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Mary Frances McDonald

1929 – 2021

Irish feminist

Feminist Irish Countrywomen's Association
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About Mary Frances McDonald

Lived 1929 – 2021 (aged 91–92). Mary Frances McDonald was a feminist and irish Countrywomen's Association.

Mary Frances McDonald (aka Mamo McDonald, 1929 – 17 June 2021 ) was an Irish feminist.

Born Mary Frances Bowen in Tuam, County Galway, she joined the Irish Countrywomen's Association while living in Croom, County Limerick c.1947. She married Eugene McDonald in 1950, and was therefore required by law to leave her job at a bank. He died in 1979.

For over sixty-four years McDonald was a member of the ICA Clones Guild, which she helped to found. She became ICA National President in 1982 and played a major role in its acceptance as part of the women's movement in late-20th century Ireland. In 1999 she received a People of the Year award in recognition of her services for Irish women and older people. She was an Honorary President of the Association.

McDonald had eleven children. She described in an interview that "I didn’t start out as a feminist. It was life that made a feminist of me." In 2012, she stated her belief that the most life-changing invention for women is the washing machine.

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Important facts

Born
1929, Tuam
Birth century
Died
2021
Nationality
Irish people
Awards
People of the Year Awards

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Mary Frances McDonald's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Mary Frances McDonald?

Irish feminist

When was Mary Frances McDonald born?

Mary Frances McDonald was born in 1929 in Tuam.

When did Mary Frances McDonald die?

Mary Frances McDonald died in 2021.

What was Mary Frances McDonald's occupation?

Mary Frances McDonald was a feminist and irish Countrywomen's Association.

What nationality was Mary Frances McDonald?

Mary Frances McDonald's recorded nationality: Irish people.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Mary Frances McDonald

· Wikidata: Q6779577

· DBpedia: Mary Frances McDonald

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Mary Frances McDonald. https://biography.guide/mary-frances-mcdonald/

MLA: "Mary Frances McDonald." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/mary-frances-mcdonald/.

Chicago: "Mary Frances McDonald." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/mary-frances-mcdonald/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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