It was International Women’s day last week and only 23 female TDs were elected to the new Dail.
I know how hard it is to engage a male audience with women’s issues; the subject evokes images of messy things in the childbirth area that quickly make them click on another link.
And no one should dare criticize the Irish Mammy; after all everyone has one, and most are above reproach, the very foundation stones of the State.
This is why the subject of gender equality in Ireland has remained ‘the elephant in the room,’ and this huge resource of talented women is either burnt out or wasted.
The Irish Mammy is capable, resourceful, prudent, kind, and works every hour God gave.
But she is she is ONE ANGRY MOTHER.
My best friend, lets call her Bridget, is a typical case and would win Mammy of the year. She has four children, does all the housemaid bits, works three nights as a nurse, and Saturday as a hairdresser. I like her husband, everyone does. He has a job, is a GAA supporter in his spare time, mows the lawn, but is incapable of lifting a finger in the house or with the children.
She calls him ‘traditional,' I would call him something else, and it begins with B...
Bridget jumped in her car and drove to Salthill Strand to contemplate the benefits of oblivion. Luckily, for everyone she just smoked a few fags and came home.
I do not buy in to the victim role of the woman, or the utter contempt for men shown by the packs of wives when they get together over a bottle of wine. But this is a cultural problem, and we need to break the cycle of guilt, blame and victimization or we will just breed a new generation of Mammy’s boys.
The World Bank calls investing in women ‘smart economics.' Having this amazing resource tethered to the kitchen sink when we are in this crisis makes no sense.
I have a simple plan to get those women generating enterprise and taking steps towards the Dail.
The School Dinner Revolution.
· Design a healthy menu
· Involve the kids in growing their own food
· Employ people to cook school dinners
· Build individual kitchens or group small schools together
· Provide free after school child care to the end of the working day if both partners work or if you are a single parent.
The benefits of this scheme would be
* All Irish Mammys instantly unshackled from the kitchen sink and free to contribute to society and raise self esteem for themselves and their children.
* Employment is created within the food supply chain and in the local community
* You have fed the most vulnerable disadvantaged children.
It makes NO sense to have brilliant women like Bridget stuck in their kitchen cooking for 6 people every day when one person could cook for 100 and get paid for it.
7 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.cillowen | Mar 12, 2011, 09:43 PM EST
Ms Robinson was branded anti when she held a hearing in Africa under the auspices of UN. The bros and sis took exception - no such questioning as to the cause for racism and such matters the world deems worthy of exploring. Painted for ever more - and they get away with it. Oh, the power of being g-d's own.
Collette2 | Mar 12, 2011, 06:56 PM EST
My thought immediately go to Mary Robinson. Pray that any woman who gains any position will have the courage to stand up to governments, catholic hierachy and the UN, when one considers what was happening around Ireland on her watch. No doubt reared in the generation where priests were never questioned or bishops held accountable. She wasn't a good example for women or mother's while children were being betrayed. No doubt the confessional would address that but wouldn't suffice for me.
ellenfromcork | Mar 12, 2011, 04:43 PM EST
Well it looks like my previous comment disappeared, leaving an incomprehensible remark. Here it is in full. As my Irish mammy (named Bridget) said, " you can't be a doormat unless you lie down."
ellenfromcork | Mar 12, 2011, 04:38 PM EST
my bad, that "until" should be "unless"
ellenfromcork | Mar 12, 2011, 04:34 PM EST
As my Irish mammy (actually named Bridget) used to say, "you can't be a doormat until you lie down. !!!
Towngate | Mar 12, 2011, 04:19 PM EST
RE-WRITE MARY: Actually,25 Female TD'S were elected to the Dail.Sadly, no Ministries, but plenty of Junior posts. ~ ~ ~ ~ Now, many Irish women - like your boozy cackling hags slagging their men off - are really quite happy with the 'Elephant' remaining un-noticed; as it means their often tyrannical Control of their families remains unchecked. ~ ~ ~ Bridget - "Mammy of the Year", cracks under the strain of a part-time nursing and hairdressing job - which nobody asked her to do! - a husband she chose of her own free will (presumably),and four children - which nobody asked them to have! - drives to the edge of the Atlantic Ocean - and instead of keeping going, decides to stop and pollute her lungs and the fresh Salthill air before choosing her 'multi-tasking' life of relative ease, instead of Oblivion. A great 'The Foundation Stone of the State!', she is! ~ ~ ~ MARY,I agree there is a Cultural Problem here and the Cycle must be broken. It is for the Mna na hEireann themselves to break it! - but they never will!; because it will mean giving up the one thing they treasure more than anything: Control of her Family. - For me, THAT is the 'smell of the coffee elephant in the corner of the Irish Cultural,Social and Political room! ~ ~ ~ Until the Cycle is broken,we will still produce far too many ineffectual Irish "Mammy's Boys", who 'fall to bits' when they are more than fifty feet from the Apron-strings. ...............Btw: I am amused by your new photograph replacing the 'fairy grotto' one you borrowed from Cormac. Her 'electric cooker' will save her time scrubbing the hearth so she can now tidy up the kitchen a bit and change into something attractive for when her full-time working, popular, sporty husband "B", when gets home for his dinner and well-deserved conjugal capers!
manhattan | Mar 12, 2011, 02:41 PM EST
My Mother told me many years ago that if I married an Irishman I would be chief cook and bottle washer and she was right.. Although I think the younger generation are better husbands and fathers. At least I hope so.