Few doctors can have had so varied a career or experienced the triumphs and vicissitudes that were the lot of Kevin Izod O'Doherty. Izod was born in Gloucester Street, Dublin in 1823 and was one of four children. His father, William, was an attorney and died when Izod was only nine years old. After William's death the family moved from Gloucester Street to Blackrock and lived in the neighbourhood of Frascati House. John, one of Izod's brothers, became an attorney, William became a dentist and his sister Gertrude entered the Dominican Order. Izod set his sights on medicine.
In 1842 he was apprenticed to Michael Donovan and studied at RCSI and the Ledwich School of Surgery and Medicine. Izod attended the Meath and St Vincent's Hospital and trained under Sir William Wilde at St Mark's Ophthalmic Hospital.
He became involved with the Young Ireland movement and in June 1848 established the Irish Tribune with Richard D'Alton Williams. They produced five issues, the fifth and final one being issued on 10 July 1848. While getting ready to sit his final exams in RCSI, Izod was arrested for having published a treasonable newspaper. He was sent to Newgate Gaol where at his first two trials the jury could not agree on a verdict. During this extended period in prison he was visited by Mary Eva Kelly, a writer of patriotic verses better known as 'Eva of the Nation'. They fell in love and hoped to marry, but the jury reached a verdict in Izod's third trial and that was guilty. The sentence handed down was transportation for ten years to Van Diemen's Land, now Tasmania. Despite the long sentence Eva promised to wait for Izod.
Izod reached Tasmania near the end of 1849 and was allowed to live in the community because he was a ticket-of-leave prisoner. Despite having not qualified from RCSI he utilised his medical skills and training at St Mary's Hospital, Hobart. In 1854 he was given a conditional pardon forbidding him to return to Britain or Ireland. Nevertheless he ventured to London where he married Eva on 23 August 1855. They then settled in Paris where Izod continued his medical studies. In 1856 he received a full pardon and returned to Dublin where within a year, on 11 June 1857, he became a Fellow of RCSI.
Izod was appointed Professor of Anatomy at the School of Medicine on Peter Street and Surgeon in St Vincent's Hospital, where a decade earlier he had studied. He set up his practise at 18 Hume Street and was very successful. But when a friend, Father James Quinn, was appointed first Bishop of Brisbane Izod decided that he too would set out for an adventure in Australia. In 1862 Izod, his three sons and Eva pregnant with their fourth child arrived in Brisbane.
Izod had a very successful career in Brisbane over the next 20 years, becoming prominent in many fields - medical, political, Church and public affairs. Amongst other honours he became honorary visiting surgeon to Brisbane Hospital, president of the Queensland Medical Society and a member of the Central Board of Health. In 1867 Izod was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland where in 1872 he was responsible for and helped pass the first Health Bill. He was also one of the early opponents to the trafficking of Pacific Island workers or 'kanakas'.
Izod returned to Ireland in 1885 to support Parnell. He was welcomed home with open arms by the Irish people and received the freedom of Dublin. He was elected unopposed as Irish Parliamentary Party MP for North Meath in the general election of 1885. He made his maiden speech in the House of Commons on the Home Rule Bill. But when Gladstone's government fell in 1886, Izod decided to return back to Brisbane where his family had remained.
Izod attempted to pick up his successful medical practice again but it do not work out. He was slowing losing his sight so was unable to carry out his medical duties with such vigour and accuracy as he had before. The local government, remembering how well he had served the community in the past, appointed him to part-time positions.
By 1900 Izod was completely blind and unable to earn a living. Times were financially very hard for the O'Dohertys and was made harder to bear by the deaths of Izod and Eva's three sons. On 15 July 1905 Kevin Izod O'Doherty passed away. Eva followed her husband five years later.
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| Ledwich School of Surgery and Medicine |
In 1842 he was apprenticed to Michael Donovan and studied at RCSI and the Ledwich School of Surgery and Medicine. Izod attended the Meath and St Vincent's Hospital and trained under Sir William Wilde at St Mark's Ophthalmic Hospital.
He became involved with the Young Ireland movement and in June 1848 established the Irish Tribune with Richard D'Alton Williams. They produced five issues, the fifth and final one being issued on 10 July 1848. While getting ready to sit his final exams in RCSI, Izod was arrested for having published a treasonable newspaper. He was sent to Newgate Gaol where at his first two trials the jury could not agree on a verdict. During this extended period in prison he was visited by Mary Eva Kelly, a writer of patriotic verses better known as 'Eva of the Nation'. They fell in love and hoped to marry, but the jury reached a verdict in Izod's third trial and that was guilty. The sentence handed down was transportation for ten years to Van Diemen's Land, now Tasmania. Despite the long sentence Eva promised to wait for Izod.
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| Mary Eva O'Doherty (neé Kelly) (1826-1910) |
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| Kevin Izod O'Doherty (1823-1905) |
Izod reached Tasmania near the end of 1849 and was allowed to live in the community because he was a ticket-of-leave prisoner. Despite having not qualified from RCSI he utilised his medical skills and training at St Mary's Hospital, Hobart. In 1854 he was given a conditional pardon forbidding him to return to Britain or Ireland. Nevertheless he ventured to London where he married Eva on 23 August 1855. They then settled in Paris where Izod continued his medical studies. In 1856 he received a full pardon and returned to Dublin where within a year, on 11 June 1857, he became a Fellow of RCSI.
Izod was appointed Professor of Anatomy at the School of Medicine on Peter Street and Surgeon in St Vincent's Hospital, where a decade earlier he had studied. He set up his practise at 18 Hume Street and was very successful. But when a friend, Father James Quinn, was appointed first Bishop of Brisbane Izod decided that he too would set out for an adventure in Australia. In 1862 Izod, his three sons and Eva pregnant with their fourth child arrived in Brisbane.
Izod had a very successful career in Brisbane over the next 20 years, becoming prominent in many fields - medical, political, Church and public affairs. Amongst other honours he became honorary visiting surgeon to Brisbane Hospital, president of the Queensland Medical Society and a member of the Central Board of Health. In 1867 Izod was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland where in 1872 he was responsible for and helped pass the first Health Bill. He was also one of the early opponents to the trafficking of Pacific Island workers or 'kanakas'.
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| Kevin Izod O'Doherty later in life |
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| Monument to Izod and Eva in Toowong Cemetery, Brisbane |
Izod returned to Ireland in 1885 to support Parnell. He was welcomed home with open arms by the Irish people and received the freedom of Dublin. He was elected unopposed as Irish Parliamentary Party MP for North Meath in the general election of 1885. He made his maiden speech in the House of Commons on the Home Rule Bill. But when Gladstone's government fell in 1886, Izod decided to return back to Brisbane where his family had remained.
Izod attempted to pick up his successful medical practice again but it do not work out. He was slowing losing his sight so was unable to carry out his medical duties with such vigour and accuracy as he had before. The local government, remembering how well he had served the community in the past, appointed him to part-time positions.
By 1900 Izod was completely blind and unable to earn a living. Times were financially very hard for the O'Dohertys and was made harder to bear by the deaths of Izod and Eva's three sons. On 15 July 1905 Kevin Izod O'Doherty passed away. Eva followed her husband five years later.
Physician and Muse, Man and Wife!
They came from Ireland's shores,
Through adversity their light shone brightly,
Inspiring all on whom it shone.
Their like never die but live into eternity.