased at the 2006 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Ireland and the Commonwealth of Nations
Together with Éamon Ó Cuív and Frank Feighan, Kenny supports the idea of the Republic of Ireland rejoining the Commonwealth of Nations.
Personal life
In 1974, Kenny married journalist Richard West; they had two sons, Patrick West and Ed West, both pursuing careers in journalism. Richard West died in 2015.
Non-fiction
- Women X Two: How to Cope with a Double Life (1978)
- Why Christianity Works (1981)
- Making the Family Matter: A New Vision of Expanded Family Living with Practical Ideas to Make it Work (co-authored with James Kenny) (1980)
- Goodbye to Catholic Ireland: A Social Person and Cultural History (1997)
- Death by Heroin; Recovery by Hope (1999)
- Germany Calling: A Personal Biography of William Joyce, Lord Haw-Haw. Dublin: New Island Books.
Editor
- The Long Road Back: A Narrative of Overcoming Complete and Abrupt Disability authored by Bill Ellis
Fiction
- A Mood for Love and Additional Stories