The Dublin woman who shot Mussolini has been "brought home" to Merrion Square via a plaque dedicated to her memory.
Violet Gibson, who had a privileged upbringing as daughter of a Lord Chancellor of Ireland, shot 'Il Duce' as he walked among a crowd in Rome in 1926. The Fascist leader reportedly moved his head at the last minute which meant the bullet grazed his nose.
The would-be assassin tried to shoot again but the revolver miss fired. Violet was almost killed by the crowd until police intervened and arrested her, while Mussolini survived with only minor injuries.
Read more: Dublin woman who shot Mussolini to be commemorated by plaque
She was then deported to Britain after being released without charge at the request of Mussolini. Violet spent the rest of her life in a psychiatric hospital in England despite repeated pleas for her release.
She died in 1956 and was buried in Kingsthorpe Cemetery in Northampton. Violet Gibson was the subject of a 2014 RTE radio documentary and a 2020 TV documentary.
To honour the memory of Violet Gibson, Dublin City Council unveiled a plaque with her name on it at her childhood at 12 Merrion Square North, as Dublin Live previously revealed.
Expert on Violet Gibson Siobhan Lynam, who produced the two documentaries on her, said Violet travelled to Rome with the intention of killing Mussolini after learning about fascism while living in London. After the shooting, 'Il Duce' was shocked that an "old, ugly woman" would shoot him, said Ms Lynam.
She argued that Churchill and Mussolini decided it would be best if she was deported to England, declared insane and locked up for the rest of her life. She said: "It was better that she was defined as mad than bad.
"Her political act was going to damage Italian-British relations. I was agreed between Mussolini and Churchill she should be deported to England and locked up for the rest of her life."
Ms Lynam says Gibson was not insane and cited the letters she wrote from the psychiatric hospital and an interview with one of her nurses who also said she was sane.
The plaque was unveiled weeks after the far right political party, Brother of Italy, became the biggest party in the Italian parliament. At least one members of the party reportedly owns memorabilia of Mussolini which they are proud of.
Dublin Live asked the proposer of the plaque, Independent Councillor Mannix, whether it was unveiled as a response to the electoral success of the Italian Brothers. He said the plaque was a "marker" that people need to wake up to the rise of fascism across Europe.
"I certainly think it is a marker and I certainly think that people need to wake up to the rise of fascism across Europe," he said. "I think this is the first time a woman like Violet Gibson has been honoured as an anti-fascist.
"This is a very, very serious moment for European history and for those who are interested in European history and the history of women. Violet Gibson was a political individual, an extraordinary individual, a brave individual who suffered all her life.
"She was basically incarcerated until her death quite wrongly. Violet Gibson is a very important example for those who want to confront Fascism in Europe or in any jurisdiction to look at the life that she led."
He added: "Violet Gibson shines out today in her hometown of Dublin as an absolute example to women, to men to confront fascism wherever they are. And I am so happy that on this beautiful sunny day Violet Gibson is home."
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