Tag Archives: Síle de Valera

SUNDAY will be an emotional afternoon for Síle de Valera, as the woman who represented Clare in the Dáil for 20 years returns for the commemoration of her grandfather’s East Clare by-election win of 1917. Fianna Fáil has organised a range of events to mark the centenary in Ennis. One of the central figures in 20th century Ireland, Eamon de Valera played a major part in his granddaughter’s decision to enter politics, while she has warm memories of him as a caring grandfather. Indeed, she feels Dev might have lavished more affection on his grandchildren because the circumstances of his life meant he had often been separated from his own children when they were young. “At a personal level, I was 20 when he died, so I had the opportunity to know him very well as a grandfather. I have lovely memories of that and it’s interesting to juxtaposition the personal from the political. Very often, people saw him as …

THE 100th anniversary of the election of Éamon de Valera at the 1917 East Clare By-Election will be marked by a series of commemorative events in Ennis later this month. Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and Síle de Valera, grand-daughter of de Valera and former Clare TD, will attend the events planned for Saturday, July 22. The commemorative events will take place at the Old Ground Hotel at 2pm and will include lectures from noted historians, music by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éíreann and a photographic and election memorabilia exhibition. Deputy Martin will make an address to the audience. Following the activities in the hotel, a full dress parade, led by a brass band, will march, led by Micheál Martin and Síle DeValera, from the Old Ground Hotel to the O’Connell Monument – the site of some of Éamon de Valera’s most famous speeches. At the O’Connell monument, there will be a re-enactment of the announcement of the election of de Valera, …