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Political career

Margaret supported both son’s political beliefs. After their execution, she wished to maintain their legacy and became involved in political life.

During the 1920 Poor Law Elections for the Rathmines area of Dublin, Margaret stood as a Sinn Féin candidate and was elected on the first count. She was elected to the 2nd Dáil as a Sinn Féin Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin County constituency at the 1921 elections.

She strongly opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty and in a Dáil Treaty debate she argued:

“People will say to me: “The people of Ireland want this Treaty.” I have been through Ireland for the past few years and I know the hearts and sorrows of the wives of Ireland. I have studied them; no one studied them more, and let no one here say that these women from their hearts could say they accept that Treaty. They say it through fear; they say it through fear of the aeroplanes and all that has been said to them. Now I will ask you again there are some members here who may remember what Pádraig Pearse said in the early autumn of 1915. He said it when he was inspecting the Volunteers at Vinegar Hill. He told them there on that day: “We, the Volunteers, are formed here not for half of Ireland, not to give the British Garrison control of part of Ireland. No! we are here for the whole of Ireland .”

Margaret was defeated at the 1922 general election and she never stood for election again. However, this was not the end of her political life as she served on the Fianna Fáil executive and started the printing press for the first edition of the Irish Press.

Her daughter Margaret Mary Pearse also served as a TD, for Fianna Fáil from 1933 to 1937, and later served in Seanad Éireann as a senator from 1938 until her death in 1968.