Anne Jane Carlile 1775-1864, Temperance Pioneer

by Mr Leslie McKeague
on Thursday 24 September 2015 at 8.00 p.m.

in Rosemary Presbyterian Church, 26-36 North Circular Road, Belfast BT15 5HB

Everyone welcome             Refreshments provided

Born Anne Jane Hamill at Rooskey, County Monaghan, in 1775, she married the Rev Francis Carlile, the minister of 2nd Bailieborough (Urcher) and Corraneary in 1800.

Widowed after just 11 years of marriage she was left with 7 children to bring up.  She moved first to Londonderry but later settled in Dublin where for the remainder of her days she was active in charitable and philanthropic causes.  She soon got involved in prison reform and was visiting prisons in Dublin even before the visit there of Elizabeth Fry.

However, it is her pioneering work in temperance that she is most remembered for.  She was a frequent speaker throughout Ireland, England and Scotland advocating the setting up of temperance associations and was co-founder of the Band of Hope in Leeds in 1847.

A Blue Plaque was unveiled in May 2015 at Trinity Presbyterian Church, Bailieborough, County Cavan, in honour of Anne Jane Carlile.

See the Events at Trinity Bailieborough web page for more details.

See the entry in the Dictionary of Ulster Biography.