A CAMPAIGN TO HAVE THE NEW CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL IN DUBLIN NAMED AFTER A KILLALA NATIVE IS GAINING MOMENTUM.

DOCTOR AND REVOLUTIONARY KATHLEEN LYNN WAS BORN IN KILLALA IN 1874.

THE CAMPAIGN HAS ALREADY SECURED THE SUPPORT OF ACTOR ADRIAN DUNBAR AND JAMES CONNOLLY-HERRON, GREAT GRANDSON OF JAMES CONNOLLY. A FACEBOOK PAGE FOR KATHLEEN LYNN HAS NOW GATHERED CLOSE TO 200 MESSAGES OF SUPPORT.

MS LYNN WAS THE DAUGHTER OF A CHURCH OF IRELAND RECTOR IN KILLALA. SHE GRADUATED AS A DOCTOR IN 1899 AND BECAME ACTIVE IN THE WOMAN’S SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT AND REPUBLICANISM.

SHE WORKED IN SOUP KITCHENS DURING THE 1913 LOCKOUT, WAS CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER OF THE IRISH CITIZEN’S ARMY IN 1916 AND WAS LATER IMPRISONED IN KILMAINHAM GAOL.

IN 1919, SHE FOUNDED THE FIRST PAEDIATRIC HOSPITAL IN IRELAND, TO TREAT THE CHILDREN OF INNER CITY DUBLIN. SHE IS ALSO CREDITED WITH HELPING TO BRING VACCINATIONS AGAINST TB TO IRELAND.

JOURNALIST TOM STOKES, ONE OF THOSE SPEARHEADING THE CAMPAIGN, ALONG WITH BIOGRAPHER MARIE MULNOLLAND, DESCRIBED MS LYNN AS ‘AN ASTONISHING WOMAN’ WHO WAS ‘WAY AHEAD OF HER TIME’. HE SAID THAT NAMING THE NEW HOSPITAL – WHICH WILL BE BUILT ON THE SITE OF THE MATER IN DUBLIN – WOULD BE A FITTING TRIBUTE.