A postmistress before entering politics, she was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) at the 1938 general election for the Monaghan constituency.
Her husband Eamon Rice was a TD for the same constituency from 1932 until his death in 1937.
She was re-elected at each successive election until she retired from politics at the 1954 general election.