Eileen Kennedy
1914-1983Eileen Kennedy
First woman District Justice in Ireland

Born in Dublin, her parents were Patrick Kennedy, solicitor and Delia Kennedy (née Blood). Eileen attended St Louis Convent, Carrickmacross, she went on to qualify as a nurse in 1935. Eileen served in the army nursing service from 1940-1943, then left to study law. Qualifying as a solicitor in 1947, she joined her father’s practice, P.J.Kennedy & Son and served as a coroner for south Monaghan from 1960 – 1964. In April 1964 she became the first woman district justice in the Republic of Ireland, assigned to the Dublin metropolitan district with particular responsibility for the children’s court. The Kennedy Report (1970) which she chaired was named after her, and she was also a member of the first Council for the Status of Women in Ireland. Industrial schools in Ireland were closed following the release of the Kennedy Report. Eileen died in Galway having donated her body to medical science.