Council supports move to recognise leading local historical figure
Dr. Brigid Lyons became the first and only woman to be accepted as a female officer in the Free State Army. She was also a medical doctor.
Roscommon County councillors have supported a proposal to formally recognise the contribution to the formation of the Irish State by a Scramogue woman, who was a member of Cumann na mBan, became the first and only woman to be accepted as a female officer in the Free State Army and was also a medical doctor.
At a meeting of Roscommon County Council, Cllr Tom Crosby received the full support from his council colleagues when he presented a notice of motion calling on the council to appropriately recognise what he described as the “heroic work” of Scramogue native, Dr. Brigid Lyons.
Cllr Crosby pointed out that Dr Lyons was a patriot hero of the Easter Week Rising and received awards for her bravery and courage. As a medical doctor attending to the injured soldiers in the GPO, the Independent councillor outlined that she was imprisoned at the time when leaders Pearse and Connolly surrendered to the British Army. She was a close colleague of Countess Markievicz.
Later she was commissioned by Michael Collins to become the first and only woman to be accepted as a female officer (Medical Corps) in the Free State Army. She supported the Treaty side in Ireland and played a very significant role in the foundation of the Army Medical Corps, said the councillor.
She went on to become a leading figure in the fight against tuberculosis amongst the poor in Ireland, and pioneered the BCG vaccination scheme in the 1950s which practically rid Ireland of tuberculosis.
At the plenary meeting, Cllr Crosby explained that Brigid Lyons married Captain Edward Thornton in October 1925 in the Chapel of St. Kevin at the Pro-Cathedral Dublin. She survived her husband’s passing during 1946 (they had no children).
Outlining other historical details at the meeting, Cllr Crosby said that Dr Brigid Lyons was born in Northyard, Scramogue in 1896. She was a daughter of a farmer and noted Fenian Patrick Lyons and Margaret McGuinness. He said that the house where she was born is still standing and that it would be ideal to have it restored as a monument. “The family that own it are amenable to whatever the county council feels appropriate,” said Cllr Crosby.
In the following years of Home Rule/World War 1, Brigid Lyons became very involved with the nationalist movement. She smuggled money, gold and guns to fund the ‘cause.’ Alongside her fellow Cumann na mBan colleagues, she kept ‘morale high with parcels, protests and letters. Brigid Lyons was one of the most active Cumann na mBan women as she sent parcels and corresponded with prisoners, he said.
She rose to the rank of commandant in Cumann na mBan, and dangerously smuggled hand grenades by train to pass on to Longford IRA under the command of Seán MacEoin. Later when he was captured, she managed to contact him and take messages from him to Michael Collins.
Cllr Crosby outlined that Brigid Lyons was living in Longford when she heard the news of the 1916 Easter Rising. Her uncles Frank and Joe McGuinness were serving in the Four Courts along with Pádraic Pearse, James Connolly and Michael Collins. Brigid joined them in the Four Courts.
Frank and Joe McGuinness were born in Cloonmore Tarmonbarry, County Roscommon in 1867 to Martin McGuinness and Rose Farrell. Frank was elected a T.D. in 1923 for the Longford Westmeath constituency.
Cllr Crosby informed fellow members that Dr Brigid Lyons Thornton was buried on the 71st anniversary of the Easter Rising in Toomore Cemetery, Foxford, County Mayo alongside her husband. Members of the Western Command rendered her military honours at her burial and her coffin was draped in the tricolour.
Concluding his remarks, the councillor said that very few people now would have known of this heroic great woman, and believed if it was a man, there would be “many monuments in recognition”.
