A champion of women's suffrage

It is hard to know what Dr Mary Strangman, the first woman elected to a Waterford local authority, would think of the outcome of Waterford’s local elections, where 29% of the candidates who contested the election were women, but only 16% were elected. Dr Strangman was recognised in March at City Hall when The Large Room was renamed in her honour.

Born in Carriganore in 1872, Mary entered the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, the first medical school in the UK and Ireland to admit women on equal terms with men, along with her sister Lucia. After graduation she built a pioneering medical career in the UK.

Mary returned to Waterford in 1903 where she set up practice, championing public health and advocating for women’s rights. As a suffragist, she was acutely aware of the inequities in women’s healthcare and franchise rights, and when in 1911 women became eligible for election to local council, she stood for election, becoming Waterford’s first female councillor on January 15, 1912.

Outgoing Mayor of Waterford, Cllr Joe Conway, said: “Dr Strangman’s dedication to public health marked her out as a remarkable person in any era, but especially in her own. In renaming this function room in City Hall the Dr Mary Strangman Large Room, we reaffirm our commitment to upholding the values she held dear.”

The motion to rename The Large Room was proposed by Cllr Mary Roche.

“Mary Strangman was ahead of her time. Not only was she a medical professional who championed the introduction of an accessible and fair public health system, she advocated for women. She was a vital catalyst for the foundation and success of Waterford’s suffrage activities. Today, her legacy is more relevant than ever.”