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| First woman MP Markievicz honoured in Parliament | First woman MP Markievicz honoured in Parliament |
| (2 days later) | |
| One hundred years after winning a seat in the House of Commons, the first woman MP finally graces the corridors of Westminster. | One hundred years after winning a seat in the House of Commons, the first woman MP finally graces the corridors of Westminster. |
| It was a seat that Constance Markievicz never took - in line with Sinn Féin's abstentionist policy. | It was a seat that Constance Markievicz never took - in line with Sinn Féin's abstentionist policy. |
| Remarkably, she fought the 1918 election for the constituency of Dublin St Patrick's from a cell in Holloway prison - and out of 18 women candidates, she was the only one to win a seat. | Remarkably, she fought the 1918 election for the constituency of Dublin St Patrick's from a cell in Holloway prison - and out of 18 women candidates, she was the only one to win a seat. |
| Her portrait, donated by the Irish parliament, was received on Wednesday by Speaker John Bercow on behalf of the House of Commons. | Her portrait, donated by the Irish parliament, was received on Wednesday by Speaker John Bercow on behalf of the House of Commons. |
| Ready to die for Ireland | Ready to die for Ireland |
| Born in 1868, Constance Gore-Booth was an Anglo-Irish aristocrat, but developed an allegiance to an Irish Republic. | Born in 1868, Constance Gore-Booth was an Anglo-Irish aristocrat, but developed an allegiance to an Irish Republic. |
| She spent her childhood at Lissadell House in County Sligo, but was eager to travel and studied art in London and Paris. | She spent her childhood at Lissadell House in County Sligo, but was eager to travel and studied art in London and Paris. |
| It was at the Académie Julian in Paris that she met Casimir Markievicz; the pair married in London in 1900. | It was at the Académie Julian in Paris that she met Casimir Markievicz; the pair married in London in 1900. |
| Commonly known as Count and Countess Markievicz, her family and some historians have raised questions about the provenance of the title. | Commonly known as Count and Countess Markievicz, her family and some historians have raised questions about the provenance of the title. |
| Campaigned against Churchill | Campaigned against Churchill |
| Constance Markievicz - or Madame de Markievicz, as she was known - was the first woman elected to the House of Commons, and she was the first woman elected to the First Dáil. | Constance Markievicz - or Madame de Markievicz, as she was known - was the first woman elected to the House of Commons, and she was the first woman elected to the First Dáil. |
| Speaker of the Dáil (Irish parliament) Seán Ó Fearghaíl believes both the British and Irish people "need reminding just how magnificent this woman was". | Speaker of the Dáil (Irish parliament) Seán Ó Fearghaíl believes both the British and Irish people "need reminding just how magnificent this woman was". |
| "She was an extraordinarily influential" woman, he added. | "She was an extraordinarily influential" woman, he added. |
| Lauren Arrington, a senior lecturer at the Institute of Irish Studies at Liverpool University, said Markievicz was exposed to alternative political opinions while she was in the French capital. | Lauren Arrington, a senior lecturer at the Institute of Irish Studies at Liverpool University, said Markievicz was exposed to alternative political opinions while she was in the French capital. |
| "She was at the centre of an avant-garde culture in Paris and she encountered ideals that were sensible to her - that women should be equal to men," said Dr Arrington. | "She was at the centre of an avant-garde culture in Paris and she encountered ideals that were sensible to her - that women should be equal to men," said Dr Arrington. |
| Constance joined her sister, Eva, in Manchester in 1908: As key players in the Barmaids' Political Defence League, they successfully campaigned against the re-election of Winston Churchill in the Manchester North West by-election. | Constance joined her sister, Eva, in Manchester in 1908: As key players in the Barmaids' Political Defence League, they successfully campaigned against the re-election of Winston Churchill in the Manchester North West by-election. |
| Hearing executions from her cell | Hearing executions from her cell |
| But while Markievicz was an anti-imperialist, the 1913 Dublin lockout was a pivotal moment for her. | But while Markievicz was an anti-imperialist, the 1913 Dublin lockout was a pivotal moment for her. |
| "It's the lockout and the formation of the Irish Citizen Army which brings her to republicanism," said Dr Arrington. | "It's the lockout and the formation of the Irish Citizen Army which brings her to republicanism," said Dr Arrington. |
| Constance Markievicz took part in the Easter Rising of 1916 and fought against British crown forces under socialist rebel Michael Mallin at St Stephen's Green in Dublin. | Constance Markievicz took part in the Easter Rising of 1916 and fought against British crown forces under socialist rebel Michael Mallin at St Stephen's Green in Dublin. |
