Sinead de Valera

On a day when the debate continues as to who the Fianna Fail Presidential election candidate will be ….today also marks the 50th anniversary of the death of President of Ireland, Eamon de Valera. But did you know his wife, Sinead,  an accomplished writer and author also died 50 years ago this year. Here the Irish News reports on her death:

SINEAD de VALERA DIES AT 97…Mrs. de Valera entered the home a year ago. Born in Balbriggan in 1878, Sinead O'Flanagan met her husband when he joined the class to which she was teaching Gaelic in 1909. A year later they were married. Mr. de Valera was himself a Professor of Mathematics at Drumcondra teachers' training college at the time. It was their shared interest in the revival of Gaelic that brought them together, and this proved to be a common bond throughout their married life. Mrs. de Valera had been ill for some time. She and her husband, would have been married for 65 years today. The couple had four sons and two daughters. Mr. de Valera, 92, retired as President two years ago and now lives in retirement. While her New York born husband rose to lead the nation, she remained in the background. When her husband was elected President in June 1959, her seclusion became of necessity less complete. But she still shunned the limelight except when she could not avoid it. Mrs. de Valera had more than 27 of her books, playlets, poems, games and stories for children published. The funeral will take place to Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin, tomorrow after a Requiem Mass.

For more information search the pages of the Irish Newspaper Archive (www.irishnewsarchive.com )