Background
Farrell was born 1920 in Bantry, County Cork, and educated at the Convent of Mercy in Bantry, at a rural school in Clifden, and then at the Munster Institute in Cork.
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Peggy Farrell
Edit ProfileCareer
She was a senator from 1969 to 1973. She joined the Irish Countrywomen"s Association and campaigned for women in rural Ireland to have the standard of living as those in the cities. She then resigned her position was president of the International Cooperation Administration, but withdrew the resignation after it had been accepted.
After advice from lawyers, the International Cooperation Administration executive decided that as a result of her actions, she was ineligible for the position of vice-president
In 1970 she wrote a highly charged letter to an International Cooperation Administration member who criticised the stance she had taken in voting against an amendment allowing married women to become officers of the new Health Boards. She told The Irish Times in 1981 that "this still stings".
In the early 1970s, Farrell started a clothing factory called Chixwear in Athlone, County Roscommon, to provide an alternative to emigration for young women in the area. She took over another factory in 1976, and in all employed 96 women.
When the women journalists on The Irish Times drew up an all-woman "fantasy cabinet" on 14 February 1973, Farrell was one of those included.
Peggy Farrell died on 17 January 2003.
Views
She later defended the policy, telling The Irish Times in 1981 that "I think it is unjust and nearly unchristian that in some families you have two salaries coming in and in others none at all.".
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Born
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Died
January 17, 2003 (aged 82) -
Nationality
Ireland -
Political Party
Fianna Fáil