The Kathleen Lynn Garden
This Kathleen Lynn Garden is dedicated to the memory of Dr Kathleen Lynn (28 January 1874 – 14 September 1955). Dr Lynn had an interest in the healing powers of wild plants and this is represented in the garden.

Kathleen Lynn was an Irish politician, activist and one of the first female doctors to qualify in Ireland.
She was born near Killala in North Mayo in 1874, the daughter of Robert Lynn, a Church of Ireland clergyman and Catherine Wynne from Co. Sligo.
In 1886, while still a child, Kathleen Lynn came to live in Cong following the appointment of her father as rector of the Church of Ireland parish. The Lynn family lived in the Old Rectory a short distance from the village. She became a boarder at Alexandra’s College in Dublin which was under the patronage of Lady Ardilaun of Ashford Castle.
There are many stories of her kindness to people from both faiths in this parish while she lived here and the poverty she encountered led to her desire to become a doctor.
Her political views developed while she was at the Royal University of Ireland studying medicine. She became involved with a number of suffragist and nationalist organisations. After postgraduate studies in the United States she became a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1909.
She was passed over for medical positions because of her gender but succeeded in obtaining a post at Sir Patrick Duns Hospital. Subsequently she became a resident at the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital. During this period she became politically involved with the labour movement during the Dublin lockout. She joined the Irish Citizens Army and was Chief Medical Officer of the Irish Citizens Army during the Easter Rising.
During the Rising she was based at the City Hall but was arrested by British soldiers and detained in Dublin until June 1916 when she was deported to England. She kept a diary of the events and aftermath of the Rising which give a unique insight into the treatment of prisoners after the Rising.
Lynn returned to Ireland at the end of 1916 and re-established her medical practice as well as returning to involvement with nationalist politics. Her political activities led to a split with her father in Cong although she resolved her difficulties with her father before he died in 1923. She became vice-president of Sinn Fein in 1917 and was elected to the Dail in 1923 although she did not take her seat in accordance with the abstentionist stance of the anti-treaty Sinn Fein.
Much of her later life was devoted to medical care in inner city Dublin. She co-founded St Ultan’s Hospital for Infants in 1919 and supported international research on tuberculosis eradication. She worked closely with Noel Browne TD on TB eradication and the National TB Vaccine Centre was set up in the grounds of St Ultans.
Kathleen Lynn died in 1955 and was given a full military funeral. She is buried in Deansgrange Cemetery, Dublin.
Dr Lynn’s diaries 1916-1955 are now in the care of the Royal College of Physicians, Dublin and have recently been transcribed.
Further information about Dr Kathleen Lynn:
Ó hÓgartaigh, Margaret – Kathleen Lynn: Irishwoman, Patriot, Doctor. Dublin: Irish Academic Press – 2006
Gairdín Kathleen Lynn
Is i gcuimhhne ar an Dr Kathleen Lynn (an 28 Eanáir 1874 – an 14 Meán Fómhair 1955) a forbraíodh an Gáirdín seo. Bhí spéis ag an Dr Lynn sna cumhachtaí leighis atá ag plandaí fiáine agus taispeántar é sin sa ghairdín.
Ba pholaiteoir agus ba ghníomhaí Éireannach an Dr Lynn agus bhí sí ar dhuine de na chéad dochtúirí mná a bhain cáilíocht amach in Éirinn.
Rugadh í i ngar do Chill Ala i dTuaisceart Mhaigh Eo in 1874, agus b’iníon í le Robert Lynn, eaglaiseach Eaglais na hÉireann, agus le Catherine Wynne ó Chontae Shligigh.
Tháinig Kathleen Lynn chun cónaí i gConga in 1886 agus í ina leanbh go fóill, tar éis gur ceapadh a hathair mar reachtaire ar an bparóiste de chuid Eaglais na hÉireann. Chónaigh muintir Lynn sa Seanreachtaire, a bhí suite i ngar don sráidbhaile. Ba scoláire cónaithe í ag Coláiste Alexandra i mBaile Átha Cliath, a bhí faoi phátrúnacht Lady Ardilaun ó Chaisleán Cheapach Corcóige.
