[1] Founded in 1910 as the Society of United Irishwomen, it exists to prove social and educational opportunities for women and to improve the standard of rural and urban life in Ireland.

[3] Inspired by the work of Horace Plunkett, a first branch of the Society of United Irishwomen was founded in 1910 by Anita Lett in County Wexford, following by a second towards the end of that year.

[2] Working against[citation needed] the rampant antifeminism of 20th-century Ireland, the association worked on teaching and promoting rural housewives to establish home industries, maintain a hygienic home, provide a healthy diet for their families, and take an active role in public and intellectual life.

The centre was purchased using funds secured by an ICA sub-committee on "residential courses", which was founded in 1953 and chaired by Máirín Beaumont.

[7] Former presidents, Kit Ahern, Peggy Farrell, and Camilla Hannon were nominated by the Taoiseach to serve in Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Oireachtas (the Irish parliament).