landowner, and Delia Tudor Stewart Parnell. Michael Davitt’s proposal to establish an Irish Ladies’ Land League led him to propose Anna as its organiser as he had previously worked alongside Anna Parnell in New York and recognised her administrative ability. Anna Parnell’s life provides a vivid illustration of the immense difficulties faced by intelligent and energetic women in the nineteenth to find a role and have their voices heard.

The travel grant is named in her honour to reflect her vigorous campaigning which saw her travel widely and her intellectual and political contributions which were largely ignored in her lifetime.  One travel grant will be awarded per year and applications are now open for the 2027 Anna Parnell Travel Grant.

The amount for the travel grant is valued at up to €500. Please note that 50% of costs will be issued by cheque to the successful applicant in advance of the proposed trip, and 50% will be issued upon submission of receipts (to cover the entire amount of the award). If receipts total less than €500 the lesser amount will be issued to the applicant. The grant can be in whole or in part towards research related travel and can be combined with other awards. Travel must take place in 2027 and awards cannot be carried forward. 

The Anna Parnell Travel Grant Award is intended to support travel for research or conference presentations related to the field of Irish women’s and gender history in any historical era. Applicants must complete the application form in full outlining their intended use of the funds. Postgraduate students must also attach a letter of support from their supervisor confirming their student status and topic of research.

The travel grant is open to any scholar living on the island of Ireland who is a member of the Women’s History Association of Ireland (with current dues paid at time of application) or to any member of the Women’s History Association of Ireland living overseas who wishes to travel to Ireland for research-related activity. The research grant is not limited to those with institutional affiliations; independent scholars are most welcome to apply. Preference will be given to applicants without access to institutional support for research-related travel.  

The travel grant cannot be used to support conference attendance without presentation. Successful applicants must credit the Women’s History Association of Ireland award in their presentations and any subsequent publications arising from the Anna Parnell Travel Grant.

The successful applicant must provide a 500 word account of their use of the travel grant to appear on the WHAI website within three months of the completion of travel. The cheque reimbursing the remainder of the expenses will not be issued until this report has been received. Preference will be given to applicants without access to institutional support for research related travel.  The competition for the award will be judged by a select panel of the WHAI Executive Committee.

Please email us at womenshistoryassociation@gmail.com with any queries and please email this application form to the Secretary at that address by 31st October 2026. The prize will be awarded at the WHAI AGM.

Link to the form can be found here Anna Parnell Travel Grant Form