Is iomaí scéal atá ann faoi cé chomh cineálta a bhí sí le daoine sa pharóiste seo a raibh ceachtar den dá chreideamh acu fad a chónaigh sí anseo. Spreag an bhochtaineacht a thug sí faoi deara sa cheantar go ndéanfaí dochtúir di.
Tháinig forbairt ar a dearcthaí polaitíochta fad a bhí sí ag Ollscoil Ríoga na hÉireann agus staidéar á dhéanamh aici ar leigheas. Bhí baint aici ag an am lé roinnt eagraíochtaí sufragóirí agus náisiúnacha. Rinneadh comhalta di de Choláiste Ríoga na Máinlianna in 1909, tar éis di staidéar iarchéime a dhéanamh sna Stáit Aontaithe.
Níor tugadh poist leighis di mar gheall gur bhean í ach d’éirigh léi post a fháil ag Ospidéal Sir Patrick Dun. Rinneadh cónaitheoir di ina dhiaidh sin ag Ospidéal Súil is Cluas Victoria Ríoga. Thosaigh sí i rith na tréimhse seo ag glacadh páirte i gcúrsaí polaitíochta i ngluaiseacht an tsaothair i rith Fhrithdhúnadh Mór Bhaile Átha Cliath. Ghlac sí le ballraíocht d’Arm Cathartha na hÉireann agus ba Phríomhoifigeach Leighis í le hArm Cathartha na hÉireann i rith Éirí Amach na Cásca.
Bhí sí lonnaithe i rith an Éirí Amach ag Halla na Cathrach ach ghabh saighdiúirí na Breataine í agus coinníodh í i mBaile Átha Cliath go dtí Meitheamh 1916 nuair a díbríodh go Sasana í. Choinnigh sí dialann d’imeachtaí an Éirí Amach agus den tréimhse ina dhiaidh ina dtugtar léargas ar leith ar an mbealach a caitheadh le príosúnaigh i ndiaidh an Éirí Amach.
D’fhill an Dr Lynn ar Éirinn ag deireadh 1916 agus bhunaigh sí a cleachtas leighis arís eile agus thosaigh sí ag plé arís leis an bpolaitíocht náisiúnach. Thit achrann amach idir í féin agus a hathair i gConga mar gheall ar a gníomhaíochtaí polaitiúla ach d’éirigh léi an t-achrann seo a chur ina cheart lena hathair sula bhfuair sé bás in 1923. Rinneadh Leas-Uachtarán Shinn Féin di in 1917 agus toghadh í chun na Dála in 1923, ach níor ghlac sí lena suíochán ar aon dul le seasamh neamhfhreastail Shinn Féin in aghaidh an chonartha.
Chaith sí go leor dá saol níos déanaí le cúram leighis a thabhairt i lár Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath. Chomhbhunaigh sí Ospidéal Naomh Ultan do Naíonáin in 1919 agus thacaigh sí le taighde idirnáisiúnta ar dheireadh a chur le heitinn. D’oibrigh sí go dlúth le Noel Browne, TD ar dheireadh a chur le heitinn agus bunaíodh an tIonad Náisiúnta Vacsaíne Eitinne ar thailte Ospidéal Naomh Ultan.
Fuair Kathleen Lynn bás in 1955 agus cuireadh sochraid iomlán mhíleata ar siúl di. Cuireadh í i Reilig na Gráinsí, Baile Átha Cliath.
Tá dialanna an Dr Lynn ó 1916 go 1955 faoi chúram Choláiste Ríoga na Lianna, Baile Átha Cliath anois agus rinneadh iad a thras-scríobh le déanaí.
Eolas breise faoin Dr Kathleen Lynn:
Ó hÓgartaigh, Margaret – Kathleen Lynn: Irishwoman, Patriot, Doctor. Baile Átha Cliath: Irish Academic Press – 2006
Ó hÓgartaigh, Margaret. Lynn, Kathleen. Dictionary of Irish Biography
Kathleen Lynn – A Rebel Doctor. Scannán le Se Merry Doyle.
McAuliffe, Mary – The Diaries of Kathleen Lynn: A Life Revealed through Personal Writing. Baile Átha Cliath: Clódóirí UCD – 2023