Flanagan, Sinéad (1878–1975)

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Flanagan, Sinéad (1878–1975)

Irish actress and wife of the 1st president of Ireland. Name variations: Sinead Flanagan; Sinéad de Valera; Sinéad Bean de Valera (means Sinéad, the wife of de Valera). Born Sinéad Flanagan, June 3, 1878; died Jan 7, 1975; attended Irish College, 1909; m. Eamon de Valera (1882–1975, 1st president of Ireland), Jan 1910 (died 1975); children: 2 daughters, Emer de Valera and Máirín de Valera (b. April 1912, professor of Botany at Galway University); and 5 sons, éamonn, Ruairí, Terry, Vivion, and Brian.

Popular and politically active member of the Gaelic League, was one of Eamon de Valera's teachers; married him (Jan 8, 1910); soon after he became head of the Irish government (1932), began to write for children in Irish and English; was unassuming and avoided the limelight.

See also Women in World History.