Eleanora Fleury

Eleonora Fleury (1860-1940) was the first female medical graduate of the Royal University of Ireland; she graduated in 1890 with first-class honors and a first-class exhibition. She had her clinical instruction at the Richmond Hospital in Dublin and the London School of Medicine for Women. She was also the first female member of the Medico Psychological Association (now the Royal College of Psychiatrists), having been proposed as such by member Conolly Norman (whose protégé she was) in 1893, and elected by 23 votes to 7 in 1894, after the association rules had been changed to allow women as members. After graduating medical school, she worked at the Homerton Fever Hospital in London for a year, and then worked at the Richmond Asylum (later called Grangegorman) in Ireland for 27 years. She eventually became deputy medical director there. From 1921 until 1926 she worked at Portrane Asylum in Donabate, and then she retired. She was arrested in 1921 by Irish state forces for being involved in an assistance and escape program for anti-treaty prisoners which was centered on the asylum at Portrane. After she was released she returned to her work at the asylum.