page_title: Helen Chenevix
section_title: Later life and death
hierarchical_section_title: Helen Chenevix / Later life and death
caption_attribution_description: English: scan of the death certificate of Helen Chenevix
context_page_description: Helen Chenevix was an Irish suffragist and trade unionist. In 1911, she worked with Louie Bennett to form the Irish Women's Suffrage Federation. The two later founded the Irish Women Workers' Union.
  Chenevix was also elected to Dublin Corporation, and twice served as acting Lord Mayor of Dublin in 1942 and 1950. In 1951, she served as President of the Irish Trades Union Congress, and from 1955 to 1957 she was Secretary of the Women Workers' Union. She was also active in the International League for Peace and Freedom and the Irish Pacifist Movement.
context_section_description: After she retired from the Irish Women Workers’ Union in 1957, Chenevix concentrated on working for peace and nuclear disarmament.
  A memorable event in Chenevix's later life was her input at a conference of the Irish Trade Union Congress and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. A heated argument broke out amongst delegates suggesting that the idea of world peace was a "communist" ideal. As Chenevix, a "frail, gentle, grey-haired figure", approached the stand, the conference was in uproar. As she spoke calmly and convincingly for the need for peace, the disorder began to die. Once she had finished, the room broke out into a storm of thunderous applause. Her resolution, which had previously been viewed as "communist", was finally recognised and passed unanimously.
  Chenvix worked tirelessly throughout her life to fight for women's rights, to improve working conditions for Irish women and for the right to live in a peaceful world without war or disruption. As she worked right up to her death, she was appointed a member of the Industrial Accidents Commission just three days before her bereavement.
  She died of brain cancer on the 4th of March 1963 in Walkinstown Hospital, and she was buried in Deansgrange cemetery on the 7th of March of the same year. Her funeral was held in Monkstown Parish Church and was conducted by the Reverend RWM Wynne. Amongst those who attended the funeral were members of the Dáil and Senate, representatives of the Trade Union movement and many of Chenevix's personal friends.
caption: Death certificate of Helen Chenevix
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