Since 1996, 244 women have died at the hands of men on our small island of Ireland. 18 children have died along with their mothers and only 191 of all the cases have been resolved.
What does the word femicide mean? A brief description given by Women’s Aid is understood to be the killing of women and girls by men. Most cases of femicide are committed by partners or ex-partners but as recent tragedy has shown, that is not always the case. The term femicide is used to describe these killings as many of them happen due to the simple fact that the victims of these crimes are women.
In 2021, 7 women died in femicide related incidents. On April 17th, 2021, avid GAA player Jennifer Poole was held hostage in her apartment by her boyfriend before he stabbed her to death with one of her children present at the time. Later in the year on November 4th, 2021, Fabíole Camara De Campos, a Brazilian customer support analyst, was brutally stabbed by her husband in their apartment.
While these are only two horrifying examples of the atrocious reality for women in Ireland today, the names of these women should not just be associated with their deaths. Their names should be spoken with love and remembrance of the beautiful people they were. Jennifer’s mother said, “her life revolved around her kids and being a mammy,” while Fabíole was described by friends as “an amazing person who was full of dreams.”
Since 1996, there have always been at least 2 women killed each year. The number in the past 26 years has never been zero. The senseless killing of women in Ireland cannot continue. We can’t let this be a reality for us, our friends, our family, for anyone.
This article is dedicated to the life and memory of all 244 women who have been victims of femicide in Ireland. We cannot let their deaths be in vain. We must be the change, shift the attitude and start the conversation to keep women safe in our country.
May they rest in peace. May we riot in their memory.
1996
Marilyn Rynn, Joyce Quinn, Mary Molumby, Sandra Tobin, Noeleen Cawley, Alison White, AnneMarie Duffin, Martina Halligan, Angela Collins, Patti Bainbridge, Patricia Murphy, Veronica Guerin, Margaret O’Suillivan, Maura McKinney, Fiona Pender, Ms Shirley Clince, Janey Mooney, Sophie Toscan du Plantier, Belinda Pereira, Geraldine Diver and Miriam O’ Donohue.
1997
Ciara Breen, Mary Callinan, Sylvia Sheilds, Bernie Sherry, Kitty Gubbins, Mandy Wong, Elizabeth Troy, Catherine Doyle, Margaret Murphy, Sheila McDonagh, Gillian Thornton, Mary Cully, Mary Kelehan and Eileen Costello O’Shaughnessy.
1998
Mandy Smyth, Fiona Sinnott, Joan McCarthy, Georgina O’Donnell, Sinead Kelly, Deirdre Jacob, Chantal Bergeron, Theresa Doherty, Christina Hackett, Marie Dillon, Siobhan Hynes and Sheila Lynch.
1999
Catherine Hegarty, Layla Brennan, Marie Hennessy, Gertrude Dolan, Bente Carroll, Eileen Coyne, Bridget McFadden, Margaret Concannon, Raonaid Murray, Charlene McAulliffe and Catherine Mullins.
2000
Rachel Sandeman, Nancy Nolan, Jennifer Donnan, Maeve Byrne, Rachel Keily, Dearbhla Keating, Jean Reilly, Jennifer Wilkinson, Sandra Collins and Susan Prakash.
2001
Mary Whelan, Lui Quing, Teresa Joyce, Debbie Fox, Geraldine Kissane, Margaret Fahy, Linda Dunne, Bettina Poeschel, Lorraine O’Connor, Sr Philomena Lyons and Lisa Bell.
2002
Grainne Dillon, Joan Power, Rosie Collinson, Nichola Sweeney, Niamh Murphy, Nora Kiely, Carmel Coyne, Mook Ah Mooi, Christine Quinn and Sasha Pimosieje.
2003
Jean Scanlon. Marie Bridgeman. Cliona Magner. Natasha Gray, Lindita Kukaj, Georgina Eager, Xiang Yi Wang, Ann Flynn and Attracta Harron.
2004
Dolores McCrea, Joan Casey, Janet Chaney, Lorraine Crowley, Ms Jamie Farrelly Maughan, Paiche Onyemaechi, Lynette McKeown, Mary Walsh, Elizabeth McCarthy, Rachel O’Reilly, Marguerite O’Dwyer and Colleen Mulder.
2005
Celia Bailey, Irene White, Emer O’Loughlin, Mary Hannon, Catherine McEnery, Frances Ralph, Ann Walsh, Rosemary Dowling and Regina O’Connor.
2006
Amy Farrell, Rebecca Kinsella, Siobhan Kearney, Donna Cleary, Karen Guinee, Sheola Keaney, Breda Ryan, Melissa Mahon, Meg Walsh and Baiba Saulite.
2007
Rose Patterson, Ciara Dunne, Anne Marie O’Neill, Sara Neligan, Mary Sleator, Jean Gilbert, Sharon Coughlan, Amanda Jenkins, Manuela Riedo, Joanne Mangan, Marion O’Leary, Ciara Ní Chathmhaoil and Sylvia Roche Kelly.
2008
Marioara Rostas, Lorraine Flood, Nicola Vonkova, Kezia Gomes Rosa, Carmel Breen, Noeleen Brennan, Yvonne O’Shea, Celine Cawley, Rebecca Hoban and Sharon Whelan.
2009
Anne Corcoran, Joan Vickers, Tracey O’Brien, Carmel Marrinan, Eugenia Bratis, Brenda Ahern, Lisa Doyle, Rebecca French and Joselita De Silva.
2010
Loradena Pricajan, Catherine Smart, Breda Cummins, Helen Donegan, Sarah Hines, and Alicia Brough.
2011
Breda Waters, Marie Greene, Katarzyna Barowiak, Noreen Kelly Eadon, Deirdre McCarthy, Diane Burroughs and Ann Henry.
2012
Veronica Vollrath, Rudo Mawere, Melanie McCarthy McNamara, Sarah Regan, Mary Ryan, Siobhan Stapleton, Elizabeth Duff, Jacqueline McDonagh, Elaine O’Hara, Anna Finnegan and. Aoife Phelan.
2013
Olivia Dunlea O’Brien, Deirdre Keenan, Jolanta Lubiene, Aleksandra Sarzynska, Patricia Kierans, Susan Dunne and Sara Staunton.
2014
Sonia Blount, Mary Dargan, Mairead Moran, Lynn Cassidy, Antra Ozolina, Carol McAuley, Marie O’Brien, Kathleen Cuddihy, Angelique Belling and Valerie Greaney.
2015
Jane Braidwood, Anne Shortall, Marie Quigley, Natalie McGuiness, Brigid Maguire and Marian Horgan.
2016
Clodagh Hawe and Kitty Fitzgerald.
2017
Nicola Collins, Samantha Walsh, Amy McCarthy, Saoirse Smith, Rita Apine, Patricia O’Connor, Linda Evans (Christian), Antoinette Corbally, Anne Colomines and Rose Hanrahan.
2018
Joanne Ball (Lee), Natalia Karaczyn, Anastasia Kriegel, Jastine Valdez, Giedre Raguckiate, Ingrida Maciokaite and Amanda Carroll.
2019
Elzbieta Piotrowska, Jasmine McMonagle, Cathy Ward, Skaidrite Valdgeima, Valerie French Kilroy and Nadine Lott.
2020
Jean Eagers, Neasa Murray and Seema Banu.
2021
Urantsetseq “Urnaa” Tserendorj, Mary O’Keffee, Sharon Bennett, Jennifer Poole, Eileen O’Sullivan, Fabiole Camara De Campos and Zeinat Dashabsheh.
2022
Ashling Murphy.Femicide In Ireland