Úna Brennan

Úna Brennan (1888–1958) was an Irish republican and feminist, active during the Easter Rising of 1916 and both the War of Independence and Civil War.

Early life Born Anastasia Bolger in 1888 to John and Johanna (Whitty) Bolger, she was the eldest of six children in Coolnaboy, County Wexford.

She married Robert Brennan on 6 July 1909. He was in the Gaelic League and Sinn Féin. He taught Irish in Wexford, Tagoat, and Castlebridge. He was a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood and insisted they swear his wife in as well. He believed only two women were sworn in, his wife and Maud Gonne. According to Helena Molony she was a significant influence in the magazine Bean na hÉireann. with Marion Stokes and Gretta Comerford. She then set up an emergency hospital and kitchen which she ran for the duration of the occupation. Brennan was arrested and taken to gaol in Waterford and later to Mountjoy Prison. However she was released after a few days.

Family and later life She and her husband had three daughters, Emer, Maeve and Derry (Deirdre), as well as a son, Robert Patrick. Maeve Brennan became a well known writer. and the writer Roddy Doyle is her great-nephew. Robert Brennan was involved in politics and was sent to the USA. However the couple returned to Ireland in 1947. They lived in Rathfarnham, Dublin once Robert Brennan was Director of Broadcasting at Radio Éireann. Úna Brennan died in 1958.