Ethna Viney, a previous columnist for the Irish Times, sadly passed away at the age of 95 on a recent Friday. Ethna and her beloved Michael would delightfully welcome guests into their quaint smallholding and cottage, perched above Tonakerra Point and offering a view of the Killary entrance in west Mayo.
The bond shared by Ethna and Michael was deep, lasting, and incredibly profound. Ethna brought a sense of urgency and a protective persona to their connection. Known for her astounding vitality and incredible accomplishments, she was regarded as Michael’s equal in a relationship that seamlessly intertwined their personal and professional lives.
Ethna Viney was undeniably ahead of her time in many aspects. She established herself as a feminist, economist, and environmental advocate in Ireland during the late 1950s and early 1960s when these causes had yet to gain mainstream acceptance.
Born as Ethna McManus, she spent her childhood in Cavan in the 1930s, raised by her father James McManus, a civil servant, and her mother, Mai Penrose, a bank officer. Despite societal norms of the time which dictated few women attend university, Ethna defied the odds and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1957.
From 1961 onwards, she embarked on a career in journalism. She was a television producer for current affairs shows, an editor, a freelance journalist, a writer, and a critic. She penned a lengthy piece about new trade agreements with Britain established by then-government leader Sean Lemass, which she hoped would be published.
Years later, she told the story of when she had received a call from Michael Viney regarding her piece. From her bedsit, two flights of stairs above, she rushed down to the phone in the hall. Michael had spoken with a posh voice, expressing interest in her piece. That was their first encounter and he was instantly charmed by her. He remembered her as a vivacious woman, full of energy, with a long blonde ponytail.
In less than twelve months, by October of 1965, they had tied the knot. This union blessed them with a daughter, Michele, and spanned a remarkable 57 years, only ending with his passing the previous year. Over these many decades, Ethna remained true to her personal passions, simultaneously being a stalwart supporter of Michael’s pursuits. Her interests encompassed economics, politics – being a sincere socialist throughout her life –, femininity, and sexuality, with much of her perspective molded by feminist authors from the last three centuries.
In the year 1989, she unveiled her work titled “Ancient Wars – Sex and Sexuality”. This was trailed by another book in 1996, “Dancing to Different Tunes: Sexuality and Its Misconceptions”. Four years prior, alongside many notable names, such as Eavan Boland, Carol Coulter, and Maureen Gaffney to name a few, Ethna participated in the collaboration, “A Dozen Lips”.
In 2008, she and Michael together penned an immense volume, “Ireland’s Oceans: A Natural History”. They also revisited an earlier solo work of Michael’s in 1981, transforming it into “Another Life Again”, – the name echoing his long-standing column and book, “Another Life”.
The couple relocated to Thallabawn in Western Mayo in 1972, immersing in an “other life”, about which they passionately wrote. Ethna, although small in physical stature, had an enormous personality. She was not just her husband’s partner, but his equal in their shared scientific interests and endeavours. Her conversations were lively, opinions definite and defended with a fervent intellectual vitality.
She was a familiar figure amongst her neighbours in nearby Thallabawn, Louisburgh, and Westport. Between Ethna and Michael, she was always the one behind the wheel. In their twilight years, Ethna steadfastly stood by Michael’s side, guiding him through the trials of old age and deteriorating health.
She managed to stay an energetic force, almost to the very end.