POLITICS: There's Something about Mary By Mary Banotti, Currach Press, 190pp . €14.99There is something instantly appealing about the title of this book. Not only is it the name of a very silly, very funny 1998 comedy starring the gorgeous Cameron Diaz, but it also reflects a truism that has occurred to anyone with a passing interest in Irish politics, writes Ivana Bacik.
THERE REALLY is something about Mary - almost all our most successful female politicians are called by this name. Three out of 15 Government Ministers are women - all Marys (Coughlan, Hanafin and Harney). Two out of 20 Ministers of State are women - again both called Mary (Wallace) or Máire (Hoctor).
So it was only a matter of time before somebody examined this Mary phenomenon - and who better than Mary Banotti, Fine Gael Dublin MEP for 20 years until 2004. She has produced a fascinating account of the life experiences of 14 Marys in politics, including herself, based on interviews she conducted with 12 of them. The book also contains a summarised biography of President Mary McAleese, and an interview with Banotti carried out by John Fanagan.
In the introduction, Banotti tackles the name issue. She writes that a "culture of Mariology" prevailed in Ireland of the 1950s, so that in most families the eldest girl would be called after the Virgin Mary - particularly if born in May. All of the Marys interviewed are first-born daughters; many were born in May. However, most interviewees comment upon the loss of popularity for the name in contemporary Ireland. As Mary Upton says, "They don't make Marys anymore" - it is rare to find one under 40.
But the book is about much more than the interesting social history revealed by the prevalence of the name Mary. It also provides great insight into the real lives of women politicians. The personal and often poignant interviews reveal much about the individuals themselves.
I was particularly moved by Mary O'Rourke's description of the death of her husband; and by Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan's account of the sudden loss of her father and her own unexpected entry into Dáil Éireann at the age of 21.
Equally moving is the way Coughlan describes how she combines having young children with her Government role. In short, she has learnt that one has to let go: "That is the only way you can stay sane. If you try to do everything it just doesn't work." That one phrase revealed for me a deep-seated truth about how women politicians manage. For those who do not have children, other facets of their lives have been let go because of the intense demands of politics.
Mary Upton, for instance, speaks with strong regret about losing touch with her friends, saying that "outside politics you don't really have a life a lot of the time".
Mary Harney, similarly, expresses regret about having "sacrificed a lot" for her political career. In a surprising remark that has been commented upon elsewhere, she also says: "If marriage had come first and I had been lucky enough to have children, I don't know whether I would have chosen politics or family". Clearly, it is very difficult to combine politics with young children. Máire Geoghegan-Quinn describes how she managed to breast-feed her younger son in her ministerial offices; and recounts that media intrusion into her son's life was the "last straw" in her decision to leave politics.
Her experience emphasises the importance of the question Banotti asks; is it possible for women to "have it all"? The answer is: only with immense family support, particularly from the woman's partner or spouse. Even then, as Mary Lou McDonald says, "There is a price to be paid". Ultimately, however, these women are all deeply committed to politics, and so the price is worth paying. Although many make reference to the bitter taste of electoral defeat (this struck a real chord!), what also emerges from each interview is the excitement and great sense of purpose that politics can generate. It is there in the passion displayed by Mary Henry when speaking about women's reproductive health needs; or by Mary White, the Green TD, in speaking about environmental issues.
So, despite the men's code that Mary O'Rourke describes as prevailing in the Dáil bar, she says that she would still rather remain politically active than be "sitting at home counting my grandchildren". As Banotti herself puts it, "if one is thrown into an election it is great fun and absolutely fascinating. I was hooked . . .". These are all women who have been hooked. It is just a pity there are so few of them. A mere 15 per cent of our TDs and Senators are women (35 out of 226). This lively and perceptive book should encourage more girls and women - whether called Mary or not - to enter politics. It has certainly motivated this woman to stick at it!
Ivana Bacik is an independent Senator for Trinity College Dublin, a barrister, and Reid Professor of Criminal Law at Trinity College Dublin. She was elected to the Seanad for the first time in July 2007