Maude Gonne was the most famous female activist of the Irish independence movement at the turn of the twentieth century. Known at the height of her career as “Ireland’s Joan of Arc”, Gonne founded and supported numerous organizations which sought to undermine British rule in Ireland and raise public support for an organized Irish rebellion. She was also one of the more flamboyant figures of her age, and was renowned in Ireland and Europe for her beauty, her unwavering commitment to Irish nationalism, and her tempestuous personal affairs.
The details of Gonne’s early history remain somewhat unclear. Her 1938 autobiography, A Servant of the Queen, provides an official history that emphasizes her family’s close ties to Ireland and her early conversion to the cause of Irish freedom.
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Citation: Cusack, George. "Maude Gonne". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 17 June 2005 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=5932, accessed 23 April 2024.]
