Why are so many of Irish female politicians called Mary?

R

rmelly

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Has anyone else noticed that a large proportion of senior female Irish politicians are called Mary?

Here are the ones I can think of off the top of my head:

Mary McAleese (President)
Mary Robinson (ex-President)
Mary Hanafin (Minister)
Mary Harney (Minister, ex-Tanaiste, Party Leader/ex-Party Leader)
Mary Coughlan (Minister)
Mary O'Rourke (ex-Minister, ex-Senator, TD)
Dana RoseMARY Scallon (ex-MEP)
Mary Lou McDonald (MEP)
Mary Banotti (ex-MEP, ex-presidential candidate)

Any more?
 
Same sort of reason that there are so may men in their early thirties/late twenties called either John or Paul... it was popular for a time! You'll be pleased to know though that the future politician of Ireland is less likely to be "Mary", I give you [broken link removed] the name for politicians of the '50's (2050's that is....)
 
Mary means 'mother of sorrows' which is fairly apt for any politician, but most especially Mary Harney.
 
From [broken link removed]:
For very many years the Catholic Church in Ireland would not baptise a child unless the name chosen was that of a saint or, in the case of a girl, was a version of Mary. [...] So, there was a Mary (Máire), and a John (Seán), in just about every family and if enough children followed (and they often did!) parents would work their way through James (Seamus), Patrick (Padraig), Michael (Mícheál) and Thomas (Tomás), with Elizabeth (Eilís), Margaret (Máiréad) Brigid (Bríd) and Anne (Ainé) popular for girls. [...] For girls the use of the name Mary was extended by having so many different forms - Maire, Maureen, Maura, Molly. It was also popular to add Mary to another name and make a double name for girls - so a single family might include Mary-Kate, Mary-Pat and Mary-Jo. Even boys were often given Mary as a second or third name.
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Is there a Saint Sarah? (besides Carey, of course) ;)
 
so-crates said:
Same sort of reason that there are so may men in their early thirties/late twenties called either John or Paul... it was popular for a time! You'll be pleased to know though that the future politician of Ireland is less likely to be "Mary", I give you [broken link removed] the name for politicians of the '50's (2050's that is....)
Click to expand...

I would have said that the range there spans 20 years at least?
 
rmelly said:
Has anyone else noticed that a large proportion of senior female Irish politicians are called Mary?

Here are the ones I can think of off the top of my head:

Dana RoseMARY Scallon (ex-MEP)
Click to expand...

Come on she is not called Mary!
 
rmelly said:
Has anyone else noticed that a large proportion of senior female Irish politicians are called Mary?
Click to expand...

Adolf was a popular name in Germany with the majority of the population there, in a certain era. Not many people from minorities stuck their head above the parapet.

Was Jack Lynches middle name not Mary ? There is another one for you.
 
the name is nowhere near as popular in the rest of the population though surely?
 
I'd be fairly sure Mary matches the distribution in the general population.

For extra credit, compare the career history of Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese, then predict who our next President might be.
 
Mugs Game,

Funnily enough, the next President will also be female and will also be named Mary.

Look no further than Mary Davies from the Special Olympics organisation - place your bets now !!!

Sim
 
Vanilla said:
Oh come on, a puppet for president? That's like saying we'll have a muppet for taoiseach next...oh right..think I see where you are going with this.:eek:
Click to expand...
So I guess we get what we deserve, with all these puppets and muppets stringing us along?
Is there a place for their fellow party-members (the Papier Mache Party) Podge and Rodge in the surreal world of Irish political life? Finance, Justice Equality and Law Reform, Health?

Once elected and appointed, they can change their names to Mary or Maureen and build on the success of their predecessors in office.
 
What about Charlie McCreevy, as payback for being shafted by Ahern. I'd certainly vote for him, and I see no reason why it should be a women again. Especially not some bloody do-gooder like Bacik. No doubt she'd be inviting the PLO over to Áras an Uachtaráin if she won.
 
Ther are seven Marys in the Dail and no fewer than eleven Michaels!

That's really taking the mick....
 
DrMoriarty said:
From [broken link removed]:


Is there a Saint Sarah? (besides Carey, of course) ;)
Click to expand...
Yup! I saw a photo of a statue of St Sarah in a Hiberno/Religious magazine in Mass a few years ago. It was that of a non-Caucasian. It looked great against the snow background.
 
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