The Changemakers: Fitness pioneer who brought women into the public sphere

Co-founder of the Central Remedial Clinic Kathleen O’Rourke had an evangelical zeal for health and fitness that brought her international recognition

Kathleen O'Rourke leading Ireland at the Lingiad in 1949. Despite the event's prestige, the government refused to provide funding.

When Kathleen O’Rourke set up the first branch of the Women’s League of Health and Beauty in Dublin in 1934, it generated enormous interest among women — and anxiety among Catholic leaders concerned that women wearing shorts would contravene ideas of modesty in the new Irish State.

Bishop John Charles McQuaid — later Archbishop — was a cousin of Kathleen’s and he met her several times to insist that women wore skirts over their shorts. He also wanted the league to tone down its 'risqué' logo and remove the word ‘beauty’ from the title.