Mary Frances Crowley (1 August 1906 11 March 1990), was an Irish educator and nurse who founded nursing training schools.
Biography
Mary Frances Crowley was born 1 August 1906 in Wexford, at 12 William Street, the eldest child of John Crowley, a lighthouse keeper, stationed in Hook Head lighthouse at the time, and his wife Emily (née Williams), daughter of a lighthouse keeper. Her father's profession took the family around Ireland both to wherever he was stationed and to other houses for the lighthouse keepers' families while he was stationed in remote locations. Crowley went away to the UK to gain her nursing qualifications from 1931 to 1935. She trained for her State ''Registered Nursing Certificate'' in
St Catherine's Hospital, Birkenhead and St James's Hospital, Chester (later the Chester City Hospital which closed in 1994.) She then achieved her State ''Registered Midwifery Certificate'', with training from the maternity hospitals in Liverpool and
Mile End Hospital in London.
Crowley came back to Ireland in 1941 to work in
Sir Patrick Dun's Hospital
Sir Patrick Dun's Hospital ( ga, Ospidéal Sir Patrick Dun) was a hospital and school for physicians on Grand Canal Street, Dublin, Ireland.
History
Sir Patrick Dun, a prominent physician in Ireland, died in 1713, leaving income generating prope ...
in Dublin. She established an obstetrics nurse and midwifery nursing school in what is now
Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda and in 1944 Crowley became the Assistant Matron of the
Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital. When World War II ended Crowley volunteered with the Irish Red Cross Hospital at
Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô (, ; br, Sant Lo) is a commune in northwest France, the capital of the Manche department in the region of Normandy.[Medal of French Gratitude
The Medal of French Gratitude (french: "Médaille de la Reconnaissance française") was a French honour medal created on 13 July 1917 and solely awarded to civilians. The medal was created to express gratitude by the French government to all t ...]
in 1948 for their work. On her return, Crowley began the Nursing Training School at the Eye and Ear hospital and went on to become the Director of Nursing Studies. In 1948 she founded the first ophthalmic nurse training school in Ireland.
Crowley was Honorary secretary of the National Council of the Nurses of Ireland and vice-president of the Irish Guild of Catholic Nurses. Crowley was the founding president of the Nurse Tutor's Academic Society in 1960. She went on to be appointed the first Dean of the
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) is a medical professional and educational institution, which is also known as RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ireland's first private university. It was established in 1784 ...
(RCSI) Faculty of Nursing in 1974.
Crowley retired in 1980 but remained committed to nursing education. She died in Dublin 11 March 1990 and after a funeral cortège which passed the college to the
Newman University Church, St Stephen's Green she was buried in Fingal Cemetery,
Balgriffin, County Dublin. The RCSI flew their flag at half mast. In 2019 they commissioned her portrait, which is hanging in the school.
Bibliography
* A Century of Service 1880–1980: The Story of the Development of Nursing in Ireland (1994) - editor
* The Christian Nurse (1979) - author
Sources
{{DEFAULTSORT:Crowley, Mary Frances
1906 births
1990 deaths
People from Wexford, County Wexford
Health professionals from Dublin (city)
Irish nurses
Recipients of the Medal of French Gratitude