Josephine McNeill

Josephine McNeill (31 March 1895 – 19 November 1969) was an Irish diplomat. She was the first Irish female diplomat appointed to represent Ireland abroad in a ministerial capacity.

Early life Josephine McNeill was born Josephine Ahearne in Fermoy, County Cork, on 31 March 1895. She was the daughter of shopkeeper and hotelier, James Ahearne and his wife Ellen Ahearne (née O'Brien). She attended the Loretto Convent, Fermoy, and went on to graduate from University College Dublin with a BA H.Dip.Ed. in French and German. With this she began a teaching career, at St Louis’ Convent, Kiltimagh, at the Ursuline Convent, Thurles, and at Scoil Íde. Scoil Íde had been established by her friend, Louise Gavan Duffy, the female counterpart to St. Enda's School. McNeill was a fluent Irish speaker, and took an active part in the cultural elements of the Irish independence movement such as literature and music. She was a member of Cumann na mBan, serving as a member of the executive committee in 1921.

She had been engaged to Pierce McCann, but he died of influenza in Gloucester jail in March 1919. She married James McNeill in 1923, while he was serving as Irish high commissioner in London. Despite her reservations, McNeill became a noted hostess, both in London and later in Dublin when her husband became the Governor-General of the Irish Free State from 1928 to 1932. She was appointed the minister to the Netherlands in 1950 by Seán MacBride, making her the first Irish female diplomat to represent the Republic of Ireland abroad in a ministerial capacity. This appointment was not well received by diplomats in the Department of External Affairs. Her reports from The Hague focused on the issues the Netherlands faced with decolonisation. In 1955 she became the minister to Sweden, going on to hold the joint appointment to Austria and Switzerland from 1956 to 1960, after which she retired.

Later life McNeill was an amateur pianist and collected paintings and porcelains. In 1933 she published the Irish language book, Finnsgéalta ó India. She died in St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin on 19 November 1969, and is buried in Kilbarrack Cemetery.