Nora Bennis Explained

Nora Bennis
Birth Name:Nora Shinners
Birth Date:11 November 1940
Years Active:1992 to 2016
Party:Catholic Democrats

Nora Bennis (11 November 1940 – 11 February 2019)[1] was an Irish housewife and political activist from Limerick, who was a prominent advocate of traditional Catholic family values in the 1990s.[2]

Early and personal life

Bennis was born Nora Shinners, the daughter of Paul Shinners, a veteran of the Easter Rising and Fianna Fáil supporter who emigrated to England and returned to Limerick after marrying Margaret, with whom he had five children.[2] Aged 22, Nora married Gerry Bennis, who worked for Telecom Éireann and was prominent in Limerick GAA;[2] his brothers Richie and Phil both won a 1973 All-Ireland hurling medal.[3] Nora and Gerry had three daughters and a son.[2] She taught Irish dance.[4]

Early activism

Bennis began her activism after going to a 1990 conference in Brighton hoping to hear Mother Teresa, who did not attend.[2] She was impressed by speakers who criticised the "liberal agenda".[2] After the 1992 X Case reopened Ireland's abortion debate, she started Women Working at Home and the Irish Mothers Working at Home Association, as a support network for housewives who felt isolated or ignored.[2] [5] She criticised the Department of Education's sex education program as being values-free,[6] and its "Stay Safe" program of child sexual abuse awareness as undermining parental authority.[7]

In 1994 she became leader of the Solidarity Movement, an alliance of independent political candidates linked to the Family Solidarity pressure-group.[2] She stood as an independent in Munster in the 1994 European Parliament election, getting 5% of the first-preference vote.[8] This unexpectedly strong showing increased her media profile.[2] In 1995 the Solidarity Movement was part of the "No to Divorce" campaign, one of two coalitions which opposed the successful 1995 referendum to introduce divorce.[2] After the referendum, she founded the National Party, which was anti-abortion and proposed a £100 allowance for non-working mothers.[4] She stood for the party in Limerick East in the general elections of 1997 and 2002 and the 1998 by-election, receiving progressively fewer votes.[8]

2010s

Bennis was a spokesperson for Catholic Democrats (previously named National Party and the Christian Democrats) and secretary of Mothers Alliance Ireland; both groups opposed the 2012 children's rights amendment.[9] [10] [11] She formed a group called Alliance of Parents Against the State, intended to co-ordinate opposition to the amendment.[12] She claimed the amendment would put children "in grave danger of being legally snatched by the State".[13]

Bennis was one of three substitutes for Catholic Democrats candidate Theresa Heaney in the South constituency in the 2014 European elections.[14] She was a candidate in the 2016 General Election in the Limerick City constituency, where she failed to be elected, receiving 1.4% of the first-preference vote.[15] [16] [17]

Death

Bennis died in Limerick on 11 February 2019, aged 78.[18]

Notes and References

  1. News: You know who I am, and what I stand for. 26 May 1997. The Irish Times. You can tell by the smile lines around her 56 year old eyes.. 9 November 2012.
  2. News: Cummins. Mary. Seeking the return of Dev's dream . The Irish Times . 21 September 1995 . 13 .
    reprinted in
    • Book: Cummins, Mary . The best of About women . 1996-10-01 . Marino . 9781860230479 . 119–123.
    • Book: Deane . Seamus . Carpenter . Andrew . Williams . Jonathan . Irish women's writing and traditions . 9 November 2012 . The Field Day Anthology of Irish Writing . 5 . 2002 . NYU Press . 9780814799079 . 277–9.
  3. News: Limerick hurling fan dies of cancer on death row. Woulfe. Jimmy. 17 August 2007. Irish Examiner. 10 July 2015 . Nora Bennis, who is married to Richie Bennis’s brother, Gerry.
  4. News: 'Rainbow' coalition narrows gap in run-up to Irish poll. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220621/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/rainbow-coalition-narrows-gap-in-runup-to-irish-poll-1263706.html . 21 June 2022 . subscription . live. Murdoch. Alan. 27 May 1997. The Independent. 9 November 2012. London.
  5. Book: Kennedy, Finola. Cottage to crèche: family change in Ireland. 2001. Institute of Public Administration. 9781902448589.
  6. Book: Inglis, Tom. Lessons in Irish sexuality. 1999-01-01. University College Dublin Press. 9781900621168. 117.
  7. News: Bennis leads national Solidarity campaign for family values. 6 July 1994. The Irish Times. 4. 14 November 2012.
  8. Web site: Nora Bennis. Took. Christopher. Seán Donnelly . electionsireland. 9 November 2012.
  9. News: No campaign bemoans lack of time and resources -. Griffin. Dan. 6 November 2012. The Irish Times. 9 November 2012.
  10. News: Neither-seen-nor-heard campaign is not giving up. Reilly. Jerome. 4 November 2012. Sunday Independent. 9 November 2012. Dublin.
  11. News: Who opposes children's referendum?. Minihan. Mary. 30 October 2012. The Irish Times. 9 November 2012.
  12. News: Yes campaign in pole position to carry proposal but turnout concerns persist. Collins. Stephen. 17 October 2012. The Irish Times. 9 November 2012.
  13. News: Why I will vote no in children's referendum. Bennis. Nora. 2 November 2012. Irish Examiner. 9 November 2012.
  14. Web site: EUROPEAN ELECTIONS 2014 SOUTH CONSTITUENCY NOTICE OF POLL. 2014. Office of the Returning Officer. City Sheriff's Office. 6 May 2014. Cork.
  15. Web site: Catholic Democrats . 2014-05-19 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140519224559/http://www.catholicdemocrats.ie/ . 2014-05-19 .
  16. Web site: Leaflet from Nora Bennis -Catholic Democrats -Limerick City #ge16. 23 February 2016.
  17. Web site: Limerick City. RTÉ.ie.
  18. News: Campaigner Nora Bennis dies in Limerick aged 78 . RTÉ . Cathy Halloran . 11 February 2019 . 2 March 2019.