A history of women s land rights in Ireland
Updated / Monday, 8 Mar 2021
15:57
Women at work in a field in Co Roscommon in 1870. Illustration: The Illustrated London News/ Getty Images
Analysis: the route to land ownership and inheritance for women in Ireland has never been straightforward
The ownership of land has long been a contentious issue in Ireland and one issue which remains unresolved is the gender gap in farm ownership. There are stark differences in the ratio of land owned by men and women in Ireland today. In 2016, females represented only 12% of farm owners in Ireland. The barriers to female land ownership are complex comprising legal, social, and cultural barriers. This is evident when we examine the history of female land ownership in Ireland.
A number of years ago I was approached by my neighbour’s son to formalise a right of way they had across my land to a field and cottage they owned. An informal arrangement had been there for as long as I remember and there were never any issues.
However, when my neighbour decided to transfer the farm to his son, he (the son) told me that the right of way should be registered as there was a change in the law regarding this set to come into force soon. I didn’t see an issue as the right of way was always there as far as I was concerned so I agreed to it being registered.