Kathleen O'Brennan

Kathleen O'Brennan (20 November 1876 – 1948) was an Irish campaigner for Irish independence in the US, a journalist and a playwright.

Early life Catherine Mary Brennan was born 20 November 1876, the daughter of Francis Brennan, auctioneer, and his wife, Elizabeth Anne Butler, while they lived in 11 South Richmond Street, Dublin. They reclaimed the 'O' of their name at a time when many Irish families were returning to the 'Mac' or 'O' version that had been unrecognised for a century. Her sister Áine O'Brennan married Éamonn Ceannt and her younger sister Lily O'Brennan was a writer and playwright. Her father died in 1880, her mother in 1930. O'Brennan was a journalist and playwright. She was appointed Dublin correspondent to the London Times and went on to submit work regularly to the Irish Times and the Irish Tatler.

American life While Lily and Áine were involved directly in the Easter Rising in 1916, O'Brennan was in the United States. She didn't let her absence from Dublin prevent her from working hard to ensure the success of Ireland's bid for independence.

According to research by historian Catherine M Burns, O'Brennan arrived in America in October 1914 and stayed there for longer than expected due to the difficulty of transatlantic travel during the First World War. Working as a journalist and lecturer, O'Brennan traveled to California and Oregon and spoke to women's organisations as an authority on the Gaelic league and Irish art and culture.

Her lectures included details she got from her sisters and photos of Éamonn Ceannt and his son, Rónán.

While on the US West Coast, O'Brennan's ties to the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) brought her to the attention of the US authorities, who tracked her movements and associations. She became involved in the IWW through Dr Marie Equi, with whom she had a romantic relationship. When Equi was arrested, O'Brennan worked to see her released and continued to agitate until her own arrest in 1919 during the Red Scare. The US government issued a deportation order for O'Brennan, but it was not enforced. During this period, O'Brennan founded the Women's Irish Education League in San Francisco in May 1919.

Later life O'Brennan's play Full Measure premiered in the Abbey Theatre in 1928.

She is buried in Dean's Grange Cemetery with her sister Lily.

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