| On Easter Monday Dublin Metropolitan police officer Michael Lahiff was shot three times when he was at St Stephen's Green and he later died in hospital. | |
| It is believed Mr Lahiff was shot by Markievicz. | |
| The rising was unsuccessful and the ringleaders, including Markievicz, were sentenced to death. | The rising was unsuccessful and the ringleaders, including Markievicz, were sentenced to death. |
| At her court martial, Markievicz declared she was "ready to die for Ireland one way or another". | At her court martial, Markievicz declared she was "ready to die for Ireland one way or another". |
| However, Markievicz's death sentence was commuted to life in prison because she was a woman. | However, Markievicz's death sentence was commuted to life in prison because she was a woman. |
| This greatly frustrated her, according to Dr Arrington. | This greatly frustrated her, according to Dr Arrington. |
| "It annoyed her as she felt that she shouldn't get off purely because she was a woman, and she also felt some responsibility for the jailed rebels she knew from Na Fianna Éireann - a nationalist youth organisation Markievicz co-founded with Bulmer Hobson," explained Ms Arrington. | "It annoyed her as she felt that she shouldn't get off purely because she was a woman, and she also felt some responsibility for the jailed rebels she knew from Na Fianna Éireann - a nationalist youth organisation Markievicz co-founded with Bulmer Hobson," explained Ms Arrington. |
| "In the first few days after the Rising she was in prison in Kilmainham Gaol, and she could hear the other executions happening from her cell. | "In the first few days after the Rising she was in prison in Kilmainham Gaol, and she could hear the other executions happening from her cell. |
| "That was torturous for her." | "That was torturous for her." |
| Proud Irish patriot | Proud Irish patriot |
| Although Constance Markievicz was released from prison in 1917 under a general amnesty, she was detained again by 1918. | Although Constance Markievicz was released from prison in 1917 under a general amnesty, she was detained again by 1918. |
| The British government feared a repeat of the 1916 Easter Rising and arrested most of the Sinn Féin leadership charging them with entering into treasonable communication with the German enemy. | The British government feared a repeat of the 1916 Easter Rising and arrested most of the Sinn Féin leadership charging them with entering into treasonable communication with the German enemy. |
| "The charges were trumped-up", explains Dr Arrington adding that "the government underestimated the extent to which the imprisonment would be a rallying-cry and actually increase Sinn Fein's political power". | "The charges were trumped-up", explains Dr Arrington adding that "the government underestimated the extent to which the imprisonment would be a rallying-cry and actually increase Sinn Fein's political power". |
| Later that year, Prime Minister David Lloyd George called a general election immediately after Armistice Day. | Later that year, Prime Minister David Lloyd George called a general election immediately after Armistice Day. |
| Campaigning from a cell in London's Holloway prison, Markievicz combined her suffragist ideals with her anti-imperialism. | Campaigning from a cell in London's Holloway prison, Markievicz combined her suffragist ideals with her anti-imperialism. |
| "Her platform was for a republic in which men and woman would be equal, and Ireland would be free to pursue its own destiny," said Lauren Arrington. | "Her platform was for a republic in which men and woman would be equal, and Ireland would be free to pursue its own destiny," said Lauren Arrington. |
| Rather than take her seat in the House of Commons, Madame de Markievicz - along with 72 other Sinn Féin MPs - refused to acknowledge the authority of the British government, and instead helped establish the First Dáil at Dublin's Mansion House in January 1919. | Rather than take her seat in the House of Commons, Madame de Markievicz - along with 72 other Sinn Féin MPs - refused to acknowledge the authority of the British government, and instead helped establish the First Dáil at Dublin's Mansion House in January 1919. |
| Markievicz died in 1927 aged 59, in a public ward in Dublin's Sir Patrick Dun's hospital. | Markievicz died in 1927 aged 59, in a public ward in Dublin's Sir Patrick Dun's hospital. |
| Her funeral was attended by the great and the good of Irish society, including future President Éamon de Valera. | Her funeral was attended by the great and the good of Irish society, including future President Éamon de Valera. |
| Aristocrat, abstentionist, anti-imperialist, suffragette, feminist, and Irish revolutionary, Constance Markievicz is now honoured in the House of Commons for her role in Anglo-Irish history. | Aristocrat, abstentionist, anti-imperialist, suffragette, feminist, and Irish revolutionary, Constance Markievicz is now honoured in the House of Commons for her role in Anglo-Irish history. |
| Her portrait forms part of the UK Parliament's Voice and Vote exhibition until 6 October, when it will be transferred to nearby Portcullis House to go on public display. | Her portrait forms part of the UK Parliament's Voice and Vote exhibition until 6 October, when it will be transferred to nearby Portcullis House to go on public display. |