Margaret Collins-O'Driscoll

Margaret Mary Collins was born in Woodfield, Clonakilty, County Cork in 1878. The eldest of three daughters and five sons of Michael Collins, a farmer, and Mary Anne O'Brien.[2] She was the eldest sister of the Irish revolutionary leader Michael Collins. She was educated at Baggot Street Training College and was a schoolteacher and school principal before entering politics.[3] A primary-school teacher, for many years she was principal of Lisavaird girls' national school in Clonakilty, and also taught in Dublin.[2]

She was the first female Cumann na nGaedhael TD. in 1926 she was elected a vice-president of the party, and was the only female member of the Dáil between September 1927 and February 1932.[2]

She was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Cumann na nGaedheal TD for the Dublin North constituency at the 1923 general election.[4] Socially conversative, she voted in favour of the 1928 Censorship of Publications bill, which banned indecent literature and publications that referred to birth control; and she voted with the government in favour of the 1924 and 1927 juries bills, which restricted jury service for women.[2]

She was re-elected at each subsequent election until she lost her seat at the 1933 general election.[5]

She married Patrick O'Driscoll on 8 September 1901 at Rosscarbery's Roman Catholic chapel in County Cork. The couple had 14 children, five sons and nine daughters.[2]

Actress Dervla Kirwan is a great-granddaughter of the O'Driscolls.[6]