Nell McCafferty was absolutely “fearless” in her pursuit of truth and justice, Ailbhe Smyth has said. 

The 80-year-old’s death was announced this morning by her family.

Ms McCafferty shot to prominence in the late 1960s as one of Ireland’s most prominent feminist campaigners.

Notably in 1971 - a time when contraception was illegal in the Republic of Ireland - she travelled with other members of the Irish Women’s Liberation Movement to Northern Ireland and smuggled contraception back on the train.

Speaking on The Hard Shoulder, feminist and LGBT activist Ailbhe Smyth said she had always been “very fond of her”.

“We have lost somebody really extraordinary and precious,” she said.

“I can feel that weight of sadness.”

Nell McCafferty . Photo: Leon Farrell/RollingNews.ie

The pair first met each other in the 80s - at which point Ms McCafferty was already established as one of Ireland’s most well-known feminists.

“I was quite overawed actually,” Ms Smyth recalled.

“But there was that kind of warmth and kindness about her but also she did make you know your place - and I loved that about Nell that there was that kind of fierceness and determination about her.”

During her career, Ms McCafferty worked for the Irish Times and RTÉ, often writing about women’s issues and the Troubles.

“One of her first books was In The Eyes Of The Law where she just sat in the District Court day after day after day and told us what was going on there,” Ms Smyth said.

“It revealed and exposed the lives of the poor people who were up in the courts and the nature of their lives and taught the judiciary to shreds.

“She was fearless in that regard - she didn’t care.

“She would go out and tell the truth directly - drawing us in with her skill and her talent.”

Before her death, Ms McCafferty had been living in a Donegal nursing home - close to her native Derry.

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Main image: Nell McCafferty. Picture by: Photo Leon Farrell/RollingNews.ie