‘A strong woman, took no sh*t’: Members of public sign book of condolences for Nell McCafferty

Over the course of an hour on Thursday, a steady stream of people signed a book of condolences for the late Nell McCafferty at Dublin’s Mansion House – all of them women in their 60s and 70s.

Describing the journalist and civil rights and feminist activist as a “beacon”, “an incredible woman” and “an amazing and fearless voice”, each who spoke to The Irish Times said McCafferty, who died on Wednesday aged 80, had been an important figure for them personally. A number became emotional explaining why.

Mary Kennedy (70) from Dublin 8 had taken a day off “minding the little fellah” to come into town “to do this”. She explained: “I met Nell a good few years ago. I just clicked with her. She was a great woman, a strong woman, took no sh*t from no one.”

Asked why this “meant a lot” to her she became upset. “I was taking sh*t at the time and she talked to me, which helped me. She gave it to them all. She’d tell Gay [Byrne] where to go. She was great. A super, super lady.”

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Pauline O’Donnell (69) said: “Nell meant so much to so many of us. I am a gay woman as well and she was a beacon for us. She might not have been that public about being lesbian but, let’s face it, everyone knew. It was her honesty and her fearlessness. Most people are afraid to speak out for what they believe if it might rebound against them.

“But she was never afraid and you have to admire that. All through the years she was there for all of us women who were maybe going through tough times.”

Hazel Dunphy (60) said McCafferty was “just an incredible woman … just being a kid back in the ‘80s in Waterford and watching The Late Late. Oh my God. And then being in the women’s group in Trinity, she made us feel ‘anything is possible’. She just meant so much to us women.”

Several women commented on how “younger women” they had spoken to since news of McCafferty’s death had not heard of her. Aileen Bennett and her friend Carol McGinn, both 70, said McCafferty had “always been there for us. She lived through the same Ireland we did”.

“She was amazing because she was the voice I wished I’d had,” said Ms Bennett.

“And she made us laugh at times when we didn’t always have a lot to laugh about, as women,” added MC McGinn. “She said it out, said it as it was, whether you liked it or not, she said it.”

Recalling how, when they married in the 1980s, contraception was illegal for family planning purposes, divorce was illegal and women needed their husband’s permission for such things as taking out a loan, the women said Ms McCafferty’s activism and “joining the EU” had been key to improving Irish women’s lives. Younger people “need to know the history of all they have thanks to her”, said Ms McGinn.

The vast majority of signatures to the book in the reception hall were women’s. Among comments left were: “Thank you Nell. Rest In Power”; “Thank you for all you did for women”; “Farewell sister, rest well”. Some longer, personal messages described how McCafferty’s activism had helped them.

The book of condolences at the Mansion House closed at 5pm on Thursday. An online facility is available at the Dublin City Council website, until September 1st.

All messages of sympathy will be printed and forwarded in a book of condolence to McCafferty’s family.