'The Red Flag Was Everywhere in Evidence' - Dr Anna Lively

This talk explores the little-known activities of Irish women in Russia, Romania and Ukraine during World War One as part of the Scottish Women’s Hospitals. Founded in 1914, the Scottish Women’s Hospitals had strong connections to the British and Irish suffrage movements and established multiple field hospitals to support the allied cause. Through this work, Irish women like anaesthetist and dispenser Agnes Murphy ended up being eyewitnesses to the Russian Revolution of 1917. They also had lively encounters with British and Irish members of the Royal Naval Armoured Car Division, which was supporting the Russian army on the Eastern Front at the same time. Exploring these personal accounts reveals divided attitudes to revolution, gender and nationhood and demonstrates the diversity of Irish women’s wartime experiences.

By Dr Anna Lively, Leverhulme Early Career Fellow, University of Strathclyde.

This is a Govanhill Baths Community Trust Irish History Group event. All are welcome!

The Irish History Group is supported and funded by the Irish Government Emigrant Support Programme.

For more information on the Irish History Group visit our Facebook group or email [email protected]

Cover photo depicts The Scottish Women’s Hospitals in Romania: ‘A view of road with staff watching either soldiers on the move or refugees fleeing, Romania’. Glass lantern slide collection, Royal College of Nursing.