Condell, Frances

Identity Statement

Reference Code: P3/
Title: Frances Condell Papers
Dates: 1920-1995
Extent: 6 Boxes

Context

Frances Condell was born Frances Eades in 1916 in Limerick. She worked as a teacher in Villiers School from 1955 until 1959, when she was appointed welfare officer for the Shannon Free Airport Development Company. In 1964, she was appointed public relations officer for Guinness Ireland on a part-time basis. Condell entered local politics in 1960, when she was elected as a non-political and first ever female Councillor to Limerick City Council. She was nominated and elected mayor of Limerick in 1962, the first woman ever to be officially voted into this position in Ireland. She was re-elected mayor in 1963, during which term she was to host several visiting dignitaries, most notably President John F. Kennedy, Senator Edward Kennedy, President Kaunda of Zambia, Cardinal Browne, and 'Lady Bird' Johnson, wife of President Lyndon B. Johnson. Condell withdrew from political life in 1967 owing to health problems. Throughout her life, Condell also worked as a journalist and was a regular contributor of articles and poetry to the Limerick Echo, The Church of Ireland Gazette, Woman's Way and The Irish Independent. She died in 1986.

Content & Structure

The material consists of correspondence, speeches, press cuttings, photographs and taped interviews relating to Condell's political career; typescripts and drafts of poems, articles, and short stories for children; genealogical material and photographs relating to the Eades family, and audio tapes of interviews. Collection highlights include letters signed by President John F. Kennedy and Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson, and correspondence with the American poet Beverley Githens Dresbach.

Anna-Maria Hajba and Sean Liston

21 February 2008

Conditions of Access & Use

Access: Available by appointment
Finding Aid: Descriptive List (click on link attached)