Irish wives who set right Tone for greatness..

Author's insight to those living in the shadows

- BY CIARA O'LOUGHLIN

WE'VE all heard of Ireland's greatest figures, such as Eamon De Valera, WB Yeats and George Bernard Shaw.

But what about their wives who held down the fort at home and supported them through all their achievements?

Author Nicola Pierce was lying in bed awake one night when she had the idea to write her new book, Great Irish Wives.

She decided to research 10 wives: Matilda Tone, Mary O'Connell, Constance Wilde, Charlotte Shaw, Emily Shackleton, Annette Carson, Sinead de Valera, Margaret Clarke, George Yeats, and Beatrice Behan.

The writer fell in love with each woman as she discovered the trials and tribulations of a life that was lived mainly in their husbands shadow.

Here, she discusses some of the strong women of her book.

Matilda Tone was a phenomenal woman," Nicola said. "She married Wolfe Tone when she was just 16, they eloped.

"She kind of gave up her family for him, gave up everything to chase his dream. I felt like she was the one that sacrificed an awful lot for that relationship."