Ground-breaking Northern Ireland doctor and war heroine gets honour after making medical history
Dame Louise McIlroy, who made history as the first female Professor of Medicine in Britain and Ireland, to be commemorated with an Ulster History Circle Blue Plaque in Ballycastle
A pioneering Northern Ireland woman, who made history as the first female Professor of Medicine in Britain and Ireland, is set to be commemorated with an Ulster History Circle Blue Plaque.
Dame Louise McIlroy, born in 1874 in Knockahollet, County Antrim, will be honoured at Ballycastle Presbyterian Church in a special ceremony with support from the Ulster-Scots Agency.
The unveiling of the plaque takes place today (Friday), marking her extraordinary contributions to the medical profession.
Dame Louise defied societal expectations to overcome the barriers that women faced in her time becoming one of the most respected figures in medicine. Educated in Ballymena and Ballycastle, she followed in her father James’s footsteps developing a passion for healing. She went on to make history as the first woman to graduate in medicine from Glasgow University, later embarking on a remarkable journey that included wartime service and groundbreaking contributions to obstetrics and gynaecology.
During the First World War, despite being told "battlefields are no place for a woman”, Dame Louise joined the Scottish Women's Hospitals Foreign Service, where she led mobile medical units in France. As chief medical officer with the French Expeditionary Force, she established field hospitals under challenging conditions in Serbia and Salonika, earning the Croix de Guerre from the French government for her service. Her work as a surgeon in the Royal Army Medical Corps in Constantinople further solidified her reputation.
After the war, Dame Louise continued her work, becoming the first woman to be appointed Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the London School of Medicine for Women in 1921. She was recognized for her significant contributions to the field, including advancements in pain relief during childbirth, and was made a Dame in 1929 for her services to midwifery. Two years later, she was awarded an honorary degree from Queen’s University Belfast, of which she was particularly proud.
She retired in 1934 but came back to work at the start of the Second World War, organising maternity services in Buckinghamshire.
Dame Louise's remarkable life came to an end in 1968, when she was laid to rest in the family grave alongside her father, mother and two brothers, at Ballycastle Presbyterian Church.
The Very Rev. Dr Godfrey Brown, former minister of Ballycastle church, conducted the service at the graveside. He explained: “Dame Louise McIlroy’s career was unique at a time when women were not afforded the opportunity to exercise such singular influence in the profession.
"On 24th May, 1968, as she had wished, her ashes were laid to rest with her family in the grave beside the front door of the church and close to the church hall where she received her final education in preparation for her entry to university.”
Her career, which was ahead of its time, remains a testament to her determination, talent and compassion.
Chris Spurr, chairman of the Ulster History Circle, emphasized Louise’s unique contributions, noting her pivotal role in advancing obstetrics, gynaecology, and child welfare.
He added: “Dame Louise McIlroy was a pioneering doctor from County Antrim who devoted her career to advancing the areas of obstetrics, gynaecology and child welfare.
"In the month of International Women’s Day, the Ulster History Circle is delighted to commemorate the first female Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Britain and Ireland with a blue plaque.
"The Circle is grateful to the Ulster-Scots Agency for their financial support towards the plaque, and to Ballycastle Presbyterian Church for their kind assistance.”